FiberMax Crane Pads Receive First U.S. Patent

June 28, 2017 (Guthrie Center, Iowa) On June 6, 2017, DICA received U.S. patent No. 9,670,639 for FiberMax® Crane Pads, its first for this product.

FiberMax® Crane Pads feature a revolutionary bi-directional sheer web design that maximizes load distribution in all four directions, and are manufactured from high strength FRP composite material. The patent is for the manufacururing process which allows FiberMax Crane Pads to be significantly ligher weight than other productss while also delivering quantifiable, engineered load distribution.

“FiberMax Crane Pads are a fully engineered solution that are equivilant in strength to steel , and provide safe, predictable, and effective load distribution to efficiently reduce ground bearing pressures under equipment of all types,” said Kris Koberg, CEO.

Introduced in 2014, FiberMax Crane Pads are a radical application of technology originally developed for vehicle bridges. With crush ratings up to 1000 psi and rated capacities of up 375,000 lbs., FiberMax Crane Pads deliver the strength and rigidity needed for cranes with lifting capacities up to 600 tons. They boast significant cost of ownership benefits over timber or steel, including longer lifespan and reduced transportation costs.

In addition to the US patent, DICA has filed an international application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The PCT provides a unified procedure for filing patent applications to protect inventions in international countries.