Digitalisation is changing every part of the economy. Modern mobile cranes have been developed based on some of the most fundamental concepts in engineering, many of which were first described by Archimedes. But here too, advances in sensors, computing power, and data transfer have been transformational. What can this meeting of modern and ancient tell us about how we design complex, safety critical, machines and assets?

Operating a crane was once a seat of the pants experience. A crane operator would feel the machine’s performance and stability, in their hands and feet as they worked levers and pedals. When the crane began to tip, they would feel that too. 

Modern control systems aim to retain that intuitive feel for the machine, while removing the sole reliance on the operator to maintain its safe working. But they do a lot more. They integrate with crane planning tools, in the office and in the cab. They control the complex steering and driving of these multi-axle machines, allowing the operator to concentrate on the task at hand. And they open the door to precise monitoring of carbon emissions on site, and sophisticated analysis of fleet performance.

Guests

Dave Rees, strategic accounts manager, Emerson Crane Hire

Florian Brunner, product manager, Liebherr

Daniel Rössner, field test engineer, Liebherr 

Partner

The Liebherr Group is a family-run technology company with a broadly diversified product portfolio, which includes a total of 13 product segments. It is the global market leader for mobile and crawler cranes. 

The post #263 The Tipping Point first appeared on Engineering Matters.