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Cranes are vitally important tools used on just about every construction job site in the country. They are perhaps one of the most recognizable types of construction equipment at any job site. That may partly be due to the fact they can be seen hoisting materials up high or sitting atop a new structure being built. Different crane types and models are available to perform a variety of different tasks on the job site.

The market for cranes is rapidly changing, as different factors are impacting how they are used. But perhaps one of the biggest trends is the technological advancements that are reshaping the crane landscape and making the crane smarter than before. Cranes can be configured to suit the different needs of jobs—especially with the advent of new technologies such as telematics, cameras, and technologies related to lifting capacities. This makes the job site more efficient when it comes to both time and money.

Today, technology offers versatility, increased lifting power, and cost-efficient transport, which has become more important in recent years. Technology is helping on the Jobsite in a number of different ways, but two of the key areas for crane operators are:

• Creating greater efficiencies

• Ensuring greater safety for workers

New crane technologies are helping this equipment across construction job sites become smarter.

Sensors can provide a good advantage on any type of construction equipment, including cranes, offering the operator access to real-time data about how machinery is operating. A Smart Crane can use a diverse range of sensors, switches, and controllers to provide safety, efficiency, and higher accuracy for crane movement and load placement. This 'smart' network of sensors, switches, and controllers can automatically alert and resolve problems before a danger becomes imminent, rather than relying solely on the instincts of a crane operator.

Among the sensor involved in safely elevating and transporting the load are: tensiometers, length and angle sensors (boom position and jack angle), force transducers (load cells), outrigger load sensing, wheel speed sensors, incremental encoders, and hydraulic pressure sensors. With safety criteria stored in the crane's control system, the networked data from the various sensors are used to compute safe operating zones to avoid a maximum load from exceeding a critical angle and distance.

For example, at the top end of the crane boom, a hook load sensor measures the weight of what is being lifted to ensure that it does not surpass the crane's safe operating specifications. A similar type of load switch (sensor) is used on the other end of the crane, on the outriggers used to stabilize the crane on rough ground, ensuring that the crane is evenly balanced and will not tip over. 

Limit switches are found in most cranes and are used to measure and sense position (i.e., when a moving part reaches its defined operating limit). A crane can use many different types of limit switches. The limit switch that measures the jib and boom extension help to reduce the possibility of the jib and/or the boom being extended too far, which could cause the boom to be damaged during a lift or even topple over.

Temperature sensors measure the temperature of the various oils and fluids used to operate the crane to prevent overheating and system failure, while a similar temperature sensor located in the cabin ensures that the operator is working in a pleasant climate. To ensure that there is an adequate amount of fuel, oil, and brake fluid to continue safe operation, pressure sensors measure the amount of fluid within a tank. If the pressure drops below a certain level, an alarm is triggered to alert the operator.

Sensing abnormal hydraulic oil temperature, machine vibration or hydraulic pressure variations can alert the crane operator or even a remote monitoring station that the crane is either due for scheduled maintenance or detect a potential problem before it becomes a safety issue or causes unnecessary and unscheduled downtime.

One of the biggest advances in smart crane technology is active sway control, which takes sway control to the next level of crane safety. The need to complete the job within a narrow time window can cause excessive and unsafe swaying of the suspended load. A closed-loop anti-sway controller consisting of a network of embedded microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors for the crane's motion state is among the proposals to make the crane's operation even safer under increased time pressures. Sensing in this system involves the global positioning system (GPS) sensing and accelerometers for feedback control.

Another important development is the improved robustness of the sensor technology itself, as well as the development of customized packaging options. Sensors and switches need to be designed to function well in the harsh environments that cranes are subjected to, which requires resistance to vibration and shock, water, extreme environmental conditions, and hazardous chemicals.

When it comes to smart cranes, safety, emissions, and vehicle/operator productivity are vital to the health of construction companies, crane operators, and the environment. Developing cranes that are safe, smart, and easy to operate helps reduce crane accidents, injuries, and deaths, downtime, and damage to the crane itself as well as the surrounding project area. If a crane tips over at a construction site, the damage to the site and the consequential downtime can cost millions of rupees. More subsystems and electronics that constantly monitor and control the many phases of crane operations help make improvements to safety and ease of operation.