By Marko Talala, Director of Automation & Industry 4.0 Konecranes
One of the biggest issues today’s managers face when purchasing new lifting equipment is a nagging worry about how long the technology will fit their process. They wonder: “Will some new technology arise that will make this purchase irrelevant? Will our company’s needs change in the future? How can I be sure I’ll get my money’s worth from the crane I buy today?”
Lifting technology for Industry 4.0
As manufacturing embarks on the fourth Industrial Revolution (also known as 4IL or Industry 4.0) it’s becoming increasingly important to consider new equipment built for the future rather than the past. A quick look back on the era-defining landmarks of previous game-changing revolutions illustrates how true this is.
According to the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development, the first industrial revolution (circa 1765) began with mechanization, powered by coal and steam. The second (1870) was shaped by new sources of energy: electricity, gas and oil, powering the internal combustion engine. New methods of communication, including the telegraph and telephone were also invented during this time.
The third industrial revolution (1969) came along a hundred years later, and saw the rise of nuclear energy, accompanied by the proliferation of electronics, telecommunications and computers. Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and robots soon followed, opening the door to high-level automation, which takes us to around 2014. Since then, advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, 3-D printing and other technologies are defining the world’s fourth industrial revolution— Industry 4.0.
The one trend we can confidently predict is that change will continue. At Konecranes, we’re embracing this change with the new Konecranes X-series crane, taking our already industry-leading roster of smart, efficient and safe crane technologies and incorporating them into a new, lean electrical architecture that is designed for change and adaptation as needs evolve.
Advanced means more adaptable, not more expensive
One of the best effects of this advancing technology is that our patented Smart Features become even easier to add. Today’s smart crane technology isn’t an unobtainable dream for those with big budgets – the updated crane architecture of the X-series brings more value for the money, along with the possibility of seamlessly adding more features later in over-the-air updates.
The Konecranes X-series is what industry calls a “standard” crane; a workhorse suitable for multiple tasks ranging from fabrication to shipping. With the ability to make software updates from the floor without getting up on the crane, this affordable “standard” crane can become increasingly customized to the task at hand with the addition of Smart Features and functions and using digital connectivity and sensors to monitor crane usage and condition.
Maximum adaptability in a lean package
Let’s look at an example of how this works. Let’s say a niche auto manufacturer, after successfully doing business for over a century, is expanding. The company has several Konecranes S-series and CXT cranes in its facility and has come to rely on the various smart technologies they offer. Like most of its competitors, the company is gearing up to introduce a line of electric vehicles, (EVs) with significant new technology. Management needs an efficient and versatile crane system to handle the assembly of complex EV components on the factory floor.
Although plans for the new line are still fluid, they know that the new cranes will need to efficiently lift materials to great heights and maneuver around tight spaces. So, this auto manufacturer decides to invest in the Konecranes X-series crane in order to optimize the assembly process.
What made the sale?
Managers saw that in the future they could easily add to the Smart Features they already relied on, like Hook Centering, Snag Prevention and End Positioning because of the crane’s connectivity. The electrical components on the X-series work seamlessly together to enable easier set-up and updates and better diagnostics.
The lean electrical architecture of the Konecranes X-series will also allow them to tweak functionalities in the future without adding new componentry. Instead, new capabilities can easily be added as needed by Konecranes technicians in over-the-air (OTA) updates using the SmartConnect app.
As the new EV assembly line takes shape, the factory design team has added strategic features to the crane’s functionality, including:
Accurate and precise positioning: Inverter hoisting and an ergonomic radio with true stepless buttons to help streamline assembly.
Collision avoidance system: Designed to automatically slow down or stop crane movement when the crane or its load comes within a pre-determined distance of another object, this system will help protect the crane and people working around it as well as loads and building structures.
Remote monitoring: TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring to provide crane condition and operating data to support predictive maintenance and maintenance planning and help reduce unplanned downtime.
A wide array of embedded Smart Features for future access
Standardized, embedded electrical controls on the Konecranes X-series enable Smart Features that were previously controlled by a PLC in earlier Konecranes offerings. The connectivity of the X-series means functionalities are now scalable, opening the door to advanced automation.
Some of the Konecranes X-series most significant capabilities include Hook Centering, Snag Prevention and Follow Me – elements of Konecranes newly updated and patented Rope Angle Features module delivering cost-saving, labor-saving and safety improvement technologies used to streamline workflows and minimize downtime.
These functionalities promote more accurate handling by the operator, who operates the crane from a chosen safe place using the advanced CANMAN radio control. Its display indicates the lifted load, active Smart Features, battery life and other useful information.
Looking to the future, the new functions of the Konecranes X-series will further increase safety as automation speeds up crane operations. And the data collected from the control system and sensors will help predict component service life and optimize maintenance.
Advances in crane monitoring and service
Working in tandem with the crane’s new software-based functionalities, Konecranes’ expanding roster of digital service technologies is also a key deliverable of the Konecranes X-series, assisting with troubleshooting, streamlining diagnostics and monitoring the life of key components. Utilizing TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring, customers can largely automate this function.
Crane diagnostic advances will be a key element in reducing downtime and increasing throughput. These new functionalities will speed up operations - how much of an improvement depends on the customer’s process. Collecting and monitoring the data from the customer’s crane enables us to make service agreements where the crane is monitored and the customer notified when spare parts are needed, preventing downtime. This kind of “bulletproof” technology has been utilized successfully in passenger cars for years, essentially preventing breakdowns.
Getting back to the Fourth Industrial Revolution . . .
So, in conclusion, how does the Konecranes X-series dovetail with the inevitable march of Industry 4.0? One trademark of Industry 4.0 is the ability to collect sensor data and monitor either locally or remotely. And another is the ability of technicians to apply changes in functionality as needed, even from off the customer’s site.
These new functions of the Konecranes X-series will continue to manifest safety and productivity gains as future automation speeds up crane operations, and crane data and information is used to optimize maintenance. In the final analysis, Industry 4.0, our current era of connectivity, analytics, automation and advanced manufacturing technology is destined to continue. As forward-looking manufacturers, we will either jump on this train to the future or be left in the dust.
Contact us to see how your operations can benefit from the Konecranes X-series crane
Contact us
