Manitowoc, Wis.-based Manitowoc Crane Group will introduce CraneSTAR fleet management system at Intermat 2009. The innovative new product will be one of the highlights of the Manitowoc stand at the show and boasts a number of industry firsts.
John Bittner, director of global marketing at Manitowoc Crane Care, said the new product will help end users get better productivity and profitability from their cranes. “CraneSTAR gives customers up-to-date information on their crane fleet, no matter where they, or their cranes, are in the world,” he said. “It is the most comprehensive system our industry has ever seen and will help end users get more out of their cranes. By monitoring working conditions and locations, customers can plan maintenance and lifting schedules to get maximum efficiency from their operations.”
With CraneSTAR, each crane is equipped with a Manitowoc-engineered Telematics Control Unit that monitors major crane functions and provides operational data taken from the proprietary CANbus network or RS232. It is able to provide information from the load moment indicator. Once gathered, the information is transmitted to a secure database linked to a web server, allowing the crane owner to access the information online, from any web-connected computer or handheld device.
CraneSTAR is unique in that it has the ability to transmit data over both GSM and satellite networks across countries and regions. Many systems do not have this dual-band approach, so coverage areas can be limited. This is not a problem for Manitowoc customers using CraneSTAR whose cranes often work in remote locations or congested city environments because CraneSTAR also uses a global SIM card to allow full functionality across the globe, a feature no other system in the construction equipment industry currently offers. Bittner said Manitowoc brought all of its expertise to the new product.
“CraneSTAR is designed by crane professionals for crane professionals,” he said. “It allows customers to monitor how effective their crane fleet is so they can make better decisions about crane replacement, routine maintenance, and new crane purchases. The website is very user-friendly and complies with all laws and regulations governing wireless transmission and Internet use. CraneSTAR is the best asset and fleet management product for mobile, crawler, and tower cranes on the market today and will revolutionize the way our customers monitor and track each crane or their entire fleet. This is truly the dawn of a new age in asset management for our industry.”
The system has no impact on crane operations and requires no intervention by the crane operator. Users can customize their reports to receive the most relevant information to them.
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