40
ACT
FEBRUARY 2015
INDUSTRY FOCUS
TELEMATICS
provide valuabledata toget themup
and runningor avoid adeveloping
issue.
4
Our telematicsprogramneeded to
be flexible andoffer choices that
would range from avery simple
programwithbasic information, to
the comprehensiveneeds of those
customerswith expandeddetail
requirements.
5
Wewanted to ensure thevaluable
resources of theLink-BeltDistributor
Networkwereoptimized in theprocess.
What about
standardization?
TheAssociationof Equipment
Management Professionals (AEMP),
alongwith assistance from theAssociation
of EquipmentManufacturers (AEM)
announced theirVersion2Standard
draft of their “TelematicsDataStandard”
for construction industry customers in
September 2014. Today, the standard is in
draft form, awaiting ISO adoption. The
bigpoint tomakehere isno specific crane
dataor craneOEMshavebeen included
in theStandard. In short, non-crane
OEMs are agreeing to “providedata to the
equipment owner ina standardized format
for theuse and convenienceof equipment
ownerswithmixed fleets of equipment.”
TheAEMP/AEMVersion2Standard
will include19data fields and42 fault
codespoints. Included in this version are
thebasicdata fields released inVersion
1 includingoperatinghours, location,
fuel consumed andodometer reading.
Again, no craneOEMwas included in the
development of these standards, but Link-
Belt’s telematicdatapointswould easily
map to theAEMP/AEM standards, and
we are indiscussionswith thegroups right
now for inclusion in thenext release.
Link-Belt andA1A’sdashboardprovides
ahigherdegreeof standardization
through itswebsitenamed iCraneTrax.
Like3DLift Plan, craneownersdonot
want touse aLink-Belt-onlyor anyother
OEMonly telematicsdashboard. They
want a tool thatwill allow them touse any
of the cranes in their fleet, regardless of
their origin.
StartingwithourCon-Expo
announcement inMarch2014, through
ourTier IV engineupdates,whichwill be
completed in thenext 18months, all Link-
Belt craneswill be telematics capable.
More than170datapoints andvirtually
unlimited fault codeswill beviewableon
the iCraneTrax site.Of course, thebasic
information– location, operatinghours,
odometers, fuel etc. –will be included,
but tons of crane-specificdatawill be at
the customer’sdisposal on an easy-to-use
dashboard.
This advanced information forLink-
Belt craneswas built into the iCraneTrax
dashboard exclusively forLink-Belt
customers, but otherOEM cranes can
alsobeviewed from the samedashboard
when chosen from their fleet. The
telematicsunit output installedby the
OEM, or a thirdparty likeA1ASoftware,
will determine the amount of datapoint
information fornon-Link-Belt cranes.
If you are likeme, you’re saying,
“170datapoints?”Whyworry about
telematics? In someways it just seems like
itwouldbe another electronicway to lose
adayof constructivework.
It takes some level of commitment and
understandingofwhatworks best for each
individual customer, butwith the amount
of dataprovided, one candetermine
what best fits their individual needs
and reportingmechanisms. Following
are a few exampleswhich reporting
mechanisms are important to thebottom
line for craneowners:
PREDICTIVEMAINTENANCE
.With “real
time” trackingof individualmachine
components you canhave iCraneTrax
sendyou an e-mail alert basedonOEM-
recommendedhydraulic fluidor other
componentry change-out intervals. Set
the trigger tonotifyyouwhenyou are
90percent intoyour oil life, andperform
themaintenance correctly at appropriate
down times for themachine.
What about eliminatingunnecessary
change-outs or inspection?What if the
OEM says todisassemble and thoroughly
inspect yourwinchdrums–main and
auxiliary– after 2,000hours fordamaged
orwornparts?Before telematics existed
thiswas all basedonoperationhours–
with telematics you can actuallydetermine
thehours or cycles of individualwinches
and trigger themaintenancebasedon
individual drumuse.
The sameprincipal canbe applied
toboomhoist and swing lubrication.
Dependingon the application the crane
actuallyperforms, broadoperating
hours arenot thedetermining factor
with regard to lube andmaintenance;
telematics informationgives theowner
detailed informationon real useof
components and the ability toperform the
maintenancebasedon individualmachine
applications.
Telematicsdata canhelpdetermine
the amount of timeyourmachine is
idle. Thishasmultiple impacts for the
owner, including identificationof fuel-
wastingbehaviors such as excessive
idling and aggressivedriving,which can
save thousands of dollars ayear.Carbon
footprint isnot just abuzzword anymore.
Telematics and calculationsdeliveredon
the iCraneTraxdashboard can trackyour
machine’sC02 emissions that arebeing
mandated in some eco-friendly regions.
Tracking idle also increases thevalue
of themachine. Fleet owners cannow
segregatemachineuse from idle time for
a clearerpictureof equipmentwear-and-
tearwhen it comes to selling themachine
at any stageof itsproduct life.
INSURANCE SAVINGS
. In a recent article
in
EngineeringNewsRecord
, a contractor
stated, “Our insuranceproviderwaived
sixdeductibles becausewehad telematics
on it.At $10,000permachine, it created
a$60,000 savings.Weno longerhave
to factor theft intoour bid costswith
telematics.”
Owners can track amyriad of data
to save costs, determine required
maintenance and assure all equipment
iswhere it is supposed to be.
