SmartCrane, a division of Hampton, VA-based Daniel H. Wagner Associates Inc. (DHWA), has created software that automates the acceleration of crane trolleys in order to prevent cargo from swaying. In July, SmartCrane signed a five-year contract with Mannesmann Dematic AG Gottwald to supply software for its line of Mobile Harbour Cranes. In the interim, the company is seeking investors and venture capital firms to supply $2 to $3 million to branch off from DHWA. When SmartCrane separates from DHWA, a mathematics, software, and operations research company, it will become a Limited Liability Company (LLC). That should take place in the near future, making Dr. Joseph H. Discenza, currently vice president at DHWA and manager of the SmartCrane division, CEO of the company. In addition, Rob Overton, who patented the anti-sway concept, will be a vice president. The French firm Telemechanique developed the world’s first anti-sway program in 1992 for use on a full-size gantry crane. Even though SmartCrane’s application had been in the works for a while, its software was not introduced until 1993 when it was tested on a pair of cranes at Norfolk International Terminals. GE came out with its version of anti-sway years after SmartCrane and Telemechanique. Discenza believes the market is growing, and he claims that at least half of the big gantry cranes presently on order will come equipped with some type of anti-sway feature. The original gantry crane version of the computer anti-sway system was developed jointly by DHWA and Virginia international Terminals Inc. The National Science Foundation also supported the effort with a total of $300,000 through small business innovative research (SBIR). Even though the original invention was intended to prevent build-up of sway in gantry cranes, with recent developments, it is now being used on boom cranes. “The boom crane is a much more complicated problem,” explained Dr. Discenza. “We’re not the only ones who do it on gantry cranes. In fact, we weren’t even the first, but we are the first on rotating boom cranes.” Anti-sway technology offers many benefits. One benefit is that it allows the crane to operate at full speed with a reduced risk of uncontrolled swinging of the load. Any sway corrections are made during crane movements and at the end of a move. Another advantage is that data can be added to the computer to compensate for platform motion, which will increase productivity of any kind of crane operations at sea. The ability to adjust to platform motion also reduces the risk of losing control of a load. “A lot of the ships have cranes on them and move cargo around on the ship,” said Dr. Discenza. “It’s difficult to do, so we think there’s a big market there.” There are certain features, those at SmartCrane believe, which makes the company’s software stand apart from the competition. One feature is that no tracking of the container or the spreader is required while using the basic anti-sway technology. This is called open loop, which means using measurements of what a load is doing independently of the crane. Discenza states that other anti-sway software has a 100 percent closed loop and a feedback system only. “They don’t predict the sway like we do,” Discenza asserted. “They actually measure it using motor currents.” Other features of SmartCrane’s anti-sway software include the ability to accept external sway measurements to compensate for non-vertical lift and wind fluctuations. If the external sensor fails, the basic anti-sway will continue to prevent operator-induced sway. Another highlight of the software is that systems adjust for sway during the move, so that the load can be stopped at any time without residual sway. Additionally, anti-sway removes all induced sway, even with hoisting, and long periods of last minute adjustments are not necessary. The system is operable at full trolley speed, does not require extensive modification to crane motor controllers, and operates in both assisted-manual and fully automatic modes. SmartCrane’s anti-sway technology can improve productivity for most boom cranes. Using anti-sway, any boom crane can move its load safely at a much higher rate of speed while providing improved efficiency. Safety is always a concern when working around cranes, especially with the rising number of crane accidents. SmartCrane’s anti-sway program will be able to predict the accelerations on the boom tip and control it, allowing for safer anti-tip protection. Ground crews will no longer need to guide the load during a move. A dangerous load can be approached at the end of a move, when it is no longer swinging. Lastly, operator fatigue plays a role in safely operating heavy equipment. This technology reduces stress and assists the operator. SmartCrane is not claiming to prevent all crane accidents because most are unpredictable. “There are lots of things that go on in a construction crane or a general purpose crane that have nothing to do with sway that can cause it to tip over,” stated Dr. Discenza. The five-year, $5-million contract with Gottwald has SmartCrane supplying software license for Gottwald’s line of Mobile Harbour Cranes. The mammoth German crane manufacturer has 500 cranes installed around the world and sells 50 new cranes every year. Approximately $1 million in annual revenue should result from this contract. In a similar deal, Rockwell Automation bought a SmartCrane software license in January 1999. Rockwell is bidding for contracts at the Port of New York/New Jersey that could produce revenue for the company for up to 27 new cranes. SmartCrane also has a $280,000 contract to design and develop crane automation for a Gottwald mobile harbour crane from Brazos River Harbour Navigation District at Port of Freeport, TX. The automation project should increase the capability and efficiency of loading operations by at least 50 percent at this location. On this project, average container moves are from around 14 to 19 moves per crane hour. SmartCrane is hoping to realize 25 to 30 moves per hour using its technology. The company’s current project is for the U.S. Navy. SmartCrane built a fully functional scale model of a U.S. Navy shipboard container crane, used on ships for offshore loading of containers and cargo. A vision processor, similar to a camera, detects ship motions and adjusts the crane movements accordingly. “That’s what we’re working on now. We’re putting together a diagram and putting in a camera that can actually see where the load is and if there is any sway in the load that doesn’t belong there,” explained Discenza. “Then, we have a special process in the machine to make adjustments.” SmartCrane’s customers are on both land and sea, even though all of its working applications are on land. Its largest customers are the Department of Defense and Gottwald. The company would also like to get into the smaller construction building industry. “We would like to do that,” stated Discenza. “We will probably start with the manufacturers and see if we can interest one or more manufacturers in providing our system as part of their product. That’s the cleanest way to do it, because then it’s a part of the crane design and control system from the very beginning. It’s much less expensive to do it that way.” Getting people to talk about and consider using the technology is a challenge. Discenza says there are two responses: we don’t need it and it won’t work. Many in the industry tend to rely more upon the operator and worry more about the control systems coinciding from one crane to another. With these issues in the forefront, people generally don’t think about the advances in automation. “We’re hoping to change all that,” exclaimed Discenza. “I’d like to see it as standard equipment.”
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