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Industry NewsManitowoc, Trimble Announce DealJanuary 23, 2012 Trimble and Manitowoc Cranes, a part of The Manitowoc Co., have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of technologies intended to transform the way in which crane operations and information are managed on a construction site. This, the companies said, will include new positioning technology, wireless communication systems and software to enhance productivity in the construction lifting industry. No financial details or specifics on the agreement were provided. The aim is to develop technology tailored for the lifting industry that provides real time, centimeter-level positioning data for multiple cranes working on a construction site. The solution would be able to measure crane position in absolute coordinates using non-contact sensors that can be installed on both fixed and mobile cranes. It is planned that the in-cab displays of cranes that are fitted with the developed solution will permit operators to view the site, multiple working crane zones, forbidden zones, target locations and other site information. The companies also expect to develop an "Intelligent Environment" database for their solutions capable of receiving constant updates of data from Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools and other site sensors working in tandem. In addition, an anticipated feature of the solution would enable a user to program an alarm or even halt crane operation upon detection of unplanned work activity on the construction site. "Manitowoc is committed to providing the most advanced and comprehensive range of lifting solutions," said Bob Hund, executive vice president, Crane Care for Manitowoc Cranes. "Working together with Trimble allows us to access market leading technology to collaborate to develop innovative tools to increase crane operator awareness on a construction site." "Trimble is already using much the same technology to deliver significant productivity improvements to the construction machine control market," said John Cameron, general manager of Trimble's Integrated Technologies Division. "By partnering with the Manitowoc Cranes, we expect to co-develop solutions capable of lifting and delivering materials on the construction site similar to a contract manufacturer who uses a pick-and-place machine to build an electronic circuit board. Our goal is add crane productivity as another key component of the connected site."
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