Remote load management system

Australian crane rental house Universal Cranes is the first company to use a new remote load management system designed to improve safety in crane operations and to boost productivity.

The safety device was developed by Brisbane-based smart technology company Verton Australia. Called the R-series, Verton said the remote load-management system eliminates the need for human held taglines to control suspended loads. This significantly improves safety and productivity for crane operations, it claimed.

The system is available in various models and is able to handle loads of up to 20 tonnes. In its most basic format, the system comprises a single pair of gyroscopic modules and a handheld remote controller.

“We’re very excited to be able to use the R-series load-management system, which we believe will dramatically reduce the risk of accidents by ensuring no human contact is required for managing suspended loads,” commented the managing director of Universal Cranes, Albert Smith. “With the R-series, tag line use and associated workloads are removed. Workers will no longer be near or under moving loads.”

Verton founder and chief technology officer Stanley Thomson said the R-series would increase productivity and profitability of businesses operating or relying on cranes and hoists for orientating heavy loads. “The R-series will reduce hook time by 50 per cent or more and the overall cycle time by 25 per cent,” he said. “This is the biggest improvement in productivity since the crane was invented. We estimate that implementation of the R-series will save worksites millions of dollars over its lifetime with payback possible within a year. These are significant advantages in our increasingly competitive industries.”

Verton received government financial support to develop the unit and is taking orders across a range of industries.