Manitowoc continues its expansion and investment in support services with the launch of CONNECT, a new digital platform that will launch at bauma 2022. It enables remote monitoring through an app-based system that gives owners and operators the ability to view real-time crane information, receive alerts and exchange data. More functionality will be added in the future.
The CONNECT platform is designed for fleet management, sustainability operations, service and maintenance for users, and connectivity for cranes. This platform is compatible with smartphones, tablets and laptops.
“The launch of CONNECT kickstarts a new digital era of owning and operating Manitowoc cranes. In a matter of seconds, users can access a range of features or data related to their cranes through the app-based platform. They can analyze performance, check service gauges, diagnose faults, and more. It allows unprecedented insight into their cranes, transforming performance, sustainability, and ultimately profitability linked to their investments," said Dirk Wolfsteller, vice president of aftermarket for Grove in Europe.
The new platform will be phased in, initially on Potain tower cranes and Grove all-terrain cranes. The company plans to add other product lines and brands in due course. CONNECT users get real-time access to services and information with just a couple of taps on a screen.
Grove CONNECT
For Grove, CONNECT will initially be available on GMK all-terrain cranes produced from 2023. It will be offered on all new models and available to retrofit on cranes equipped with the CCS control system. The platform allows remote technicians to quickly understand the status of the crane, with any error codes displayed through the app. The remote service team can then run root cause analysis and propose potential solutions without the delay of travel or on-site physical assistance.
With insights into fleet usage, crane owners can adjust their operations to make use of resources or conduct preventative maintenance programs. CONNECT’s functionality means that onsite trips to check cranes are reduced as more of this will happen remotely. There is also much less need for printed documentation as this can be accessed in digital format.
“Grove crane owners can harness the power of data through CONNECT to better understand performance and maximize the return on their investment. For so many of our clients, their overall business goals are tied to issues like sustainability, digitalization, and connectivity. With CONNECT they can now advance those goals and reap the benefits," said Patrick Stelter, product manager for all-terrain cranes at Manitowoc.
Potain CONNECT
For Potain tower cranes, CONNECT will be offered as an option on new top-slewing and self-erecting cranes. In addition, it can be retrofitted on all CCS-equipped cranes. With capabilities available through CONNECT, Potain will discontinue production of its older CraneSTAR Diag tool.
The CONNECT solution offers integration between remote diagnostics, analytics and fleet management to help owners with fleet utilization. On the jobsite, technicians and others can use local Wi-Fi to link to the crane via CONNECT. This allows them to see the operating system and review performance data.
In the future, Manitowoc plans to enable CONNECT to be embedded into the BIM (Building Information Management) model for a project and allow the creation of digital twins of the crane. This functionality will support optimization, site planning, monitoring and materials flow on the jobsite.
“CONNECT advances how contractors and rental companies will use tower cranes on jobsites. The platform improves the user experience immediately and opens a world of exciting possibilities in the future. For example, customers can compare expected use versus actual use, with the potential to reframe how pricing and operational models are run. This insight simply wasn’t available before, but we expect it to positively transform how customers approach crane ownership. We’re excited to showcase the new technology at bauma 2022," said Xavier Claeys, director of digital innovation for tower cranes at Manitowoc.
