A crane including electric actuators for lifting and/or traveling loads and/or crane elements, a generator for supplying the actuators with energy, an internal combustion engine for driving the generator, inputs for entering control commands for the actuators, and a control device for controlling the actuators in dependence on the control commands entered. The control device has a determination device for determining and/or estimating a future power demand of the electric actuators with reference to the actuation of the inputs with which control commands for the actuators are entered, and the current operating condition of the actuators, and an engine control unit for controlling the internal combustion engine in dependence on the estimated/determined future power demand.

Disclosed is a winch control apparatus for a crane, which comprises: a first compensation torque value calculation section which calculates, when a hoisting manipulation being input, based on a difference speed between a detected rotational speed and a target speed according to a manipulation amount of the hoisting manipulation, a first compensation torque value for enabling an electric motor to generate a reverse-rotation-preventing torque which is a torque in a hoisting direction and corresponding to the difference speed; and a second compensation torque value calculation section which calculates, when the hoisting manipulation being input, based on a detected load value, a second compensation torque value for enabling the electric motor to generate a load bearing torque which is a torque in the hoisting direction and necessary for bearing a load of the load value.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for retrofitting a pedestal crane, the method comprising removing an existing motor generator controller for a motor in the pedestal crane; and replacing the motor generator controller with a digital controller.

A system and method of this disclosure control an on/off state of a power take-off by monitoring the power demand of a fluid power circuit that includes the power take-off and a piece of equipment connected to the power take-off. The power demand may be indicated by a pressure or temperature of a fluid power circuit, by a motion of the equipment or its hand-held controller, or by an engine torque of an engine driving the power take-off. When the equipment transitions between an off state and an on state, the controller automatically engages the power take-off. When the equipment is in the on-state for a predetermined amount of time and the power demand is at or below a predetermined threshold during the predetermined amount of timethereby indicating idle time or an inactive state of the equipmentthe controller automatically disengages the power take-off.

A system for measuring load, from a cable, associated with a boom of a pipelayer is disclosed. The system includes a linkage configured to be coupled between a boom block, engaged with the cable, and a portion of the pipelayer. In addition, the system includes a load cell coupled between the linkage and the boom block for measuring the load, from the cable, on the linkage. A measurement load path, of the load cell, is aligned with a load path, of the load, between the boom block and the linkage.

An overhead crane assembly having a movement assist system. The assembly includes a bridge engaged with end trucks movable along runway beams. A hoist assembly is engaged with a trolley that is movable along the bridge. The load is suspended from the hoist assembly via a hoist rope which has an inclinometer engaged therewith. A processor is coupled with the inclinometer and motors in the trolley and end trucks. Programming in the processor is configured to activate and deactivate the motors in response to signals from the inclinometer. The movement assist system is actuated by a human operator applying a physical force to the load by pushing or pulling the same. When this occurs, the inclinometer determines the hoist rope is at an angle relative to Normal and signals the processor which, in turn, activates the motor(s) and assists the operator in moving the load.

A hoist lifting system having planning and monitoring of components. The system monitors one or more components and may have a processing structure and memory storing instructions to configure the processing structure to: receive hoist machine data; determine a rotation speed of a bearing, a travel speed of a rope, a load on the bearing, a friction in the at least one bearing based on the hoist machine data; and store the rotation speed, the travel speed, the load, and the friction in a maintenance database in memory. The hoist lifting system may have the processing structure determine a wear of one or more components.

Based upon the identification of a structural member, a projective path and final attachment location for the structural member is presented to the crane operator. Further, the dimensions of each structural member are determined and compared against a construction site database. Structural members not conforming to the dimensions listed in the construction site database are identified and the crane operator alerted.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include methods for controlling a crane. The method may include: acquiring a first speed of a first motor pulling a first end of a hoist; acquiring a second speed of a second motor pulling a second end of the hoist opposite the first end; acquiring a first speed difference between the first speed and the second speed; acquiring a first speed difference threshold; and if the first speed difference is smaller than the first speed difference threshold, sending a control instruction to the first motor to increase a torque output value of the first motor in the trolley traveling direction.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for lowering a load on a direct current hoist motor during an electrical power interruption, the method including but not limited to determining in a crane processor that the electrical power interruption has occurred; and providing a brake assist current to shunt field on the direct current hoist motor to produce a counter torque in the hoist motor.