AUTOMATION
The Intelli-lift system form Columbus Mckinnon detects and automatically corrects an off-centre lift.
costs. Although it is true that automated cranes take over tasks that would otherwise require manual labour, that may not be where the greatest savings accrue. “When people hear ‘automation’, a common assumption is that automation technology will replace personnel. This doesn’t have to be the case,” says Emmer. “While automation may replace specific jobs or positions within a process, it does not need to eliminate the people themselves. Automation gives you the ability to redeploy personnel to different tasks or operate other machines.” The redeployed labour may be contributing to more value- added jobs. “With automation increasing throughput,
Right: Automation provides operators with the ability to redeploy personnel to different tasks or operate other machines.
Below: A crane from Konecranes automatically unloads biomass.
employees can work on steps further along in the process to keep increased production running smoothly.” So savings come also from other benefits of automation.
Automated cranes can operate 24/7, with breaks only for planned maintenance – which can be better planned and integrated using predictive maintenance, yet another aspect of the big data that goes with automation. Speed is increased, reliability is increased and accuracy is increased, with benefit to the quality of the end product. Product damage is minimised; so too is downtime of equipment. In a competitive world, every advantage becomes important and automation offers just that.
36 | March 2026 |
www.hoistmagazine.com
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