CEO DIARIES
Why should people want to join and work in this industry? The crane industry offers young engineers and software developers the chance to see their work directly affect the physical world. A control programme does not remain on a screen: it moves real machinery and must do so predictably under demanding conditions. A modern crane project can take an engineer well
beyond the subject in which they originally trained. A software developer quickly has to understand how the machinery behaves, while a mechanical engineer becomes involved in sensors and control logic. The field is, therefore, a good environment for people who enjoy learning from other disciplines. There is also a clear purpose to the work: better crane control can reduce the need for hazardous manual intervention and protect both the machinery and the material being handled. There is still a perception that the industry is mainly about traditional mechanical work. That foundation remains essential, but modern cranes also need people who can write and commission control software and link the machine to the rest of production. As cranes become more connected, the industry will increasingly value engineers who are comfortable moving between the factory floor and the systems that manage the wider process. For someone entering the industry, my advice would be to spend time with operators and commissioning engineers. Understanding how a crane is actually used is just as important as understanding the software. The most successful solutions are created by people who can connect theory with the practical needs of the site.
What are your expectations for the industry going forward? Any trends or challenges that you foresee? I expect automation to continue expanding, particularly in continuous production and repetitive material-handling processes. A connected crane may receive its next movement directly from the production system and confirm when the task is complete. Manual operation will remain important, but many routine movements can be made more consistent through semi-automatic or automatic control.
One of the biggest challenges will be modernising
existing cranes. Industrial facilities often have mechanically sound cranes that may be decades old. Replacing an entire crane is expensive and can cause substantial production disruption. The industry, therefore, needs modernisation solutions that improve how these cranes are controlled and connected without discarding mechanical structures that still perform well. Standard communications and practical integration will be important. An integrator needs to fit new functions into the customer’s established PLC or drive platform without creating excessive downtime. The plant must then be able to maintain them throughout
the crane’s life. Connectivity also brings cybersecurity into crane engineering. Once a crane exchanges information beyond its local control system, it has to be protected with the same care as other critical industrial equipment. Measured feedback will become increasingly valuable as automation advances. An automatic system must respond to what the load is actually doing, especially when real conditions differ from the assumptions in a model. Combining simulation and model-based planning with sensor feedback gives the controller a more reliable basis for movement. Sustainability will also shape development. Smoother motion can reduce mechanical stress, while better planning can avoid unnecessary movements and idle time. In practice, a good automation project should help the equipment last longer and make better use of the crane, rather than focus on speed alone.
Noswing’s rope-angle sensor mounted directly at the
hoisting ropes during crane testing.
www.hoistmagazine.com | October 2026 | 17
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