REPAIR AND REFURBISHMENT Ӏ SECTOR SPOTLIGHT
connect directly to the crane.” Liebherr offers all its cranes with a data modem and SIM card, with five years of data included. “This is absolutely helping to increase uptime,” says Harald. “Of course, the crane operator could instead send us the error code by email or phone. But the advantage of being able to dial into a machine is that we can ask the operator to activate certain functions of the crane and view in real time how it is working. “We can identify the issue
before we send out an engineer, and we can ensure that the engineer has the right parts when they arrive. This undoubtedly gives us a better first-time fix rate, meaning uptime has increased.” Liebherr is also pioneering the use of augmented reality (AR) technology in its repair centre. “With AR we can more quickly and accurately identify areas of damage, for example,” says Harald. “We have trialled this and will explore opportunities to roll it out as it has proved very useful,
The volunteer fi re brigade in Lauf, a town at the western periphery of the Black Forest, Germany, faced a challenge: its TLF 24/50 water tender, which has been in use for nearly 40 years, required urgent repairs. The vehicle is an essential part of the
brigade’s equipment and features a water tank with a capacity of 5,000 litres, which means it plays a vital role in any local fi re emergencies. A leak caused by aging meant that the
TLF 24/50 had to be temporarily removed from service. But Tadano Faun stepped in repaired the damage in its workshop. “We have the necessary equipment and qualifi ed personnel right here, so we were more than happy to accommodate the fi re brigade’s request,” explains Dr. Martin Schuster, general manager Production at Tadano Faun in Lauf. Over three days the Tadano specialists sealed the leak and the the outside of the
particularly with identifying impact damage and when the chassis has distorted. “Cameras are also proving to
be very useful. During covid we had a customer in Japan using a camera on a helmet. This enabled us to advise them in real time how to repair a crane 10,000km away from us.
“In the future I think this technology will become more prevalent. The ability for us to see what the operator or the technician sees is very powerful. Already I know of many cases where using a camera has ensured a very fast resolution to a problem, particularly when we receive out of hours calls.” Tadano is also witnessing
the positive impacts of new technologies. “Technology is transforming crane maintenance and repair, making diagnostics faster, service interventions more efficient, and customer support more interactive,” says Vincent. Tadano is employing AI-
powered diagnostics to analyse
error codes. “Operators receive immediate troubleshooting guidance, reducing downtime and enabling faster first-time fix rates,” says Vincent.
In addition, new software
can automatically recognise and identify spare parts within an assembly, making buying replacement parts quicker and more accurate. And it is also looking into augmented reality (AR). “Future developments include interactive service tools such as voice-guided troubleshooting and smart glasses, allowing technicians to receive real-time support from expert engineers,” adds Vincent. “Over time, we expect a
growing proportion of issues to be diagnosed and resolved remotely, reducing the need for on-site interventions and minimising machine downtime. While some of these technologies are still emerging, they represent the future of crane servicing — faster, smarter, and more efficient maintenance solutions that benefit both owners and operators.”
TADANO FAUN REPAIRS WATER TENDER OWNED BY LAUF FIRE BRIGADE
tank and repainted it. Captain Oliver Heinecke had nothing but
words of praise for the company: “It’s really something that Tadano stepped up to the plate and helped us so quickly. Without that,
we would have defi nitely been in quite a bit of trouble.” The repairs were made free of charge, as
Tadano Faun felt it was important to support its local fi re brigade.
62 CRANES TODAY
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