FEATURE | REMOTE DEVICES
5G has ensured more reliable connectivity with lower latency, allowing remote controls precise control of complex machinery.
use sustainable materials in design as environmental goals get baked into regulation. Shipley adds that even picking a theme for the interface will be a critical differentiator.
But Industry 4.0 is also having an impact – 65% of
remote control users are prioritising remote controls so they can automate, with the majority (55%) saying wireless systems will create cost savings and nine in 10 saying it will create more flexibility. There’s a good reason for looking at automation, data and AI. CraneHubGlobal market analysis suggests that cranes that are moving towards an Industry 4.0 approach report 30% reduction in project delays. And as cranes become ‘smarter’ – via sensors, able to monitor load, weather conditions and equipment status – remote controls will have to parse such data. Many suppliers already deliver on this data accessibility. Shipley’s Tele Radio boasts that LCD screen can provide key operational data, such as system status, real-time feedback on weight, lengths, heights and critical errors. At HBC Radiomatic USA, its technos E radio
control offers a LED colour display that can feedback to the operator via LED, vibration or display, with the option of radiomatic photon that provides live video images from the working environment direct to the display. This approach is backed by the increasingly
central role of 5G connectivity. More reliable and with lower latency, it’s seen as a way for remote
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controls to do more precise control of complex machinery, which supports further automation. As Industry 4.0 continues to rise, the need for reliable remote controls is higher than ever. Shipley also sees a market inflexion point with such automation and AI. Even with the most innovative controls, an observer has to watch the crane to ensure adherence to strict safety measures. But AI and automation, via handsets, could enable a new mode of operation. “With the computer making the decisions and controlling the floor – that’s considerable as safety…functionality…resides with the computer, whereas in the past the controller had to observe,” he explains. It’s not just customers driving this. Of course, those in agriculture, manufacturing or warehousing who are moving towards a so-called Industry 4.0 approach create a direction of market travel. But there is interest from senior leadership, too. “Our senior team is saying we need to implement AI,” adds Shipley. “Our appetite is high to find out what it is exactly that it can bring as an ROI,” he continues, noting it could upend the industry as the industrial revolution did many years ago. “AI is going to change our world: it means it won’t
take a person to see this big Salt Lake [a type of crane] coming at you [a clear safety concern]…it then frees people for bigger considerations.” These other considerations could be more strategic and understanding more about project delay reduction.
But for now, at least in Shipley’s view, there’s a ‘cart before the horse’ approach. “At the moment, there’s nebulous value [in AI],” says Shipley. Indeed, market data currently shows that the biggest drivers of growth are wireless solutions that can drive efficiency and safety among the biggest user bases, those crane and hoist operators. Not forgetting critical safety and efficiency needs, being able to withstand rigorous tests (mechanical, electrical, radio and environmental) and being able to meet customer needs, whether that includes having a device that is encoded in order to make it resilient to interference or is able to receive real-time information from cranes themselves, from machine performance to weather. For now, its present usability, matched to exact
customer requirements, is still front and centre of the remote device market. This might be more typical functionality, like pushbutton panels (critical in both manually operated overhead cranes and newer automated systems), but it could be something more advanced, too. Autec and HBC-radiomatic USA, for example, offer video streaming capabilities, tactile feedback via vibrations and intuitive use among its products. As Shipley says: “Customers are in fact looking for something more personal than just a radio device.”
But with Industry 4.0 looming large, device manufacturers will have to keep adapting. As history shows, they always have done.
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