Sensors & transducers
MANAGING RISKS, PROTECTING SHIPMENTS
Invisible forces, extreme conditions, and tight schedules make heavy haulage a risky balancing act – with potentially serious consequences for projects and budgets. After all, what happens if damage to the goods only becomes apparent at the destination or even when the components are put into operation? How can it then be determined beyond a doubt when and where the damage occurred? Modern data loggers provide reliable answers here: They make transport conditions transparent, comprehensively document critical events, and create a reliable database for analysis, verification, and optimization.
W
hether in construction, energy, industry, or infrastructure: heavy- haul transport is an integral part of logistics processes for companies in these sectors, including in international projects and across national borders. At the same time, heavy-haul transport is a key factor that contributes to project success and, ultimately, to a company’s competitiveness. However, they always entail a risk, as the safety requirements for the capital goods being transported are high: Since heavy-duty goods often weigh several tons, enormous physical forces come into play during transport – and especially during braking, acceleration, and loading. Compounding this is the high and often asymmetrical center of gravity of the goods, which increases the risk of tipping. Last but not least, changing weather conditions and long periods of inactivity can also affect components, some of which are sensitive. Despite careful planning and elaborate packaging and securing strategies, transport damage is therefore not uncommon – yet it is often not noticed until the goods arrive at their destination, making the frustration all the greater. When and how did the damage occur? Who is responsible for it? And who will compensate for the damage? These questions need to be clarified. This is
possible with digital data loggers, which provide concrete evidence.
HIGH RISK IN TIME-SENSITIVE PROJECTS This is because digital data loggers comprehensively document critical events during transport. “Heavy hauls are always critical for companies,” says Josia Fritz, product manager at ASPION. The German high-tech company, which specialises in modern sensor technology, develops shock and climate data loggers specifically for the transport of high-value capital goods. Fritz is therefore well aware of the challenges companies face with heavy-haul transport and understands the consequences that transport damage can entail: “Especially in highly time-sensitive projects, transport damage can lead to significant delays and result in financial losses,” says Fritz.
Even minor transport damage can cause significant delays because the system components are usually custom-made and cannot simply be reordered. Many system components are sensitive to excessive mechanical or climatic stress – even when no external damage is visible. “Defects are therefore often only discovered during assembly or commissioning,” notes Fritz. “This further
complicates the situation.” While transport insurance generally covers the damage, this is only the case if companies can prove that the goods were actually damaged during transport. However, without concrete data, this is difficult, if not impossible.
RECORDING TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, AND MECHANICAL LOAD
Modern data loggers close this information gap. They continuously record parameters such as temperature, humidity, and mechanical load like vibrations or tilt, and store relevant events with timestamps. The respective threshold values are individually tailored to the specific component for each project. Mounted directly on the equipment or its transport rack, the devices accompany the entire supply chain. The recorded data can ultimately be retrieved via a smartphone app – both at the destination and at individual loading points. Fritz: “This allows the condition of the goods to be assessed even while they are in transit.” If anomalies are detected in the data – for example, significant impacts or temperature differences – companies can intervene before the goods are transported further.
Data security plays a central role in data analysis; in other words, the data must not be accessible to just anyone and must be strictly protected against tampering. “We protect the data in our ASPION G-Log using a PIN, among other measures,” explains Fritz. Authorised personnel can download the data from the logger via the app; however, only those with the proper authorisation can view and analyse the data. Live tracking represents an extension of this technology: systems with continuous data transmission provide not only status information but also real-time location data. “With ASPION L-Track, companies can track where their components are and what condition they’re in virtually at any time and no longer have to wait for the data loggers to be read,” explains Fritz. If defined thresholds are exceeded, warning
26 May 2026 Instrumentation Monthly
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