Load Moment Indicators – The Crane Operator’s Assistant

Load Moment Indicators – The Crane Operator’s Assistant

In early January, 2014, a crane overturned in Phuket City, Thailand, cutting off a high voltage power line. The crane, a 25 tonne Tadano Rough Terrain owned by Phuket Kritichai, had its boom raised to around 35 degrees when it upturned into a shallow embankment beside the main road.

Luckily a second crane was quickly brought in to recover the fallen crane and miraculously no one was injured in the incident.

What are Load Moment Indicators?

Cranes are massive and therefore inherently dangerous machines and safety is entirely dependent on the crane operator. Load moment indicators, which compare the lifting condition to the equipment’s rated capacity and indicates to the operator the percentage of capacity at which the equipment is working, are considered operator aids and are designed to help abate as much of the guesswork from the critical tasks as possible.

Use of accurate, durable, and reliable pressure transducers in a load moment indicator system helps to ensure that the crane operators have the most accurate and reliable information, allowing them to perform their job with the highest levels of accuracy, safety, and effectiveness. The use of lights, bells or buzzers can help warn crane operators if there is load capacity is excessive and conditions are unsafe to work in.

How can Load Moment Indicator related problems be averted?

1. LMI problems can mostly result from the equipment itself being faulty. Double checking to see if there are mechanical or software related problems can help to negate the risks borne from having a faulty reading given by the Load Moment Indicator.
2. The crane operators, as well as the construction engineers, should be fully instructed in how the Load Moment Indicator works. They should understand how to take proper readings and determine whether a rated load is stable enough to be carried by the crane or not.

Understanding and taking care of these can go a long way in preventing unnecessary crane accidents. Installation of a proper crane warning system is absolutely essential.

Conclusion

The Load Moment Indicator is a crucial piece of hardware which can help the crane operator retain peace of mind while going about his work. With precise and correct information available to him he can easily let the work proceed at a smooth pace while keeping all the other workers on the site safe from danger.

The Load Moment Indicator from LSI Wireless is the one of the best available on the market. The typical load accuracy is 1% error of maximum capacity, it is designed for both proportional and non-proportional hydraulic cranes and it also features two pressure transducers that read the rod and bore side pressures of the hydraulic lift cylinders and all the calibration data can be saved on a USB drive.

Also, The LSI Load Moment Indicator works very well in conjunction with the LSI Cable Reels which feature a radio transmitter that transmits both boom length and boom angle wirelessly to the LSI GS820 Display on the Load Moment Indicator. The LSI GS820 Display also has the option to monitor the LSI Slew Sensor and Work Area Definition Software.

Mike bode, the founder of lsiwireless.com, a global dealer of lsi-robway™ products.