Internet of Cranes® Provides Intelligent Control.

A leading manufacturer of articulated and hydraulic cranes, Fassi has customers all over the globe and the ability to produce 12,000 cranes on average per year. As a pioneer in its sector, it has always sought to create innovative services to support operators.

In 2015 Fassi began developing a unique system that would take advantage of IoT technology to provide intelligent control for the remote management of cranes, by making all information related to operation, performance, and status available in real-time.

The goal of the system – christened the Internet of Cranes® (IoC) – was to enable operators to create efficiencies and improve crane performance.

Remote access to vital data would enable rapid response diagnosis and assistance, from either the operator or the Fassi support team, and swift resolution of malfunctions. It would also make predictive maintenance possible.

Fassi’s vision for its IoC system was that operators should have up-to-the-minute data at their fingertips, and the ability to rely on an assistance service that was permanently active. This required constant, dependable internet connectivity. 

This was a challenge: Fassi has customers in all corners of the world, and its cranes are operating in myriad demanding operational environments. When the IoC project was initiated, cellular coverage was fragmented across the globe – with a mix of 2G and 3G networks, and carriers using a range of communication frequencies. The network management task involved would be monumental. 

Fassi needed to find a reliable, ubiquitous connectivity solution with a single IoT data gateway and a single SIM card that would enable its cranes to communicate wherever they were deployed in the world. In addition to simplifying management, this would allow it to standardise on one IoT board instead of having to manufacture several regional versions.

Fassi turned to IoT solutions provider Micro Systems and cellular connectivity specialist Eseye to bring this dedicated IoT system to life. Working in partnership, Eseye and Micro Systems helped Fassi design, develop and deploy its IoC, providing hardware and connectivity expertise.