How wind data can improve tower crane safety and productivity

Eduardo Estelles, Managing Director of UK-based Windcrane, will use the International Tower Cranes (ITC) conference on 2 December to highlight new approaches to the use of crane wind speed data, providing benefits for the entire supply chain, from crane rental companies to contractors and clients.

Estelles, whose company has been selling sophisticated wind monitoring and transmission systems for several years, told International Cranes and Specialized Transport; “Having a centralised wind data source, provided by a third-party, independent supplier, can create safe sites and satisfied customers.”

Eduardo Estelles, Managing Director of Windcrane.

He thinks there is often a gap in the tower crane industry between the raw wind data and its interpretation for operational purposes. For that gap to be bridged, he said, data needs to be presented in a straightforward, concise way.

“How different parties interpret the data can be different”, said Estelles, “It becomes easier if you standardise the presentation of the data and convert that into operational data. Then there is no margin for different interpretations.”

Windcrane’s equipment is being used on multiple crane sites around the UK, including on the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant.

Estelles will also look at some other benefits of modern wind monoitoring systems. He said historic data from existing tower cranes can be used to generate predictive models for future projects, allowing crane rental companies and contractors to be more accurate in their tendering.

In addition, energy monitoring devices can be fitted to the wind montoring system allowing crane owners to measure precisely how much energy their crane is using.

This, in turn, can allow rental companies or contractors to downsize the power connection they need on site, reducing costs.

Estelles is one of the speakers at the International Tower Cranes (ITC) conference in Nice, France on 1 and 2 December. For more details, visit www.khl-itc.com.