Crane inspector lauds SP Bluetooth load cell

16 January, 2019

JG Statutory Inspection Services Ltd. (JGSIS) specialises in production of reports detailing the results of thorough inspections carried out on equipment, including cranes, which is required under law to be inspected periodically. Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), for example, place duties on people and companies who own, operate or have control over lifting equipment.

In the latest case study, JGSIS used the Bluetooth Radiolink plus to inspect a 1000t capacity Demag AC 1000-9/2 all-terrain telescopic crane for Baldwins Crane Hire. The nine-axle crane boasts an integrated electronic load moment indicator (LMI); a colour display showing current operating conditions, load charts, and a fault indicator; signal lights indicating the load; and a crane data logger.

Ongoing accuracy

The ongoing accuracy of such equipment must be checked and verification given to the crane owner for their records. Importantly, JGSIS wasn’t testing the 1000t capability in this instance, but only verifying that the crane’s instruments were reading the same as the load cell. Additionally, the inspection team ‘jibbed out’ until an overload situation was detected and recorded the measurements against a tape measure.

SP recently updated its Bluetooth capability and launched an enhanced version of its app. Load cells now use wireless technology for exchanging data over short distances to communicate with up to eight devices, carrying the information up to 100m (328 ft.) away. Collected data can be sent onto other recipients in the form of an Excel spreadsheet or PDF report. Industry professionals have noted the ability to send reports from the same device that captures data that is already on their person – such as a mobile or cell phone.

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