LMI cuts the wires

The LSI load moment indicator (LMI) is already being piloted with a few crane manufacturers, potentially making the wireless system an option on more new hydraulic cranes. LSI intends the LSI LMI for use with cranes on hydraulic boom trucks, RTs and trucks. It is designed for proportional and non-proportional booms.

David Smith, president and CEO at LSI, explains that the wireless LMI system uses a wireless transmitter, which he says is a more reliable method than traditional cables of moving data from the pressure transducers to the system display. “We have two transducers, one goes on the rod side of the cylinder and the other installs on the bore side of the cylinder.”

As the LMI system is wireless, it requires less components, such as exposed wires and connectors, that are prone to corrosion. Wireless technology could become more standardised on electronic systems in the future, and LSI is heading up this trend.

“We are strong advocates of wireless technology. One of the problems with anything that uses cables is that when exposed to time and the weather they can corrode. So we’re eliminating cables. In addition, our processor is integrated as a part of the display, so we don’t have the hardware cost to mount a separate external processor box, typically hidden behind the operator seat as many of our competitors provide.

Customers are already taking the chance to lose wires. “We’ve just released the system two months ago, and sales of the product have been brisk,” said Smith.

While the wireless transmission is intended to make maintenance easier, system programming through a USB port is intended to simplify installation, since users won’t have to add an EPROM chip to the circuit board. Smith said, “Another nice feature of the system is that you can save the calibration data to a USB drive.

“Some of our competitors are burning their load chart data to an EPROM. Then you have to add the EPROM to the circuit board. We can upload load charts directly to flash memory very quickly with a USB drive. We can email load charts to a customer for retrofit applications, and they can use the USB to quickly load the charts to the display.”

Smith said the user is able to quickly program multiple cranes using the LMI’s USB thumb drive. “The benefit to the OEM is that they can go and calibrate the first crane, save the calibration data to the thumb drive. From there they can copy the calibration data to subsequent cranes GS820 display, with very minor tweaking and minor programming.”

Using the GS820 cab mounted display, operators can take in the required information at a glance. Users see displayed crane geometry, working load limits, selected chart/counterweights and wind speeds. The system reads the actual load moment, which features a typical error rate of 1% of maximum capacity and activates alarms and solenoid valves to show users system faults.

“Today we have both end users and crane dealers buying the systems, they are users in heavy construction and crane rental,” said Smith.

LSI is currently marketing the LMI in North America; they will release the LMI internationally on January 1, 2012, with direct sales. Smith said, “We sell direct and through distributors and OEMs.”