Mipeg Crane Monitoring System
Lifting operations at sea is to be regarded as a critical and in some cases difficult and dangerous. An offshore crane is the “life line” between the offshore installation/vessel and the supply chain onshore.
Over the years, various authorities and certifying bodies have, together with the industry, made rules, regulations and best practices to make this operation as safe as possible with available technology. Being the first Electronic Safe Load Indicator or as some will refer to, a Rated Capacity Indicator (RCI) or a Load Moment Limier (LML), Mipeg has a long history and excellent track record.
MIPEG Safe Load Indicators (SLI), have since the first generation been part in enhancing the safety standards established. The Mipeg system, in the basic version, will monitor the load, operating radius and tipping moment of the crane and compare this with the crane manufacturer`s load charts. The Rated Capacity Indicator (RCI) or Load Moment Indicator (LMI) will automatically pre-warn the operator and alarm personnel on the installation or supply vessel about load, moment or operational alarms.
Mipeg 1, complied with the regulations for lifting operations set by the authorities as early as the mid/late 70`ies, made for the North Sea area. Our latest generation Mipeg X, the Crane Monitoring System, building on the international success – Mipeg 2000, offers many additional features requested by many end users, world wide.
The Mipeg display method was designed based upon feedback documented in our “Voice of the Customer” activity executed early part of the 80`ies. Mipeg 500 and 1000 was the first generation to have two of the most frequently used display methods in the world, combined into one crane safe load indicator display. The display combine the traffic light – easy to understand, green – yellow & red logic with the “corner of the eye” indication easily registered using a big analogue pointer as the traditional watch. The Mipeg X system is true to this “customer requirement”. Read more about the Mipeg Operator's Display.
The Mipeg X system is an expandable system. This means that the system is modular in its design and by adding sensors, logic and application software, the system can easily include:
The Safe Reach Display feature which reduce or totally remove the “guess work” of how far you can reach, booming down with a suspended load in the hook. As facility decks get smaller and more complex with critical areas requiring protection, we have added our Slew Operation Limit Monitor system which will map the critical areas to reduce the “dropped object” hazard in “No-Go-Areas”. However the combined crane slew position and boom angle will also show the valuable, free deck space.
Many end users are very concerned about any item which may fall down during crane operation. Our Hook Position Indicator, is using winch mounted absolute encoders to monitor the winch movement speed and calculate the Hook Position from different reference points. Knowing and displaying the Hook Position will assist the operator to stop the crane hoist at the critical “hoist upper limit - the anti-two-block” (a2b) limit. The other extreme, maximum hoist limit at rope end will also be memorized. Getting close to these limit can trip warning buzzers, kick-out relays to force the crane to creep speed and stop the movement.
There are obviously many effects which will have influence in how and when the crane can operate or not. The Mipeg X Rated Capacity Indicator can now also measure the vessel movement if the crane operates onboard a semi submersible rig, tanker or other sea going vessel. The vessels Roll and Pitch may well reduce the crane capacity or even stop the crane operation. The Mipeg X system will display these functions as well as warn the operator of the vessel condition.
Operating a crane at sea in rough weather has numerous of challenges. The Mipeg X system can read the wind speed using different sensors as well as warning the operator if the wind approach operational limits. A wind direction sensor mounted on top of the crane will give the operator important information of the wind blowing into the load.
The above describes the new Mipeg X Crane Monitoring features. The basic SLI will still use load hoist sensors to measure the load picked up by the aux line or the main hoist. The system will measure the boom angle(s) and display the radius and calculate the SWL for both lattice-, box -, and knuckle boom cranes
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