SUNNYVALE, Calif. and
MANITOWOC, Wis., Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Trimble (NASDAQ:
TRMB) and Manitowoc Cranes, a part of The Manitowoc Company, Inc.
(NYSE: MTW), announced today that they have signed an agreement to
collaborate on the development of solutions that can harness
precise positioning technology, wireless communications and
comprehensive software capabilities to enhance productivity in the
construction lifting industry. Trimble and Manitowoc intend to develop solutions that
will transform the way in which crane operations and information
are managed on a construction site.
By combining the strengths of Trimble and Manitowoc Cranes, the
companies intend to develop a solution tailored for the lifting
industry that provides real time, centimeter-level positioning data
for multiple cranes working on a construction site. The solution
would be able to measure crane position in absolute coordinates
using rugged, easy to install, non-contact sensors that can be
installed on both fixed and mobile cranes. It is planned that the
in-cab displays of cranes that are fitted with the developed
solution will permit operators to view the site, multiple working
crane zones, forbidden zones, target locations and other site
information. The companies also expect to develop an "Intelligent
Environment" database for their solutions capable of receiving
constant updates of data from Building Information Modeling (BIM)
tools and other site sensors working in tandem. In addition, an
anticipated feature of the solution would enable a user to program
an alarm or even halt crane operation upon detection of unplanned
work activity on the construction site.
To enhance jobsite awareness and management, a wireless local
area network (WLAN) will share the crane position information
across the construction site, providing each crane operator, the
lift scheduler, and even the back office (if the Internet
connectivity option is enabled) instant status against the BIM
plan, enabling informed, exception-based decisions to be made in
real time. This information will be able to be viewed in 3D and can
run either as a fat or thin client accessing software tools and
capabilities that are expected to be available as part of the
Trimble® Connected Community solution. The Connected Community is a
Web-based set of networking tools that allow contractors to build
information portals, share information and collaborate between head
office management, site office teams, field crews, subcontractors,
suppliers, engineers and clients on a project. By connecting the
field and office, the planned solution should permit contractors to
gain significant efficiencies and improve overall jobsite
productivity.
"Manitowoc is committed to
providing the most advanced and comprehensive range of lifting
solutions," said Bob Hund, executive
vice president, Crane Care for Manitowoc Cranes. "Working together
with Trimble allows us to access market leading technology to
collaborate to develop innovative tools to increase crane operator
awareness on a construction site."
"Trimble is already using much the same technology to deliver
significant productivity improvements to the construction machine
control market," said John Cameron,
general manager of Trimble's Integrated Technologies Division. "By
partnering with the Manitowoc Cranes, a lifting industry leader, we
expect to co-develop solutions capable of lifting and delivering
materials on the construction site similar to a contract
manufacturer who uses a pick-and-place machine to build an
electronic circuit board. Our goal is add crane productivity as
another key component of the connected site."
About The Manitowoc Company, Inc.
The Manitowoc Company, Inc. is a multi-industry, capital goods
manufacturer with nearly 100 manufacturing, distribution, service,
and/or office facilities in 26 countries. It is recognized as one
of the world's largest providers of lifting equipment for the
global construction industry, including lattice-boom cranes, tower
cranes, mobile telescopic cranes, and boom trucks. Manitowoc also is one of the world's leading
innovators and manufacturers of commercial foodservice equipment
serving the ice, beverage, refrigeration, food prep, and cooking
needs of restaurants, convenience stores, hotels, healthcare, and
institutional applications.
For more information, visit: www.manitowoc.com.
About Trimble
Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in
businesses and government significantly more productive.
Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or
location—including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and
asset management, public safety, and mapping. In addition to
utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS, lasers and optics,
Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the
needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to
deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of
the field and the back office. Founded in 1978, Trimble is
headquartered in Sunnyvale,
Calif.
For more information, visit: www.trimble.com.
GTRMB
SOURCE Trimble