Shimizu Corp. introduced new tower cranes at the construction site of a high-rise apartment building in Kanagawa Prefecture, which improves work efficiency by 30% by using various ICT methods. “Smart Cranes” can reduce about a month of the work period of 100 meter-high building, enabling operators to instantly confirm the position of each material and share information with other workers.

Jointly developed with IHI Transport Machinery Co. Ltd and Shimizu’s subsidiary, SC Machinery Co, the new crane is equipped with sensors and multi-function hook. A personal computer is installed at the operator’s seat to monitor the crane’s work. An engineer in charge of the construction can share the information through a tablet device. The hook has various functions such as wireless LAN, a camera, a speaker, a microphone, and LED lights. It will cost 3-4% more to upgrade an existing crane to “Smart Crane.” (2013/12/11)