| dc.description.abstract | Today s companies are facing a series of challenges, experiencing difficulty in increasingly specialized and competitive markets and demanding restructuring processes. The industry needs countermeasures to prove their place in the market, by utilizing the newest technology and concepts that increases efficiency. The only way to overcome this challenge is to implement and use better methods. In the middle of all this, there is maintenance, which for many is a necessary evil, especially in terms of cutting costs.
This main purpose in this Master project is to identify, assess and apply theory and methods from the manufacturing sector onto crane maintenance and the crane industry in general. Two crane categories in extra focus are process cranes and offshore cranes. This is done to find methods to increase efficiency in the crane industry, especially in relation to maintenance. In addition, the concept industry 4.0 in relation to crane maintenance is central, identifying how this concept can result in added value for crane manufacturers, crane owners, crane users and end product users.
International standards do not require advanced technology in form of predictive maintenance and industry 4.0 equipment, but may become a driver in the future for implementation of new technology. Predictive maintenance and industry 4.0 is identified as a good match in general, and in relation to applications for the crane industry. Identifying industry 4.0 value drivers and levers for the crane industry is key to prove the concepts usefulness and versatility. Several industry 4.0 levers are identified, one of them being the ideal operator analysis, which is a lever that removes waste and increases safety in the organization.
Furthermore, these levers represents the content of a typical industry 4.0 enabled system made for cranes, which can help to predict the future of the crane industry and crane maintenance. | |
