Let’s grab the future – how our Smart Grab Control is revolutionizing the world of mechanical diaphragm wall grabs

NC: Everyone is talking excitedly about our new Smart Grab Control. It seems to be a revolutionary new approach to operating mechanical grabs. What exactly is it all about?
 

DP: To understand the full extent of our new approach, we need to go back a few decades in the history of duty-cycle cranes. The first fully hydraulic duty-cycle crane that could be used to operate the grab with hydraulic free-fall pedals came onto the market at the end of the 1960s. And since then, little has changed in the industry in terms of operation and digital convenience. Imagine that! We're talking about five and a half decades of standstill. Grabs are still controlled using two free-fall pedals that are very difficult to operate and require a great deal of experience, care and physical effort from the machine operator.
 

NC: Physical effort?
 

DP: Indeed! The machine operator has to stand permanently on the brakes with both feet to prevent the grab from free-falling. He has to exert forces equivalent to a counterweight of up to 25 kg. And this during working days that are sometimes up to 12 hours long. In addition to this basic load, the exact use of mechanical grabs according to the conventional principle requires enormous precision in the operation of the pedals. Often only some millimeters of foot movement decide whether the grab is correctly controlled or falls.

NC: It sounds as if a great deal of sensitivity and experience is required to operate a mechanical grab.

DP: We have a running joke: "Don't worry, after twenty years you'll have it down pat". And it's not without reason. But seriously, of course it doesn't take twenty years. However, it definitely takes much longer to learn how to master the equipment correctly than equipment operators today have time and resources for in the course of their training. After all, they are expected to be able to operate equipment as quickly as possible. As a result, however, there has been a glaring shortage of equipment operators in the mechanical grab sector on the market in recent years. Of course, the old hands either go into well-deserved retirement at some point or are no longer able or willing to do the job due to the extreme physical strain they are subjected to on a daily basis. On the other hand, there are hardly any young drivers coming in because they don't have the time or opportunity to learn the full scope of conventional operation.

NC: If I had to guess, I would say that this is probably where our Smart Grab Control comes into play. Am I right?

DP: That's exactly the case. And we are incredibly proud of it. Because after more than five decades of standstill, in three years of intensive project work we have achieved something that is nothing less than a revolutionary milestone, a further development that only we at Bauer Maschinen offer. Thanks to our really clever Smart Grab Control, basically any "beginner" can now operate mechanical diaphragm wall grabs safely and efficiently after a very short training period, and conveniently via joysticks.

NC: Congratulations! How – in a nutshell and in just a few words – do you develop a technology like this?

DP: We took a very practical approach to the whole thing. We analyzed operators from all over the world and recorded the best driving styles. The reference data obtained formed the basis for our new operating system, which we then implemented on the machine side and tested very pragmatically on our test site. In the course of development, the system became more and more efficient and intelligent. Today, the assistant optimizes the operator's control commands independently where necessary. To achieve this, we actually spent three years identifying, simulating and testing every conceivable situation that could occur under real conditions.

NC: Even if the Smart Grab Control makes operation considerably easier, most machine operators will probably still have to learn how to use mechanical grabs. What would you recommend to them?

DP: There is a very simple yet convenient solution. Over the next few months, our BAUER Training Center will be offering professional training for our customers' equipment operators on the new controls. At our test site near Schrobenhausen, they can learn all the necessary skills within a few days before being deployed on the construction site.

NC: Even though the SGC obviously offers a whole range of revolutionary benefits, what would you say is the most important advantage apart from ease of use?

DP: In my opinion, this is clearly the safety aspect. Let's briefly remind ourselves: with conventional operation, the machine operator had to constantly apply a lot of pressure to the brake to prevent the grab - up to 30 tons of steel - from falling unchecked. In the worst case scenario, improper operation could cause the entire duty cycle crane to fall over. It is hard to imagine the accidents that can occur as a result. Our new system completely eliminates this unwanted free fall. Where it is necessary - for example, to loosen the ground during digging - it is now carried out in a controlled manner with the support of built-in safety mechanisms.

NC: Are there any other advantages you would like to mention?

DP: Of course! Our Smart Grab Control is equipped with a whole range of smaller, additional assistants. For example, there are assistants for filling the grab and emptying it, and a warning system if the grab threatens to get stuck, to name just three. I can only appeal to all interested parties: Contact us and let us surprise you with what else our Smart Grab Control can do! And the best thing is that the SGC can be easily retrofitted to most of the newer MCs. It's not for nothing that demand is already very high.

NC: Is there anything else you would like to say in conclusion?

DP: I've saved the most important thing for last. I would like to say a huge thank you to the entire team involved. I think we are all incredibly proud of what we have achieved together. From brainstorming to the finished system, we worked together intensively and sometimes late into the night as a small project team. That was and is simply great. Thank you!

NC: And thank you for the interview.

DP: With pleasure!