Changing the way you think about

PLATFORM OWNERS WANT TO REDUCE ANY COST OF MAINTENANCE, AND AT THE SAME TIME HAVE A RELIABLE AVAILABILITY OF THE PLATFORM EQUIPMENT. ACCORDING TO LIEBHERR MARITIME CRANES, THIS TENSION HAS NOW BEEN RESOLVED

WITH LIMAIN.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIEBHERR. All machines on an ofshore platorm including ofshore cranes, which are essental for logistcs and constructon work, face extreme conditons. As such, regular intensive maintenance of these machines is essental to ensure safety and functonality. Maintenance processes are tmeconsuming, costly, and require many resources. They are also dependent on conditons that are ofen impossible to control such as availability, local conditons, and professional expertse. The appette amongst operators of both manned and unmanned platorms for fresh approaches to maintenance is on the rise, as they atempt to reconcile the tension between higher availability and lower costs of the machines on the platorm.

Liebherr Maritme Cranes, a division of the Liebherr Group, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of constructon machinery, is among the relatvely short list of companies that ofer a variety of cutng-edge solutons for ofshore platorms. In October 2020, it unveiled a new product called LiMain, which is short for Liebherr Intelligent Maintenance. Its premise is simple: increased crane availability at lower costs. Quality maintenance, independent of tme, place, and resources, is a game-changer for operators and demands a closer look. The cornerstone of LiMain is its modular system architecture, which consists of four modules: Automatc Greasing, Conditon Monitoring, Predictve Maintenance, and

Remote Maintenance Cycle. This bespoke soluton enables operators to determine the scope of intelligent maintenance that meets their partcular needs.

Maintenance can be performed digitally, remotely, and semi-automatcally – without having to operate the crane on site. The crane is already equipped with advanced features during development, including special sensor technology and extended component protecton. While all cranes can beneft from intelligent maintenance, Liebherr recognises that every machine has its own unique set of needs. For instance, special sensors can detect changes in electrical resistance as well as the presence of foreign objects in the hydraulic circuit.

LiMain consists of four modules: 1. Automatc Greasing: It contnuously checks critcal components and automatcally lubricates them, even in complexly installed positons. The module can be implemented for the boom pivot, steel ropes, and so on. 2. Conditon Monitoring: With modern sensor technology, detailed data about

the crane and its components is monitored in real-tme, which delivers an unprecedented level of transparency. 3. Predictve Maintenance: It puts ad-hoc data into context, building on decades of experience from the constructon of more than 1,000 ofshore cranes. The module serves as the foundaton for an optmised product and component lifecycle. 4. Remote Maintenance Cycle: It represents the combinaton and interconnecton of all the aforementoned models and enables semi-automatc maintenance and selfdiagnosis.

In short, LiMain solves problems that operators have grappled with for years, from Europe to Australia, the Americas, and everywhere in between. Today, in the era of COVID-19 and an increasingly complex operatng environment, unmanned platorms with low-maintenance are more important than ever. For its part, Liebherr’s new soluton ofers 75% less mobilisaton on unmanned platorms and up to 50 fewer service days on manned platorms per year. Sensor technology improves reliability, but also enhances logistcs. The ability to pinpoint the optmal tme to exchange spare parts eliminates unnecessary service intervals as well as costly plant downtmes due to unforeseen defects. At a tme when margins for operators are razor-thin, these fgures are music to their ears. The modularity of LiMain and the ability to implement individual packages that meet the specifc needs of each client really is a game changer.

LiMain’s USPs: • Cost and resource savings: – Up to 75 % less mobilisaton. – Up to 50 less man-days. – Avoid replacement of fully functonal parts as well as costly unscheduled plant downtme. • Modularity: – Perfect choice according to individual needs. • Advanced transparency: – Improve reliability, safety, and logistcs. • Fully digital and remote: – Maintenance independent of tme, place, and resources.