As our world becomes smarter, so do our hoists and cranes. Even though contactor controlled lifting equipment is still common, there are smart cranes and hoists that can help you lift and make complicated movements safer. The first smart hoist and crane offered in North America was the Demag DR Pro in 2004. Followed by the Demag DMR wire rope hoist, crane service technicians and service providers will likely run into one of these pieces of equipment with the thousands in service.
When you come across a DR Pro or DMR wire rope hoist or crane, the diagnostic software that runs on this equipment is called IDAPSY. IDAPSY stands for Inspection Diagnostic Application System. Instead of IDAPSY, you may hear CANBUS or Demag SafeControl, both meaning the equipment is running on this software platform. From the Demag product perspective, these names all refer to the same software platform. If you are a crane service technician, using IDAPSY diagnostic software gives you the opportunity to provide better service to your customers, potentially diagnosing issues quicker with the ability to see trends to help them run more efficiently.
There are two versions of IDAPSY software available, Basic and Advanced IDAPSY. Depending on where you are located in the world, you will have different opportunities for access to IDAPSY diagnostic software. Demag sells through a network of authorized dealers in the US and Canada who have the opportunity for their service technicians trained to use IDAPSY software.
Basic IDAPSY Software
Basic IDAPSY software is a limited version of the full software. It gives you access to the error history, view counters for predictive maintenance, and the ability to reset these counters as controls are replaced or adjusted. The basic version of the software gives you the last 16 error codes with the timestamp from the operating clock and helps you understand what the error codes mean with a text overview of the error code. By studying these error codes and occurrence time, you have data to determine the proper repair and/ or replacement to conduct.
These capabilities give you the tools you need to optimize your customer’s uptime by diagnosing error codes quicker as they come up. Basic IDAPSY also gives you access to counters for predictive maintenance. One of these counters is the load spectrum calculator that starts at 100% life and eventually reaches 0%. This counter will indicate when a general overhaul of the drive train must be conducted. Because you can see the counters of key components within the hoist or crane, you can see when a component is coming to the end of its useful life.
Advanced IDAPSY Software
Advanced IDAPSY software requires additional training because you can change parameters within the hoist or crane. Capabilities for error code diagnosis is expanded in the Advanced version of this software. In addition to the last 16 error codes and definitions of the error code numbers, this version provides a flowchart guide so users can move along through the diagnosis with a step-by-step approach.
Many parameters are inputs defined by the factory when the hoist or crane was built that will never change. These inputs include hoist model size, capacity, and application information. Commonly, new warning devices and travel limit switches are installed on equipment. With Advanced IDAPSY software, you will easily integrate devices into the equipment by changing the correct parameters. The additional training required for Advanced IDAPSY is needed when it comes to these parameter changes. Knowing what parameters to change for a given activity will assure the equipment continues to work properly.
As a crane service technician, you are an important resource for your customers. Not only do you save the day when problems occur with equipment, you can help your customers be safer and more efficient. The counters in IDAPSY software provide predictive maintenance for key component of the hoist or crane which can limit future downtime as these components reach the end of their useful life. In addition to being able to access documentation during inspections, using IDAPSY software can optimize the equipment at your customer’s facility.
Don’t have IDAPSY software but you still need to diagnose the issues on a Demag DR Pro wire rope hoist? Read our post- Troubleshooting Without Software | Demag DR Pro Hoist
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