Manitowoc Cranes has announced a new free smartphone app for faster diagnosis of technical issues on its customers’ cranes.

The app will be available on iOS and Android devices, and will enable users to understand the numeric diagnostic codes that are generated by their on-board control systems. Manitowoc claims it’s the first manufacturer in the crane industry to release an app of this kind.

According to the company, when cranes had technical issues in the past, its customers had no way to interpret the diagnostic codes that would appear on the main display of the crane’s cab. Specialised technicians would have to be called to the job-site with proprietary equipment, and any time spent waiting affected the project schedule. Now, with this freely available smartphone app that instantly tells users what codes mean, crane owners can begin working on solutions immediately, boosting their uptime.

“We’re entering into a new era of crane operation where we can harness the power of mobile devices and Manitowoc wants to lead the way,” said John Alexander, director of all-terrain crane service, mobile training and telematics at Manitowoc. “By accessing a cloud database right from their smartphones, companies can quickly get valuable diagnostic information to keep their cranes up and running.”

The first version of the app will address diagnostic codes on all Grove- and Manitowoc-branded cranes that run on Manitowoc’s Crane Control System (CCS), as well as all-terrain (GMK) models that have ECOS 1 or ECOS 2 installed. National Crane boom truck functionality will follow in a future update.

The smartphone app is available now for free on both the App Store (Apple) and Google Play (Android) by searching for “Manitowoc Diagnostic Code App”, said the company.