Tower crane design using product family approach

• Main Author: Lim, Kendrik Yan Hong
• Other Authors: Cai Yiyu
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/67788
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Tower cranes are indispensible tools in large-scale construction projects due to their ability to shift heavy loads in fixed vicinities. However, one of their key disadvantages is the utter lack of mobility, which can only be solved via proper planning. In a bid to develop a crane simulator programme to aid the planning operations, NTU has embarked on a system development for many months and it has proved successful in the mobile crane section. One of the key obstacles the author had to overcome is the lengthy design phase whereby realistic and accurate crane models are to be produced for simulation use. This report presents the steps taken by the author to develop a new concept model that is aimed at solving the lengthy process via a 3-stage methodology that includes the understanding the traditional modelling methods as well as the utilization of a product family modular-based design and limited production. The results indicate a vast reduction in development time and the concept is considered to be a success. As the new concept does possess some forms of limitation, it opens the path for future studies and the details are recorded in the report.