The CCU-X system
The CCU-X system is a load limiter device for truck cranes based upon the reading of pressures inside the lifting jacks. Pressures are compared in real time with the limit thresholds settable by configurator, which represent the crane maximum moment capacity. The system includes a series of functions and controls listed below:
- management of allowed movements in case of activation of the moment limiting device in relation to the position of main boom position, second boom, jib, winch, measured by angle sensors;
- stabilizers and outriggers management using digital or analogic sensors;
- working areas management;
- failures and malfunctioning selfdiagnostics; - management of the spool sensors of hydraulic distributor;
- CAN bus direct interface with Scanreco remote control;
- parameters configuration by special display or by PC.
The equipment is fitted with a graphic touch screen panel to show pressures, usage percentages and alarm messages
A roller crane is mounted on a truck that allows the shifting movement of the crane parallel to the length of the chassis. This kind of crane is used to put long objects on the truck, with the ability to move the base of the crane along the truck. The FIP-C dual-axis, CAN bus angle sensor measures the alignment of the chassis with respect to the ground, ensuring the stability of the vehicle. The CCU-X task is to detect the overload of the booms, avoiding the overturn of the machine.
By connecting the switches of the maneuvers to the CCU-X card, the control unit activate or not the bypass valve based on the state of load of the crane. The thresholds are set depending on the situation of the switches of the outriggers and the switches of the working area. It is crucial that these switches are connected to the output of the control unit which generates the square wave power supply. This square wave is used to check for switch short-circuit. By connecting the switches to a continuous supply, you would have a configuration error. The angle sensor of the first boom is essential if you intend to carry out a check on the valve of the stabilizers to prevent them from being removed when the main boom is above the horizon. The angle sensor of the second boom is used in the case of block of the load limiter to allow the movement of the second boom on the side that would reduce the load. If the sensor is not used, in the case of block of the second boom, it result totally disabled.
In case of presence of the jib, an additional pressure sensor is applied and eventually also the angle sensor: when the jib is in block, if the angle sensor is present, it's possible to move the jib on the side that reduces the load, that is upward if the the jib is over the horizon or downward if it's under. In case of radio control installed in the system, the same maneuvers performed manually can be achieved by moving the levers of the remote control.
Through the CCU-X configurator, you can associate each lever to the correct manoeuvre, without modify the remote control software or configuration. In case of winch installed, it's possible to manage the load limiter depending on the value sent via CAN bus by the dedicated module.
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Technical specifications:
Connection diagram CCU-X
Digital spool sensors
Analogic spool sensors
Installation
DV Radio
The "DV Radio" input is used to enable the bypass valve: if you do not use the remote control, this input must be connected to a positive. All switches must be supplied by the square wave produced from the "Switches Supply". However, if you use analog outriggers, the inputs for outriggers must not be used, only the ones for the switches of supports have to be connected. The input "Reset" activates the bypass for 5 seconds in case of blocking of the load limiter, then for 30 seconds it's not possible to enable it. The countdown of 30 seconds is displayed on the touch screen. The "Reset" can be activated either by digital input or from an icon on the display itself. If during the reset the lock status worsens, the bypass is immediately disabled (this is allowed a maximum of 3 times, then the function will no longer work). The outputs "Load Limit 100%" and "Load Limit 90%" indicate the status of the load limiter: when even just one percentage of the load limiter exceeds the threshold, the outputs are turned on.
If some errors are active, the output "Alarm" is turned on. The output "Speed reduction" is always active when all percentages remain under the threshold values set for speed, otherwise it is turned off. This output can be used to feed a valve to increase the system pressure and so the speed of the movements. The output "Over horizon" is activated when the sensor of the first boom detect a positive angle. If it is not mounted, the output is always off. The output "Cranes stabilized" is activated when the supports and the outriggers of the crane are in a stable position; that obviously depends on the position of the boom in the working areas and how they have been configured. With the configurator of the CCU-X you can enable the self-holding feature: in this case when the machine is stabilized you can also lift up one of four supports of stabilizers without that stability is compromised. When the support is lifted up while maintaining stability, the output "Lift up stabilizer alarm" is activated.
Configuration
The configurator of the control unit CCU-X is a Windows application that requires the PEAK PCAN-USB to reach the CAN bus with which the control unit CCU-X communicates with the touch screen display. If the communication is established correctly, the configurator show colorful the active functions and monochrome the ones inactive. Clicking on a particular function, active or inactive, you can configure that particular feature. The configurable functions are, from left to right from top to bottom:
- First boom
- Second boom
- Jib
- Winch
- Remote control
- Working areas
- Analog outriggers
- General setting
- Saving
When a configuration change is applied, it is instantly activated and it can be immediately verified on the control unit CCU-X. However, the configuration is not saved until you press the save button. If this is not done, turning off the control unit all changes are lost.
If a function is not active, it can be activated by entering in the screen or by pressing the following icon:
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To deactivate a function, all the components inside it have to be deactivated or must be pressed the icon mentioned above.
The following functions can never be disabled because they are mandatory for the operations of the CCU-X:
- First boom
- Working areas
- General setting
- Saving
The following icon is used to activate the contextual help:
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whereas this one is to return to the main page:
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The first boom is always present, with or without angle sensor to detect the position above the horizon. The value of the pressure sensor is expressed in bar or in A/D points and depends on the current of the 4-20 mA sensor. To set the thresholds of the load limiter, you should check the current value of the pressure sensor and according to this value you have to insert the maximum and reduced thresholds . The maximum threshold is that used when the crane is in a condition of maximum stability; this is determined by the configuration of the working areas. The reduced threshold is used instead when the crane is in a condition of reduced stability. The range of the angle sensor indicates how wide can be the angular movement of the crane boom. For example, if the boom can perform a movement of 120° degrees, the range entered is 120.
The zero value is the position of the horizon, always expressed in A/D points read by the angle sensor. In other words, when the sensor reads the analog value reported in zero box, the degrees value is 0°.
When the first boom reaches the threshold (the maximum or the reduced one), the load limiter goes in blocking state for the first boom. In this case is no longer possible to move the first boom, whereas the second boom and the jib may go up or down according to their position. In other words, it's possible to perform only the movements that reduce the tilting moment. If you cannot locate the position of the second boom or of the jib because the angle sensors are not installed, then these booms cannot be moved when the first boom is blocked. The retraction of the boom extension and rotation, however, are always enabled. If the second boom or the jib are in a horizontal position (angle in a neighborhood of zero), then it may be moved in both cases of rising and lowering. On the touch screen, you can click on the representation of the first boom to see the details of the setting and the current values.
The second boom can have a movable angle, a movable extension or both angle and extension. If you can change the angle of the second boom, then it must be present the pressure sensor managed by the load limiter. In this case it can be used the angle sensor, to allow the movements in case of block. If the second boom can only move the extension but not its angular position, then the load limiter intervenes only in the case the other booms are blocked; in this case the extension-in movement is always allowed. The presence of the second boom is shown on the touch screen display from the special icon, which changes depending on the configuration and on which you can click to see the details.
If the second boom is absent, on the touch screen display is shown a picture of this type.
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Whereas this picture is displayed when the second boom has only the extension.
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In the case of the second boom with angular movement but no extension, the display shows this image.
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In the case of second boom complete, there are both angular movement and extension.
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For more information, download the PDF
CCU-X system works with Scanreco G2 MINI
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