Telemetry has begun to take off in the civil engineering and building sector, with construction project managers and companies taking it on board to ensure efficiency of projects. But what is it?
In short, telemetry is an advanced monitoring and analysis system that records data remotely, before transferring that data to an IT system in another location. It can measure a wide range of data, including things like electrical voltage and electrical current, temperature, pressure and precipitation. When received on the other end, it provides analytics that can be used to make necessary adjustments to keep projects working efficiently.
As such, telemetry is becoming increasingly popular in a range of fields, including meteorology, intelligence, and medicine. In the construction sector, it has also increased in popularity in recent times due to a number of factors.
Telemetry in construction
Telemetry allows construction and industrial companies to monitor their equipment and manage their jobs from a distance, allowing them to analyse data and make necessary changes to run projects more competently. It can be used for heavy equipment, formwork, piling and dewatering; and data that was previously inaccessible is now easy to access and manage.
Companies across Australia, including big corporations like Coates Hire, are taking full advantage of this new system to use it for various products and services. Sensors are being applied to a range of tools, devices and other equipment to allow data management for tool utilisation, gauging flow rates, location tracking and heavy equipment maintenance.
Management and safety made easy
Through telemetry, construction companies can increase their profits, monitor shoring works and improve the safety of a worksite. It’s a cost-effective management system, providing alerts via SMS and email, which allows businesses to quickly and safely address any issues that arise.
It allows construction and engineering companies to reduce the exposure to hazards through remote monitoring and analysis of engineering works. The data can be used as an early warning system, to monitor ground forces and load limits, as well as shoring works, keeping workers at a safe distance. One example of use is during a site excavation of a residential development in Sydney, where sensors were embedded in hydraulic struts which enabled 24-hour, 7 days a week monitoring of the entire retention system.
Telemetry can help managers measure the load on a construction site from hydraulic bracing and strutting in excavations and construction pits. In addition, it can be used to “geofence” (a virtual, invisible fence outlined on a digital map) a site, ensuring staff and equipment remain safe – if they wander past a certain point, or equipment is taken beyond the virtual limits of the geofence, headquarters will be notified quickly.
Telemetry is also proving to be effective in tracking shutdowns and turnarounds, tracking the location and status of equipment, and getting sites operational again after these events take place.
Anywhere, anytime
As the construction and engineering industry is critical to driving economic progress, it’s more important than ever for these businesses to embrace new technologies.
With wireless connectivity and communications devices, telemetry technology is providing an increasingly critical service. Industry experts are taking telemetry on board, as it can help them to complete projects on time and with less hassle than ever before. These businesses can now manage projects from anywhere in Australia and it’s driving new standards in safety and efficiency.
If you want to find out how telemetry can work for you, talk to Coates Hire to see how it has supported their systems and find out why they recommend it to all Australian businesses.
