An Interactive Database System with Graphical Linkage for Computer Aided Heavy Lift Planning

Planning heavy lifts is a time consuming and costly activity. Several systems have recently been developed for computer aided heavy lift planning that increase planning productivity and dependability of lift plans. These systems must handle a wide range and growing volume of both graphical and non graphical data, including information about crane configurations, rigging, lift objects, load tables, and the site of the lift. Methods are needed for handling this data more effectively. This article presents an interactive data base graphically linked to a heavy lift planning platform described in an earlier article. A relational database management system, oracle TM, is linked to a computer Aided Design (CAD) and graphical simulation platform. MicrostationTM,, to implement dynamic interaction between database and the elements of the planner hosted by MicroStation. With the interactive database capability, the usefulness of heavy developments are briefly reviewed, the implementation and usefulness of the graphical linkage is described, the design of the database is presented , and uses of the interactive database feature are illustrated and then evaluated. Selected implementation details are presented as well.