How we engineered a safer, synchronised lifting control system for heavy structures
This project embodies our approach to safety-critical control: deep engineering discipline paired with operator-centred design. By owning the electronics, firmware and HMI, we removed friction between disciplines and delivered a system that’s faster to deploy, easier to use and built to last – without the cost penalty of one-size-fits-all solutions.
If your lifts are complex, imbalanced or spread across multiple jacks, we can help you standardise, simplify and de-risk operations. Talk to us about a synchronised lifting control system tailored to your environment – designed for clarity, built for safety and priced for reality.
Hi-Force – a leading manufacturer of high-pressure hydraulic tools – needed a control system capable of lifting heavy, often imbalanced structures with precision and repeatability. Operators had to see what was happening at a glance, coordinate multiple hydraulic jacks safely, and maintain control in high-risk settings such as bridge works or naval engine lifts. The aim: deliver a robust, user-friendly solution that outperformed expensive generic controllers and could be manufactured, serviced and supported over the long term.
We designed and manufactured a family of PLC-style controllers and touchscreen HMIs, integrated as a coherent system. The electronics live in rugged enclosures engineered for field conditions, with clear service access and robust connectors to speed set-up and maintenance.
Control logic continuously samples pressure/positions and adjusts outputs to keep lift points within strict tolerances. Operators can configure parameters per lift plan, while the system manages the choreography – scaling smoothly, pausing, or re-levelling as required to maintain alignment under changing loads.
Multiple touch interfaces display live values, status and alarms in a format that’s instantly legible. The UI prioritises the essentials: per-jack-readings, differential indicators, safe windows and next actions. By simplifying the mental model, the HMIs reduce operator load and cut the chance of procedural errors during critical phases.
By building the controllers and HMIs ourselves, we delivered the exact feature set Hi-Force needed – without paying for superfluous functions. The result is a best-fit system that achieves the required performance at a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions from larger vendors.
To minimise obsolescence risk, we selected components with stable lifecycles and designed clear substitution paths. The architecture allows newer controllers to drop into existing systems with ongoing compatibility, protecting fielded equipment and training investments.
Synchronised lifting is unforgiving. Even small discrepancies between jacks can introduce torsion and misalignment, increasing the risk of structural damage, costly delays, or – in the worst case – injury. The control system had to continuously measure and balance lift points, present real-time data clearly across multiple interfaces, and withstand the dust, vibration and handling typical of large construction and shipyard environments. At the same time, Hi-Force wanted to avoid the high price and limited customisability of traditional PLC/HMI packages, while ensuring the solution wouldn’t be trapped by component end-of-life a few years down the line.
The deployed system gives operators confident, fine-grained control over complex lifts – keeping multiple jacks in sync, maintaining alignment and making progress visible at all times. In practice, crews not lift bridges, ship components and other heavy structures with fewer stoppages and greater consistency, supported by interfaces that show exactly what matters and nothing that doesn’t. The ruggedised hardware and streamlined wiring reduce downtime, while the tailored controller set keeps costs in check without compromising safety or capability.
For Hi-Force and their customers, the gains are practical and immediate: safer operations, quicker set-up, clearer diagnostics and a control platform that is maintainable for the long haul. Because the suite was designed and manufactured in-house, documentation and support align tightly to the reality of field use, with a clear roadmap for future updates and variants.