Remote Crusher Monitoring Ends Blind Service Calls

Dealers know the drill.

When something goes wrong with equipment in the field, end users typically call or text with the details. Traditionally, dealers will visit the site to analyze the equipment and deliver a diagnosis, but fixes aren’t always quick. 

Before servicing equipment, you may have to return to the shop for the right parts or have a colleague deliver them into the field. The exercise isn’t the ideal use of time, and it extends downtime for end users.

Fortunately, technology will soon put a dent in that dealer routine and others, bringing new levels of convenience to the service aspect of Superior’s equipment.

Remote Monitoring In Sight

Superior introduced Vantage Automation to its cone crushers about a decade ago. Most recently, version 7.2 arrived last January.

Now, Superior is working to elevate control across its cones—and eventually other equipment. Remote monitoring is the next box the manufacturer aims to check.

Field tests are already underway on Patriot® Cone  and Dakota® Cone Crushers that integrate remote monitoring capabilities through Vantage Automation. Eventually, Superior aims to expand Vantage Remote Monitoring to vibrating equipment as well.

“Dealers are asking for this,” says Matt Voigt, director of products at Superior. “They want remote monitoring ability and access."

The company intends to have a panel to demo the remote monitoring package available at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026.

"Right now, we’re beta testing to make sure everything runs smoothly," Voigt says. "Once we work out the bugs, we want to be confident the system delivers exactly what dealers need.”

Dealers will be able to remotely track things like bearing temperatures, motor load, vibration levels, lube-oil pressure, and other key performance metrics to spot issues before they cause downtime.

No More Blind Service Calls

The biggest hurdle Superior faces in making remote monitoring viable is Wi-Fi connectivity. Voigt expects they'll get over that hump, though, then the next step is determining just how the technology is made available.

“We haven't determined yet if this is something we'll charge for or if we allow customers to try it for a year or two and it becomes subscription based after that,” he says.

Regardless of how Superior rolls out Vantage Remote Monitoring, both dealers and end users can expect to benefit.

The big advantage for dealers comes when a customer reports an issue.

"Instead of guessing, they can log into the system and immediately see what’s happening; whether it’s a history of downtime, a temperature spike somewhere, or another alert,” Voigt says. “From there, they can identify the likely causes, load up their service truck with the right parts, and head to the site ready to fix the issue."

That’s a lot better than showing up blind, figuring out the issue on-site, and then running back for the right parts.

Maintenance Made Proactive

This monitoring approach will simplify routine maintenance for dealers and end users, as well. Voigt says Superior’s system will track performance indicators that contribute to smarter, more proactive maintenance.

“Long-term, our goal is to use all the data we're collecting to predict maintenance needs,” he says. “For example, the system could flag that lube filters need changing within 50 hours and include a link to order parts before the work is due.”

Developing a platform in-house versus turning to a third-party offering presents expediency advantages as well.

“If there’s an issue in the field, our own team can fix it, and that’s a model we prefer companywide,” Voigt says. “We’re don't like to be at the mercy of a third party that might put us in a queue or be located overseas.”

Ultimately, Vantage Remote Monitoring will make critical dealer tasks simpler.

“I don’t think it’s going to be hard to get dealer buy-in on this,” Voigt says. “They will be able to serve customers a lot faster and a lot easier!”