That鈥檚 the concept behind a growing number of construction machinery inspection apps under development around the world, in the belief that the traditional inspection process is ripe for innovation.

It may still be quite some time before these apps are able to spot damage on a machine. But for now, manufacturers and construction technology companies are attempting to harness the power of large language models and generative artificial intelligence to come up with an easy, quick, and reliable way to generate an inspection report for any piece of equipment.

The idea is that this also proves cheaper than paying a mechanic to assess whether a machine still has plenty of life left in it or is on its last legs.

However, the technology is still in its infancy and the reality remains much more limited. So far, even advanced apps only really provide an electronic checklist for machine operators to perform preventative maintenance checks and daily walk arounds.

Mark Turner is the founder of Krank, which will unveil the second version of its inspection app, called Inspeq, at Bauma in Germany in April.

Much of the early part of his career was spent selling and brokering large crawler cranes and construction equipment for F&M Mafco in the Middle East. But he found it difficult to systematically organise the paper-based inspection reports that clients required when buying large fleets of equipment.

鈥淏ack then, the inspections themselves averaged around 45 minutes per crane,鈥� Turner says. 鈥淏ut the real fatigue set in later. When I returned to the office or hotel after a long day鈥檚 work. I鈥檇 have to sit and complete the report, resize photos and file them correctly.鈥�

That experience spurred Turner to spend a large part of the last few years helping to develop an app designed to help equipment inspectors speed up and simplify this process.

What does Inspeq do?

Currently available through Apple鈥檚 App Store and on Google Play, the Inspeq app combines an AI-automated transcription service with generative AI to enable an inspector walking around a vehicle to verbally go through a series of questions. The AI then can then transcribe that verbal description and order it into one of 20 standard inspection templates for a fleet buyer.

Built with the help of a team of 32 software developers based in Karachi, Pakistan, and using similar technology to the sort of automated voice systems banks use to help put telephone callers through to the correct service, the app offers prompts, and inspectors can complete their inspection in any sequence they like and then reorders it into the standard forms.

鈥淭o come up with a quick condition report, I just get my phone and start talking as I walk around,鈥� says Turner. 鈥淚 walk up to a machine, and I say, OK, so here I am in front of this Komatsu PC210 for example. And this is a 2022 model and I鈥檓 here in West Stow in Suffolk and since the weather is cloudy today, I haven鈥檛 got very good light.

鈥淎nd then I just walk around the machine, and I say the paintwork looks good,鈥� he adds. 鈥淚 can see there鈥檚 a damaged rear light here. Let鈥檚 jump into the cab and take a look at the meter reading. It鈥檚 got 7,000 hours on it. And at the same time the phone will give me prompts which we take from the report templates so then the AI pulls out all of the relevant bits and it starts filling out my report for me.鈥�

Tech set to advance

But Turner expects the app to be capable of doing far more within just a few months and some of these features will find their way into version two of Inspeq.

Mark Turner, founder of Krank, which has developed the Inspeq app. Photo: Krank

鈥淎t the moment, the app doesn鈥檛 solve one major pain point which is taking photographs and video of the machine. You still have to take your report and then you have to go back and take your photos and videos,鈥� he explains.

鈥淰ersion two will make it possible for you to issue a voice command to instruct the app to take a picture or video and timestamp it, so it appears in your report right next to the description. That鈥檚 a game changer.鈥�

Even this version, which can include pictures in a standard report is still some way of Turner鈥檚 vision for the future, however.

Eventually, he wants it to be able to recognise and quantify damage on a machine. That could help potential purchasers identify problems and would also allow rental companies to complete the checking in and out of machines.

鈥淪o, recognising damage would be the next obvious step for us to take,鈥� says Turner. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 going to be version 3. Already in version 1 the AI understands some level of condition. So, if you say the paintwork is okay it will give it a fair rating based on what I鈥檝e told it. Then, once we introduce imaging and video in version 2 and the reports start coming in, then the AI will start to train itself further. Honestly, we鈥檙e probably about six months away from version 3. It鈥檚 the next evolution.鈥�

Will apps replace human technicians?

Could the app really get to the point where it can identify concealed or complicated technical issues on a machine currently only visible to a skilled technician?

Inspeq is not being designed to replace the skills and knowledge of trained and experienced mechanics, Turner says. Instead, he hopes it will free them up to concentrate on the more technically demanding work.

鈥淵ou still need human interaction, especially on more expensive pieces of equipment,鈥� says Turner. 鈥淲ith something like a Cat D9, that costs you $300,000 you鈥檙e still going to want to have an expert inspector examine that.

鈥淲e鈥檙e probably now at about 85% accuracy for our transcription model but you still need an inspector to go through the missing blanks because it鈥檚 not a magic silver bullet. It won鈥檛 catch everything. But on the smaller stuff like a floor sander, you鈥檙e going to get to a point where the app will be automating that for sure.鈥�

The Inspeq team is not the only one working on developing an AI machine inspection app.

Some major OEMs already offer mobile apps designed to help users check that their machines are working properly such as Caterpillar鈥檚 Cat庐Inspect app. And apps such as Snappii or workmule are designed to speed up pre-use safety inspections for plant equipment. 

Nonetheless, Turner says that at the moment few other direct competitors are focusing on creating an app specifically designed for construction equipment inspections.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got first mover advantage on this product but how long that lasts for is anyone鈥檚 guess,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is something that is so fast moving. Like any AI model it will just keep improving itself. That鈥檚 what makes it so exciting and opens up so many possibilities.鈥�