A recent conversation with one of our customers regarding their Demag PAT PDC E 93 Error.  The E93 error code is a very difficult and complex error as it is not possible to directly identify the failing part.

  1. The Demag PAT PDC E 93 Error indicates a communication problem between the PDC system and the console. That could be caused by several issues described below:
  • As a note I noticed that your console had LCD display issues already since I visit the crane first – so there is a chance that the LCD is giving up completely now.  That should be an easy fix with a new LCD display.
  • The transmission of data receiving and sending is using a RS232 interface cable between the console and the CPU card of the PDC system.
  • Obviously wiring issues within that cable could cause trouble, however based on our experience of the same E93 issues on other AC120/ AC395 in the past its very unlikely.
  1. The error code means that some of the transmitted instructions are not understood by the partner. The partner could be either the console or the PDC or both.  Check:
  • The receiver of the console could be intermittently defective.
  • The transmitter of the console could be intermittently defective.
  • The receiver of the CPU card could be intermittently defective.
  • The transmitter of the CPU card could be intermittently defective.
  • The rack base board could show some poor or defective integrated circuit traces.  This can easily be fixed by changing the PDC rack with a new base board (mother board).
  1. The wiring and the rack base board condition could be checked out on site. The communication of CPU card or console cannot be checked out on site without further bench testing using special test equipment. To locate and identify the problem, this means part or all of the rack and the console needs to be shipped in for bench testing.  Let us know if you need us to help with that option.
  2. Based on our past experience, if you have properly checked the other items above,  with AC120/ AC395  it very often turns out to be the PDC – CPU card causing the problem.
  • PDC – CPU cards have a very limited available anymore as the PDC System is obsoleted. If you feel that this is the way to go, please contact our parts department immediately to see if they haven, or can get, any for you.  They can also look at having the original one repaired; however it would mean that we need to ship the original to Germany and you may not get the card returned for 3 month.
  • As always we would be glad to have one of our technicians come up to your yard  disconnect the console, check the backplane board for the rack, check the other wiring, check the RS232 cable and if necessary take out and ship any repair parts for Germany.