H+H Herrmann + Hieber supplies heavy-duty transport system

The complete system includes special chain conveyors, pneumatic lifting stations, pneumatic lifting friction wheel drives, a heavy tilting table and the necessary safety technology.

Gentle transportation during production

The façade elements are produced in several stages:

1. Preparation. The floor is inserted into a frame that forms the outer boundary and the equipment that will later be placed inside the panel is positioned and fastened to it.
2. Foaming. In the foaming station, the remaining cavity is filled with plastic and heated.
3. Covering. The cover, which closes the element at the top, is placed on the plastic-filled mold and secured.
4. Tilting table. The finished and covered façade element is set up for transportation by crane. This prevents the large element from deforming unacceptably due to its own weight.

The tilting table in its starting position. Photo: H + H Herrmann + Hieber

A total of four stations are provided for the described work process, between which the elements - lying flat - must be transported. Transportation must be gentle in order to avoid damaging the relatively sensitive surfaces of the elements. In addition, when the elements are lifted, the pneumatic lifting cylinders must run as smoothly as possible. These boundary conditions, together with the heavy weights and large dimensions of the components, add up to an overall challenging logistics task that has to be solved individually.

Façade elements are transported crosswise and lengthwise

The four processing stations and the tilting table are arranged in such a way that the panels have to be moved in both the transverse and longitudinal directions. In the transverse direction, the panels are transported using special chain conveyors equipped with plastic plates. The chains are supported by additional rollers. The four-strand conveyor system transports the façade element held in the aluminum frame from the preparation station to the foaming station and then on to the covering station.

The tilting table is suitable for transporting large components weighing up to ten tons. Photo: H + H Herrmann + Hieber

The load carriers run on roller bars in the longitudinal direction. The drive is initiated via friction wheels (five friction wheels are arranged on a common shaft). Four pneumatic cylinders are installed to lift the processed panel. To avoid twisting, it is important that the lifting movements are synchronized at this point.

Tilted to 85 degrees

At the end, the finished façade element is transferred lengthwise onto the newly designed tilting table, which raises it to its final position at an angle of 85°. The tilting movement is driven by four hydraulic cylinders with 1.4 MN each. The hydraulic pump drive is frequency-controlled, which ensures smooth acceleration and deceleration of the heavy load.

To avoid unwanted vibrations, oscillations or deflections, the table construction is designed to be extremely stable. The sheet thickness in critical areas is 40 millimetres. The pin at the pivot point has a diameter of 80 millimeters.

H+H Herrmann + Hieber guarantees 98% availability for the entire system, which was successfully commissioned in January 2016.

Dr.-Ing. Peter Johne