Research & development makes constant demands on transport that can only be met by conventional means at considerable financial and structural cost.
Thanks to new transport concepts and innovative air cushion technology, we have been able to close this gap and deliver flexibility in the movement of large, heavy or sensitive loads, as you can see from the examples on the right-hand side.
Other benefits:
High flexibility and simple adaptation to new products and production processes
Investment costs are reduced, productivity boosted and lead times shortened
Transport system can be operated conveniently by one operator by remote control
Load can move freely in all directions and rotations around the axis, ensuring best possible utilisation of the space available
Floating load allows precise positioning
Low maintenance expense
Environmentally friendly technology without exhaust fumes or noise
Can also be used in explosion protected zones and clean rooms
Air cushion transport of mirror cells of a VLT observatory telescope
For maintenance of the 41 t mirror cells
Remote-controlled air cushion robot vehicle for transporting telescope mirror cells weighing up to 60 t.The tape-guided air cushion transporter brings the sensitive mirror cells safely to the next workshop, where they will be recoated.The air cushion transporter offers vibration-free transport and millimetre-precise positioning accuracy.
Air cushion transport systems for wind tunnel elements
Huge wind tunnel elements can be moved easily and positioned flexibly on air cushions
These huge components are part of a wind tunnel facility and are moved and assembled by means of air cushions.Smaller variant of a Laval nozzle for a wind tunnel.The measuring sections and the rail (support for 3D configurations) of the wind tunnel facility can be quickly exchanged thanks to the air cushion system.Gantry crane on air cushions.Weighing 80 tons, this sliding gate glides on air cushions when opening and closing.
Other applications
Air cushion technology is suitable for a wide range of different applications
Air cushion transport system with 360 t load-bearing capacity for a neutrino detector.