Vollert's first suspended painting system for loads of up to 20 tons was initially put into operation just a few months ago by Liebherr in Kirchdorf. Now comes the next step: In the Liebherr plant in Ehingen, Vollert is set to build the world's first double-track overhead plant for parts weighing up to 50 tons. The Weinsberg intralogistics specialist for heavy loads is putting its expertise in the precast concrete unit industry to good use and instead of single drives from transport units, firmly installed friction wheels will now be used. A total of 7 cabins will be available for the sand blasting, priming, painting and drying of the approx. 19-metre long, 4-metre wide and 5-metre high workpieces. Two 15-metre high loading and unloading manipulators, along with a distribution manipulator, will carry the parts which weigh several tons and see to the distribution between the individual stations. For a simple approach and departure, as well as a free operating range, the manipulators' mobile half-portal design, whose lifting units are designed to carry a weight of up to 60 tons, will see that the one-sided loads are balanced.
The stationary friction wheels are what distinguish the Vollert solution. They replace the more expensive explosion-protected drives on the single transport units; there is no need for a motor or a power supply in the painting and drying cabin. At the same time, the system is almost maintenance-free as the drive is not stained by the resulting paint mist. This is just one of the reasons why the Bruchsal-based company SEW-EURODRIVE is also using two Vollert machines which are controlled from a height for the manufacture of gears and motors with loads of 3.5 to 10 tons.
A further advantage of this solution is that bridging is possible even with extreme loads. Wirtgen GmbH from Windhagen, world market leaders for asphalt cold milling, plan to use the technology for the powder coating of heavy parts which weigh up to 30 tons. As the coating reaches oven temperatures of 220 °C the problem that often arises is that the oven and transport steel constructions must be built separately to avoid heat and energy losses. However, the new intralogistic solution from Vollert makes the bridging for the entry and exit from the oven possible.