Adelaide Convention Centre Ballast Beam Project

Feb 21, 2020 | Crane Hire Services

Load 28 crane hire was approached by one of our clients to assist with the loading of façade panels onto the Adelaide Convention Centre project in Adelaide.

The Kingspan panels need to be fitted underneath an eave, and our client was looking for a solution that eliminated the manual handling need to handle material ‘upside down’, looking for a Safer and more efficient option to install the product.

Upon the planning review of the project, we found a certain elevation of the building that would require the installation of the panel underneath an eave at approx. 30m in height.

As none of our ‘fixed lifting attachments’ had the ability to reach this height, Load 28 decided to further design equipment for this work. This would benefit the client by using equipment to eliminate the manual handling, providing a safer method to install; eliminating also unnecessary panel joints.

Load 28 commenced design of equipment suited for this project; and in turn designed ‘The Load 28 Ballast Beam’.

The Ballast Beam Concept

We determined that we needed a ballast beam, that would allow us to achieve a forward projection of 4 m, fitted with a vacuum lifter that would allow some robotic movement to pick up the panel, rotate, invert it and lift into position.

As the product was being installed at height, using boom lifts, we felt it important that the unit be fully remote controlled to allow the operator/installer to adjust the beam remotely during the install process.

Sketches were completed for the concept; following through to construction drawings and engineering. The ballast beam is rated with an SWL of 1 ton.