Vacuum Lifting Device VacuMaster for Ejecting and Transporting Various Components of Wind Turbines

During the production of rotor blades, main girders must be ejected from the mold and transported. The main girders weigh approximately 1.8 tons and have dimensions of 37 x 1 m (length x width). The workpieces are extremely delicate and unstable because they are only between 10 and 40 mm thick. The main girder is made of epoxy fiberglass laminate.

Before a vacuum lifting device from Schmalz was implemented, the main girders were removed from the mold using wedges and then transported and aligned using cranes and lifting straps. This posed a risk of damage to the workpiece and at least three cranes were required for the transport.

The VacuMaster vacuum lifting device greatly simplified the ejection process. The lifting device is equipped with 11 suction cups, which grip the workpiece gently and securely. Two redundant vacuum circuits and cloth restraining straps ensure a secure hold throughout the entire handling process. The height of the suction cups can be adjusted by up 1,000 mm using a linear actuator in order to align and position the workpiece. The linear actuators can be programmed for different workpiece contours and are controlled using an operating console on the lifting device.

Thanks to the VacuMaster vacuum lifting device, only two cranes are now necessary for the entire handling process of the rotor blades.