by | 10 Sep 2020
Pfaff Verkehrstechnik is expanding its product portfolio to include solutions for servicing and maintenance work on the roofs of a wide variety of buses, primarily on electrically and gas-powered vehicles. The new roof working platforms with an adjustable height of 1.5 m to 4.5 m can be flexibly adapted to the respective bus fleet due to different segment lengths of 3 m to 9 m according to the modular principle, regardless of whether it is simple buses with 12 m, double-decker buses with 14 m or articulated buses with 18 m length.
The electromechanical, telescopic platforms and sliding fall protections at the front and rear ensure ergonomic all-round fall protection, regardless of which fleet vehicle is currently in the work area. Employees reach their workplace on the roof of the vehicle safely via adjustable stairs with the correct step height. Optional components such as crane systems for battery replacement, various lighting systems, signalling systems or monitored access doors further increase safety.
Electromobility on the rise
With the new roof working platforms, the company is responding to the growing market for electromobility and the operational safety required here. Electromobility is an important future-oriented topic, not only in Germany. The environmentally conscious country of Sweden is also considered a pioneer in this field; Pfaff Verkehrstechnik has already delivered a system to a Swedish company, and further projects are in the pipeline.
The conversion of vehicle fleets to sustainable drive systems in local public transportation is currently being promoted throughout Europe by the EU "Clean Vehicle Directive". Electric vehicles play a vital role in this. They contribute to climate protection and also reduce dependence on fossil fuels. They have thus developed into a driving force within the context of energy system transformation.
New challenges due to e-mobility
However, the constant increase and regular inspection of electric buses also poses new challenges for depots, garages and employees. In contrast to conventional buses, which run on diesel and require hardly any work on the roof, electric buses require more maintenance work on the roof, since the electrical system and heavy technical components such as battery packs, along with fuse boxes, inverters and air conditioning systems are located there for the sake of convenience. These components require regular maintenance. The curves on the plastic roof, however, present special hazards and challenges for the personnel. The new roof working platforms from Pfaff Verkehrstechnik ensure the highest levels of safety and ergonomics for all bus variants – employees feel as safe on them as they do on the ground.
Mechanics can now easily ensure absolutely safe working conditions even for mixed fleets of vehicles, e.g. consisting of diesel, hybrid and electric buses, without damaging the vehicle with improvised safety measures. The flexibly adjustable roof working platforms set high safety standards, as potential fall points are minimised and the vehicle roof can be accessed ergonomically all around. They provide fleet operators with modern, safe and reliable mobility. Due to short set-up times, the vehicles are quickly back on the road again and the operating times in transport operations are extended.
Service from planning to commissioning and over the entire life cycle
The new roof working platforms for buses complement the product range, which has so far focused primarily on rail-bound vehicles. Pfaff Verkehrstechnik's service package ranges from planning the work platform to commissioning and training of the personnel. The installation in new and existing buildings is preceded by a comprehensive consultation and analysis of the current infrastructure. An extensive after-sales service, plus long-term maintenance contracts and a spare parts service, are also available.
Further information
A video illustrates how the new roof working platforms work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaOovY6Wuao
Further information on Pfaff Verkehrstechnik and its products can be found at: https://www.pfaff-silberblau.com/rail-systems/.
Pictures
Pictures: Pfaff Verkehrstechnik expands its product portfolio with solutions for servicing and maintenance work on buses, especially electrically powered buses
About Pfaff Verkehrstechnik
Pfaff Verkehrstechnik GmbH is an affiliated company of Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH, which is also based in Kissing, under the umbrella of Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO), Getzville/USA. As well as supplying transportation components, Pfaff Verkehrstechnik primarily supplies complete planning, installation and maintenance of turnkey jacking systems for rail vehicles. Pfaff jacking systems are used worldwide. More information about the services and products of Pfaff Verkehrstechnik can be found at www.pfaff-silberblau.com
About Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products
The company Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH, Kissing/Germany, has ranked with its brand Pfaff-silberblau for many decades amongst the technology leaders in components and system solutions for mechanical motion and lifting technology. The portfolio ranges from sophisticated screw jack elements to innovative linear drives through to powerful lifting tables and wire rope winches. On the basis of these components, Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products also offers customized solutions for a wide range of different fields of application. Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products is a subsidiary of the listed McKinnon Corporation (CMCO), Getzville/USA, a leading supplier of lifting and materials handling equipment.
Further information on Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products along with its brand Pfaff-silberblau is available online at www.pfaff-silberblau.com.
Company contact: COLUMBUS McKINNON Engineered Products GmbH Press: Petra Lugner E-mail: presse.kissing@cmco.eu Internet: www.pfaff-silberblau.com |
For 150 years we have been a technological leader in motion and lifting technology.
Whether turnkey lifting systems for trains and buses, spindle lifting elements, electromechanical components of linear drive technology or hoists
for steel and heavy industry, logistics, stage technology, offshore installations and ATEX areas.
Customers worldwide benefit from our products, services and complete solutions from project planning to maintenance.
At Ealing Common depot, a railway service workshop of London Underground, the Tube trains used on the District line will now be maintained with the aid of a lifting system from Pfaff Verkehrstechnik GmbH, Kissing (Germany). On account of its futuristic design, the maintenance staff have nicknamed the versatile and unique dual-purpose system the "Transformer". A total of 28 stationary hybrid lifting jacks from Pfaff Verkehrstechnik with bogie lifting beams and body supports raise and hold the trains measuring up to 117 m long up to 1.44 m high, thus granting the engineers the greatest possible and safe access underneath the vehicle.
BLS, a railway operating company in Switzerland, has equipped the modernised plant in Spiez with lifting jacks from Pfaff Verkehrstechnik for the maintenance of the latest generation of multiple units. Thanks to the wireless control of the entire lifting jack system via a WLAN infrastructure, flexibility during maintenance work is increased and there are no longer any troublesome control cables on the ground.
The 16 Pfaff-silberblau lifting jacks each have a load capacity of 25 tonnes and can lift and lower entire multiple units with a total weight of up to 400 tonnes and a total length of up to 105 metres for maintenance purposes, for example the well-known 4-carriage multiple-unit train “Mutz” with a total weight of 217 tonnes. Thanks to the new system, which can be extended to include further lifting jacks, the modernised workshops in Spiez will also be able to service 6-carriage multiple units in future.
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