SCHEUERLE SPMT PowerHoss Used for Airport Runway Refurbishment
Swiss heavy-load logistics provider Friderici Spécial has purchased four SPMT PowerHoss modules from TII SCHEUERLE for use as replacement chassis for two gantry cranes. The lifting equipment plays an important role in the refurbishment of Geneva Airport's runway and must meet particularly high demands regarding load-bearing capacity and reliability to ensure that air traffic operations are not affected in any way. Tests have now proven that the SPMT PowerHoss is ideally suited for this task.
The runway at Geneva Airport requires major refurbishment. The operator has so far used two mobile gantry cranes to replace individual concrete slabs, each measuring 15 by 8 meters and weighing 180 tonnes, which make up the takeoff and landing surface. However, the two cranes have aged, and the condition of their chassis, in particular, was causing problems. Geneva Airport was, therefore, looking for a replacement solution. Together with the TII Group subsidiary TII SCHEUERLE, the industry expert in heavy-duty transport both on and off-road, the heavy-load logistics provider Friderici Spécial developed the concept of replacing the chassis of the two gantry cranes with two SPMT PowerHoss 260s. These models, with six axle lines each, offer a payload of 256 tonnes.
The new construction had to prove that it was up to the task and capable of operating with absolute reliability. Although work is taking place during Geneva Airport's downtime at night, if one of the cranes malfunctions on the runway, air traffic would be halted since the airport has only one runway. This must not happen under any circumstances. “We had to make a list of all possible problems that could arise and present a plan for how we would handle them. Whatever happens, we must succeed in removing the mobile cranes from the runway before flight operations restart,” explained André Friderici, Technical Director of Friderici Spécial. This includes ensuring that the SPMT PowerHoss vehicles are equipped with special connection elements so that they can be moved by an airport towing tractor if necessary.
Highly Manoeuvrable SPMT PowerHoss Modules Open Up New Possibilities in Transport
Geneva Airport has now tested the implementation of the emergency timetable together with the Swiss heavy-load logistics provider. “Everything went according to plan. The SPMT PowerHoss and the emergency plans worked perfectly,” reported André Friderici. Nevertheless, those involved experienced a surprise. “The new possibilities compared to the previous system are incredible. The technical leap forward is fantastic, especially regarding the manoeuvrability of the SPMT PowerHoss modules, which feature all the well-known multi-directional steering control programs. It is really impressive. Our customer, Geneva Airport, is very satisfied,” said the technical director.
Now, the gantry cranes only have to prove that they can lift and transport the 180-tonne concrete slabs in their new configuration, i.e., with the SPMT PowerHoss as the chassis, and that they also have sufficient power reserves. “We are carrying out tests using a load of 240 tonnes. I am absolutely convinced that this will not pose any challenges for the transport modules,” explained André Friderici. From April onwards, the mobile gantry cranes can be put into operation, a process expected to last for several decades.
SPMT PowerHoss Modules Have Repeatedly Proven Their Suitability for Airport Tasks
Even before their deployment at Geneva Airport and independently of their use as chassis for the gantry cranes, Friderici Spécial had already tested the SPMT PowerHoss modules in various operations to verify their basic suitability. This included transporting transformers weighing more than 100 tonnes each and moving the drilling head of a tunnel boring machine through a narrow tunnel. The SPMT PowerHoss had to prove both its load-bearing capacity and manoeuvrability. In addition to the technical features of the SPMT PowerHoss, the advice provided by TII SCHEUERLE experts also convinced the experienced heavy-lift professionals at Friderici Spécial.
The compact, self-propelled transport modules from the SPMT PowerHoss series are specialized vehicles for heavy intra-company transport assignments. They offer all the advantages of the SPMT series and are just as functional but powered by an integrated PPU. They can be combined according to the plug-and-play principle to form configurations capable of safely transporting even the heaviest loads. The PowerHoss model range includes vehicles with two, four, or six axle lines. Payloads of up to 85, 175, or 330 tonnes per module are possible. A vehicle combination of SPMT PowerHoss 330s, each with six axle lines, is capable of moving unit loads of up to 1,320 tonnes.
