In a new preparation and paint facility for wings, constructed by Eisenmann UK (http://www.eisenmann.de) for Airbus UK (http://www.airbus.com) at Broughton, North Wales WALL-MAN^® platforms were specified to ensure that the operators could get the necessary safe access to all areas of the wing. Five bays, one for preparation and four for painting, were each equipped with four WALL-MAN^® platforms capable of carrying a man to a working height of over 6 metres and with the operator’s cage capable of moving forward by 1 metre to provide optimum access to all parts of the wing.

The platforms are entirely pneumatically driven and controlled so there is no risk of electrical sparks or oil leakage, and were fitted with three separate air supplies, one for the WALL-MAN^®, one for the operators tools and one to supply the operator with clean breathing air. In addition, in the preparation booth a flexible vacuum extraction duct was led to each cage to remove the dust from the abrasive sanding preparation process. All these supplies were run through high level “Energy Chains” to ensure that the hoses were protected and managed to avoid jams or tangles.

The installation of the WALL-MAN^® platforms had to be carefully coordinated with the installation of the booths and other equipment so that the overall programme could be met and the production of aircraft could progress according to schedule.

Airbus have previously installed WALL-MAN^® platforms on other facilities at Broughton and are looking at possible future applications. Repeat business is always a sign of a good product and good service.

For more information please contact C & S Equipment on 01296 688500.

The WALL-MAN^® and LIFTMAN™ products were originally designed for applications in “wet” paint booths where an oil free environment is required and the eradication of ignition sources in what could be an explosive atmosphere is essential. These design requirements are met by the fundamental design of the product being the fact that it is powered entirely by oil-free compressed air - a medium readily available in any painting operation.

The majority of our installations of both WALL-MAN^® and LIFTMAN™ are in this type of application where they are used for painting buses, trucks, trains, helicopters, aircraft wings and other large items of equipment.

However safe access and compliance with the Working at Height regulations is still a requirement in many other situations including, for example, powder coating lines where the objects to be coated are large enough for access from ground level to be inadequate.

JMF Fabrications (http://www.jmf-ltd.co.uk) in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland manufacture truck chassis and other large fabrications which are then powder coated on a large conveyorised coating line. Access to the products is required at several locations on the line, but because the products are moving on the conveyor it is not necessary for the access system to have any lateral (sideways) movement.

C & S Equipment Limited, working with our suppliers and colleagues in Norway, designed and supplied three different variations of WALL-MAN^® pneumatic work platform to suit different locations on the line. The first allowed the operator to raise the cage to a height of 3.275 metres and to move it forward by 1 metre. This was largely a standard WALL-MAN^® platform, but mounted on fixed steelwork rather than being hung on a rail. The second WALL-MAN^® was similar but there was a requirement for it to be moved out of the way in order for access doors to be closed during colour changes. This was facilitated by mounting the whole assembly on pivots top and bottom so it could be simply swung to one side.

The third unit only required a safe working position 1.5 m above floor level with the facility to move forward to bring the operator within working range of the work-piece.

In order to minimise costs to the customer and also shipping costs, C & S Equipment Limited provided design details of the supporting steelwork for these platforms and JMF fabricated and installed it.

For more information please contact C & S Equipment on 01296 688500.

Over 12 years ago, when Marshall of Cambridge (http://www.marshallsv.com) set up a new paint-shop in their Special Purpose Vehicles division, they installed WALL-MAN^® platforms in the paint booths. More recently, in 2006, they established a new manufacturing facility at Mildenhall and it was natural that
WALL-MAN^® should be specified again.

Of course the WALL-MAN^® product has been developed and improved continuously over the years and now incorporates many new safety features and design details to make the use and maintenance of the equipment even easier. The control panel has been completely re-designed, lifting cylinders re-specified to eliminate crevices which could trap dust and dirt, additional protection provided for the piston rods and so on. In fact over the years over 60 design improvements have been implemented, all in accordance with the policy of making small improvements all the time while retaining the basic, well-proven design concepts.

At the new facility two paint booths were installed with a total of six WALL-MAN^® platforms, two in a 15 m long booth and four in an 18 metre booth. These were the standard Model 1000/100 which has a raised platform height of 3.275 mm to the floor of the cage, giving convenient access for working at height on all normal road vehicles. The cage can also move forward by up to 1 metre so that the operator can position himself appropriately for different width vehicles and so that he can extend the platform at either end of the vehicle to reach those areas without the risk of overbalancing which is always present when using ladders or fixed platforms.

For more information please contact C & S Equipment on 01296 688500.