Specialist construction contractor Glam Façade Installation has invested in its first glass lifting machine and has selected a Winlet glazing robot.
Company Managing Director Costa Cocu had used Winlet robots on hire from glass equipment specialist Hird and took the next step to acquire a machine.
He said: “The Winlet glazing robot does a brilliant job. There’s nothing out there quite like it in terms of the weight it can lift and its ability to manipulate its load. We’re very pleased to have it.”
Hird is the UK and Ireland authorised distributor for Danish manufacturers Winlet and supplied Glam Façade Installation with a Winlet 575 glazing robot.
Phil Hird, Hird MD, said: “We’re delighted that the machine is turning out to be such a good investment for Glam Façade Installation, though we’re not surprised. The productivity and safety advantaged provided by Winlet glazing robots are phenomenal and well-documented.”
The Winlet 575 glazing robot can lift a load weighing up to 575kg up to a height of 3.6m, even directly overhead. It can also side carry panels weighing up in 275kg to take them through narrow apertures.
Yet it is just 890mm wide and 1880mm long, and weighs only 1025kg, excluding counterweights.
The glazing robot has an exceptional load manipulator, which can tilt and rotate through 180 degrees. A gyroscopic control system holds the load within the same plane while being moved vertically or horizontally, supporting precise placement, and greatly reducing manual handling.
The Winlet 575 glazing robot has an articulating rear axle for improved mobility and can be operated using a remote control, so the operator can be in the best position to monitor the installation process.
Winlet glazing robots can be used to lift, carry and install glass and other smooth, non-porous sheet material, such as plastic, metal and plasterboard. Fitted with special vacuum cups, they can also lift glass reinforced concrete (GRP).
The machine has pneumatic tyres for smooth operation across any surface. Two extra tyres can be added to allow the glazing robot to work on particularly uneven terrain.
The glazing robot is light and compact enough to be carried in the back of a Transit-style van, allowing it to be transported easily to any worksite.
Glam Façade Installation’s Winlet 575 has been kept constantly busy since the company invested in it, not least because the glazing robot helps it win urgent installation projects.
Costa Cocu said: “Our clients are impressed with the capability of the Winlet 575. They value the speed and safety with which we can carry out our work using it. Having our own machine allows us to respond quickly to client needs. It’s definitely going to win us a lot more work.”
The Winlet 575 is one of a range of glazing robots, which includes the Winlet 350, with a safe working load of 350kg and the Winlet 1000, which can lift 1000kg and the Winlet 1000 TRX, a tracked glazing robot.
For more information about Winlet glazing robots and how they can transform your lifting operations, call Hird today.
