04 February 2008 16:41pm

Composite Panel Clamp Saves Time on Site

europanel, firemaster, labour costs, panel lifting clamp, rainspan, reduced time on site, rockspan

Eurobond has developed a patented composite cladding panel lifting clamp for the safe, easy installation of its Europanel, Rockspan and Firemaster ranges of insulated panels, when laid horizontally. By using the panel clamp, contractors can significantly reduce time on site and labour costs, as the clamps facilitate the installation of up to 2,000m2 of our stone wool cored composite panels per day.

The clamps can be used with a crane or a telehandler and work by gripping the flanges on the top of the composite panel by means of a cam and wedge mechanism. A half turn of the actuating lever is all that is required to lock the clamp onto the composite cladding panel. Safety features include a spring loaded pin that holds the cam in the locked position, a mechanism that tightens the grip on the composite panel during lifting and a set of safety strops that will stop the composite cladding panel from falling in the unlikely event of clamp failure.

Clamps are available to suit 150mm, 125mm and 100mm Rockspan and Firemaster panels and 160mm, 135mm and 125mm Europanel panels. The combined SWL of a pair of clamps is 500kg, meaning they can safely lift the longest composite panel lengths that Eurobond currently supplies. By being able to handle longer length panels, contractors can install from portal to portal in one panel length and adjust the position of the composite cladding panels with greater accuracy. Using the clamps also virtually eliminates the potential for damage to the face and reduces the risk of damage to the interlocking edge during the installation process.

The clamps are suspended from the lifting beam by links that allow them to rotate in the horizontal plane, making it possible to pick up the insulated composite panels directly from the stack. This enables contractors to reduce manual handling on site, complying with both HSE and CITB recommendations. They are also CE marked and come with a full instruction booklet.