Velo Tech shortlisted for innovation award
EDINBURGH, June 27, 2021
Abdulaziz Khattak
Velo Tech Systems, specialist developer of innovative access solutions based in the UK, is one of 9 entries out of 1,000 that has been shortlisted for the Construction News Awards 2021 in the Best Innovation Category for its V-Deck.
The company’s entries include two broiler projects at a power generation station, writes Abdulaziz Khattak for OGN.
The first project was 25 m wide by 76 m deep boiler and is tapered at the bottom.
Here, the client required a 120 sq m access platform to provide four levels to the internals of the boiler for welding repairs. This called for a platform at the 35 m level in order to gain access to the burners.
The tapered bottom of the boiler presented an additional problem had the client chosen scaffolding as the solution.
Using VTS Dyneema ropes, the V-Deck was suspended. For very long drops, this rope is ideal for manual handling reasons at the boiler. It ensured the overall weight of the platform was minimised.
This project delivered an 88 per cent time saving compared to scaffolding and a 93 per cent reduction in the weight of material required.
The second project, also at a boiler, was highly successful as well and brought a 70 per cent time saving and 96 per cent weight saving compared to scaffolding.
At this project, access was required for specialist welding repair works to all 4 internal faces of a 75 m high boiler.
A 10-level V-Deck tower provided access to the full width of the 5-level V-Deck. The V-Deck raised and lowered up and down the structure to provide access to all areas on the internal walls.
The V-Deck was jacked up to 3 m away from the walls to allow for the removal and reinstatement of tubing panels.
Citing the challenges, Jo Bisset, Director, Velo Tech Systems, says: “Boilers have tapered bottomed floors and are large structures to scaffold making them expensive and time consuming to scaffold. Reducing the amount of time that the assets are offline was a let driver for the client.
“An additional challenge is the fact that access hatches have to be cut into the boiler to provide access for personnel and materials. The massive reduction in the quantity of V-Deck required eased this problem enormously.”
He says: “It is exciting working closely with our clients delivering bespoke V-Deck projects on a huge variety of structures. So this success is as much theirs as ours!”
The awards will announced on September 15, 2021, in London. –Tradearabia News Service
