Heavydrive: Installing window panes at an overhang in sub-zero temperatures

06/08/2020 | Print view

Placing the windows under a three metre deep overhang in an inclined position with millimetre accuracy. - © Heavydrive — © Heavydrive

Placing the windows under a three metre deep overhang in an inclined position with millimetre accuracy.

The construction at the world-famous St. Petersburg Lakhta Center is entering the next phase. Following the completion of the tower, multi-purpose building, arch and stylobate, the area will now be extended by an additional building complex. Special equipment from the St. Petersburg-based Heavydrive branch is being used for the assembly of the facade elements, which weigh up to 1.8 tonnes.

The challenge of the project: The glass panes with dimensions of 1.8 x 1.2 metres to 6.5 x 3.2 metres must be placed under a three metre deep ledge in an inclined position - and this at freezing temperatures. The Russian Heavydrive experts advised the customer on site in the selection of the optimum installation equipment. Overnight, the team from the new warehouse in St. Petersburg delivered a VSG 3000 Konter counter beam with adapted vacuum suction system to the construction site. Due to the icy temperatures, the system was provided with winter equipment VSGW 2000 KMH.

The inclination of the facade poses no problem

Thanks to the four flexibly adjustable suction arms, the system can be adapted to the different pane sizes. Each suction plate can be locked individually. In combination with the counter beam, the operator balances the weight of the glass elements of up to 1.8 tonnes with millimetre precision by radio remote control and guides the pane safely under the three metre deep overhang to the opening. Since the system can be tilted by 90 degrees and rotated by 360 degrees by radio, even the inclination of the facade poses no problem.

Thanks to the special 4-point suspension of the individual cross beam, the position of the cross beam in space is fixed. This prevents the system from rocking when the rotation function is activated which would damage an adjacent pane. This system was developed by Heavydrive to rotate and correct the position of the window pane not only before the installation but also in its final position.

Installation of the up to 1.8 tonne windows using Heavydrive the vacuum systems and counter beams.

The customer in St. Petersburg also benefits from personal service on site. In case of questions or problems the Heavydrive technicians are always available and can be on site within 30 minutes. "The demand for Heavydrive systems in Russia is continuously increasing. Thanks to our employees on site and the new, larger warehouse, we can provide personal support for Russian customers, deliver faster and handle bureaucratic processes more easily," says Heavydrive Managing Director Günter Übelacker.

Heavydrive already involved in the Lakhta Tower

Lakhta Center is a modern business center in the Primorsky district of Saint Petersburg. The multi-purpose area includes offices, a conference centre, planetarium, sports and leisure facilities, restaurants, cafes and shops. At the heart of the architectural concept is the 462-metre-high Lakhta Tower, which was opened in 2018 and is currently considered the tallest building in Europe.

Completion of this next phase of building the Lakhta Center in St. Petersburg is scheduled for 2021.

The Heavydrive systems were already in use when the facade of the Lakhta Tower was installed. Together with the customer, the Heavydrive experts had spent more than three years developing the perfect installation solution for this difficult project. As a result of the successful cooperation, the same construction and installation companies as for the construction of the tower were now engaged for the extension of the complex. The new area is scheduled to open in 2021.