Equipment Maintenance Platforms: Uses & Applications
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Airplane Maintenance Platforms
As you can imagine, major aviation companies spend a great deal of time inspecting and maintaining their airplanes. Additionally, these aircraft can greatly vary in sizes, shapes, and heights depending not the particular model being serviced. Therefore, the maintenance platforms required in these facilities are sometimes required to be highly custom. These platforms can either be designed to fit around one particular model of an airplane or like in the case of the mezzanine to the right, a custom, expandable platform may be required so multiple plane types can be serviced at the station.
These platforms are fabricated from Panel Built's heavy-duty, bolt-together mezzanine. Fabricated in our modular construction facilities, the platforms' components were prefabricated and shipped to the aerospace facility to be assembled on site. Unlike some smaller maintenance access platforms, these structures are mounted to the facility's floor and are not designed to be moved frequently.
Tank Maintenance Platforms
Like all other equipment platforms, tank platforms can vary significantly from project to project depending on the size, shape, and purpose of the tank. In some cases, the platform will integrate the tanks into the design, allowing for the tanks to be fully encompassed. This grants convenient access to all components, allowing for easy measurements, maintenance, and cleaning. In the example to the right (mid-construction), the platform includes an overhead gantry that is built into the platform. This gantry allows for a trolley system to easily transport their ingredients to each of the tanks.
In addition to the gantry, this project required a few other unique features. It was installed in a plant that manufactures antibacterial sanitizers, so the platform itself required an FDA Compliant coating for all platform components. Additionally, since all tanks are different sizes, custom holes had to be framed out with beams. This helps ensure a tight fit around the tanks and makes the decking around the tanks is as strong as the rest of the platform.
Aerospace Maintenance Platforms
These platforms can be used to service and inspect a variety of aerospace components. These platforms and the airplane maintenance platforms showed previously are similar in that they both include expanding decks. As you can see in the picture to the right, the platforms' decking includes a retractable cantilever to help ensure the platforms fit snuggly around the component being serviced. The cantilevers include yellow and black caution marks to warn the technicians that they are nearing the edge of the platform. Additionally, retractable decking makes it much easier to move the aerospace components to and from the maintenance bay.
You can also see that these platforms include caster wheels under the columns, allowing for easy transportation of the structures. Since these are heavy-duty, steel platforms, the caster wheels included on the structure are rated for incredibly heavy loads, much more than most casters seen in stores. The combination of casters and retractable cantilevers allow for these platforms to be conveniently stored when they are not in use.
HVAC Maintenance Platform
With HVAC Maintenance Platforms, the structure is oftentimes being added to an existing building whenever a new or additional HVAC system is installed into the facility. In the scenario to the facility's new HVAC system needed to be elevated on the side of the building. So, while the platform allows for the HVAC technician to do regular maintenance and repairs on the system in the future, the platform also supports the HVAC system itself, allowing it to operate more efficiently.
This platform is a great example of a highly cost-efficient, long-lasting platform solution for the end customer.
The other maintenance platform solutions required different custom features in order to best fit the customers' needs. On this project, all components are standard, and because the platform will not see heavy traffic, a cage ladder is used for ingress/egress, rather than a full stair system. It has a color-matched, exterior-rated powder coating to provide a long-lasting, durable finish.
Overall, Panel Built's equipment platforms can be adapted to fit a variety of different machines, vehicles, and environments. Our highly versatile platform systems have been implemented in facilities of all types, across the United States and internationally. Although we have implemented many custom designs and features, Panel Built willing to push the envelope, regularly finding new ways to expand our steel platform products. If you are looking for a new equipment platform, please let us know! We love new opportunities to show our expertise. For each project, our mission is "To Solve Our Customers' Space Needs With Excellence and Great Customer Service." Give us a call today at 800.636.3873, send us an email to info@panelbuilt.com, or chat with us in our LiveChat feature in the bottom-right of the page. We happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have.