Report No. 72: Goldhofer

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Goldhofer

Report No. 72

Precision work at Airbus


Job-Report No. 72 page 2

Transportation of a 160-ton machine by Titschkus

Distance: From “Hydro-Control” in Jaderberg to


the Airbus works in Nordenham.

Payload: Drawing and stretching machine to form


aluminium bulkhead frames

Weight: approx. 160 tons

Trailers used: 16-axle Goldhofer heavy duty combination


type THP/ST

Gross combination data: Weight: approx. 235 tons

Length. 39 m
Width: 4 m
Height: 4,75 m

Prime mover: MAN heavy duty truck with 600 HP

Haulier: Titschkus / Bemen

M/11.06

Graphical material: Rainer Bublitz


Job-Report No. 72 page 3

Precision work at Airbus


Who does not know the gigantic Airbus A380! Not only in the sky it is a sensation, but also
on the ground it makes headlines due to its spectacular logistics performances frequently
reported on. However, not only the big Airbus companies in Toulouse and Hamburg provide
exceptional transportation and lifting performances. This time it was the Airbus company in
Nordenham that came into the fore.

On the 60km long distance, numerous


narrow cross-towns roads had to be
coped with.

Aluminium bulkhead frames for the Super Airplane

The heavy haulier Titschkus, Bremen got the order to transport a 160-ton basic part of a
deforming machine from the manufacturer to the Airbus works. The machine concerned is a
so-called drawing and stretching unit to form aluminium bulkhead frames.
This high-tech machine was developed and built by Hydro Control in the dozy village
Jaderberg, which is only approximately 20 km away from Nordenham. Due to the high
transport weight of 235 tons and the fact that some bridges could not be used on the straight
way to Airbus because of limited capacity, the project manager Gerd Mennen had to puzzle out
a driving route which was three times longer.
Job-Report No. 72 page 4

Already the day before, the forming machine was loaded onto the 16-axle Goldhofer heavy
duty combination type THP/ST, as already provided. And the next day, early in the morning,
the driver Frank Schröder started its 600 HP MAN truck and the convoy set off on its 60 km
way, escorted by police and other service vehicles.
A truck with loading crane drove ahead to remove road signs and to consolidate the ground
in narrow curves by means of steel plates. Ever again, streets had to be completely blocked
to enable the 4 m wide and 39 m long trailer combination to manoeuvre and to enter narrow
road crossings and curves. Due to the good preparatory work, the transport already reached
the gate of the Airbus works in Nordenham after less than 3 hours.

Here, the transport team had to cope with a new problem. The 39 m long trailer
combination was too big to enter the hall and to enable manoeuvring. So, the trailer had
to be modified into a 10 axle unit. But even this problem was already recognized by Gerd
Mennen in advance. On the area between the production halls, the Dutch mounting
specialist “van Harten” mounted a 200-ton lifting system. The forming machine was held
by the lifting system while the Titschkus-Crew shortened the Goldhofer trailer by six axle
lines and a straight deck. The Goldhofer heavy duty axles being technically capable of
carrying 36 tons per axle line, the new weight of 16 tons did not pose any problem.
Job-Report No. 72 page 5

The 200-ton lifting system


raised the forming machine
from the lowloader to shorten
the vehicle to 10 axle lines

Driving through a small gate to come into the production hall and to manoeuvre beside
the mounting position of the machine, required again best driving skill of Frank
Schröder. After performing acrobatic movements on the steering wheel, the lowloader
was into its position for unloading after only 30 minutes. Owing to the multi-way
steering of the Goldhofer lowloader with its 60 degrees steering angle, manoeuvring
was made much easier.

The lifting system - dismounted


meanwhile - was now remounted in
the hall and since the machine held
by the cables of the lifting system,
the lowloader only had to be
manoeuvred out the hall. The return
way being however blocked by the
lifting system, the transport crew
manoeuvred the 10-axle combination
through the production hall to the
When the forming machine is completed, up to 8 m long opposite gate.
components can be formed by using a pressure of up to
350 bar and thus contribute to the success of an A 380
aircraft.

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