VARIABLE Speed Drives from ABB are being used for aircraft maintenance operations in Schipol Airport’s hangar 14.
Hangar 14 is used to carry out ’C’- and ‘D’-class maintenance checks as well as aircraft repainting. C and D checks involve full-scale paint removal and body strip-downs.
The paintshop is just one section of the hangar but is larger than a full-size football pitch and can fit two wide-bodied aircraft at a time.
Workers work on a plane’s exterior through a system of eight giant gondolas and 12 telescopic platforms attached to overhead rails. The platforms can move from gondola to gondola and rail to rail and can also rotate on their axis. This system enables workers to access the entire exterior.
ABB has fitted 32 ACS800 variable speed drives to control the speed, torque and energy consumption of the motors which move the platforms and gondolas.
The company says the units provide accurate and smooth movements to ensure the aircraft is not damaged and the workers are safe.
According to the developer, the drives were also fitted with IP-55 rated protection against dust and water jets.