Inflatable Structures
Innovative Loading Support
Alcan Loading Bay
Pennsylvania, USA
IFAI Award of Excellence 2003
Pertexa Industry Award for Innovation 2004
Alcan manufactures heavy cables, which are wound around large reels. When transported, these reels are rolled onto flat-bed trucks. The inertia in these reels is considerable, and they have been known to roll over the lorry driver if he is not attentive. Hence, Alcan needed not only a safe area from which to work whilst loading, but they also needed a solution, which could accommodate the great variety of flat bed sizes.
Alcan approached Lindstrand Technologies to design and manufacture an inflatable structure, which would meet these requirements, and fill the gap between the truck and the loading bay. By using three layers of drop stitch, and staggering the layers, Lindstrand Technologies produced a staircase by which the top layer could be reached. The fans used to inflate the structure are reversible, so that when the loading process is complete, the structure gets sucked back into the wall.
