With a complete new development, Barbaric expands the possibilities in modern timber construction: for Tiroler Holzhaus, a new WPC Wall-Mounted Portal Crane System was implemented, enabling precise movement of different lifting devices along the production line without blocking the working area with support columns. At the same time, operation of an overhead crane above the system remains fully possible – a clear advantage over conventional suspended ceiling rail systems or floor-supported portal solutions.
Tiroler Holzhaus is an Austrian specialist for prefabricated timber construction solutions and relies on modern, high-performance production technology.
Together with Tiroler Holzhaus, Barbaric has implemented a completely new system solution for industrial timber construction. The starting point was a well-known challenge in production: for handling panel materials and insulation materials, customers usually choose either ceiling-suspended rail systems or floor-supported steel structures. Both options reach their limits when an overhead crane must continue to operate above the production line or when columns inside the handling area obstruct the material flow.
Barbaric developed the new WPC Wall-Mounted Portal Crane System precisely for this type of application. The complete crane installation is mounted laterally to the building structure. As a result, the working area below the system remains free of obstructive columns, while an overhead crane can still be operated above it. This combination opens up new possibilities for production lines where freedom of movement, accessibility and cycle time are crucial. The crane runway length is approximately 45 metres, and the two jib arms each have a reach of around 9 metres.
At Tiroler Holzhaus, the solution is used in the area of a Hundegger WALLMASTER. Timber wall elements are manufactured there and subsequently equipped with different materials. The WPC Wall-Mounted Portal Crane System provides the lifting technology directly at the machine in an ergonomic and process-reliable way.
Ease of operation is one of the key practical advantages: the two jib arms are motorized and can be moved comfortably and precisely. Stepless control is integrated directly into the operator handle of the lifting device, enabling intuitive, low-effort movement along the production line. For the operator, this means noticeable relief in daily work and clean, repeatable positioning of the material.
The selected lifting devices were also chosen with versatility in mind. The system uses one UWL3 with side-mounted operator handle for handling standard panel materials and one NGR lifter for flexible operation with either vacuum pads or needle grippers. This allows a wide range of materials to be handled economically and ergonomically – from OSB, coated boards, solid wood panels, Fermacell and plasterboard to soft fibre insulation boards and render carrier boards.
The UWL3 is designed for a maximum load capacity of 200 kg and is suitable for both vertical and horizontal transport of standard panel materials. The NGR lifter also reaches up to 200 kg when used with vacuum pads and can alternatively be equipped with needle grippers for softer insulation and render carrier materials up to 65 kg. The two jib arms of the WPC Wall-Mounted Portal Crane System are also each designed for a load capacity of 200 kg at the lifting device. This ensures that the appropriate lifting principle is always available depending on the material and application.
With this development, Barbaric demonstrates how customer-specific requirements can be translated into a technically sophisticated and economically efficient solution. The WPC Wall-Mounted Portal Crane System for Tiroler Holzhaus creates a free working area, preserves the usability of the overhead crane and at the same time improves ergonomics and process flow in production.
Technical data
System: WPC Wall-Mounted Portal Crane System
Application: Feeding and handling materials at a Hundegger WALLMASTER in timber wall production
Crane runway length: approx. 45 m
Jib arms: 2 motorized jib arms
Jib arm length / outreach: approx. 9 m each
Load capacity of the portal crane system: 200 kg at the lifting device per jib arm
Lifting devices: 1x UWL3 with side-mounted operator handle, 1x NGR with vacuum pads / needle gripper
Max. load capacity UWL3: 200 kg
Max. load capacity NGR: 200 kg with vacuum pads / 65 kg with needle gripper
Materials handled by UWL3: coated boards, solid wood panels, chipboard, MDF, Fermacell, plasterboard, OSB
Materials handled by NGR: Fermacell, OSB as well as soft fibre and render carrier boards depending on the gripping system
Movement of jib arms: electrically motorized, stepless control via the operator handle
Special feature: free handling area without columns while allowing simultaneous overhead crane operation above the system
