What Tools Are Needed for Hoisting Large-Size UHPC Curtain Wall Panels? A Dual Guarantee of Safety and Precision

Hoisting large-size UHPC curtain wall panels (typically referring to panels with a single-piece area ≥8㎡ and weight ≥500kg) requires specialized tools, mainly in three core categories: lifting equipment, hoisting clamps, and auxiliary positioning tools, combined with scientific hoisting techniques to ensure the hoisting process is safe, precise, and damage-free. As the contractor for large-size UHPC projects such as Shanghai New World, Qinglong has accumulated extensive hoisting experience and developed a standardized tool selection and operation system.

Lifting equipment: selected based on component weight and installation height. For components weighing 500-1000kg each with an installation height ≤30m, use 25-50 ton truck cranes; for components weighing 1000-2000kg with an installation height of 30-60m, use 50-100 ton truck cranes or crawler cranes; for super-large components (weight >2000kg), crawler cranes of 100 tons or more are required, along with a professional hoisting command team. In the Shanghai New World project, Qinglong hoisted UHPC faux-wood translucent panels with a single-piece area of 12㎡ and a weight of over 700kg using a 50-ton truck crane together with a dedicated hoisting spreader beam to ensure uniform force distribution. Lifting equipment must pass inspection, and load tests must be conducted before hoisting, with a safety factor ≥1.5 to prevent safety accidents caused by equipment failure.

Hoisting clamps: the core of protecting components and ensuring precise load-bearing. Large-size UHPC curtain wall panels are mostly hoisted using a combination of vacuum suction cups and dedicated spreader beams: vacuum suction cups should be electromagnetic-vacuum dual-purpose types with a suction force ≥1.2 times the component weight, equipped with pressure sensors that automatically alarm when suction pressure is insufficient; spreader beams should be custom-made steel beams with lifting point positions adjusted according to component dimensions to ensure horizontal hoisting and avoid tilting deformation. The suction surface of Qinglong's vacuum suction cup hoisting device is made of flexible rubber to avoid damaging the UHPC surface; the spreader beam features multiple sets of lifting points to accommodate components of different sizes. In the hoisting of large-size double-curved UHPC components for Poly Peninsula No.1 in Hainan, damage-free hoisting was achieved with this combined clamping system. For irregular-shaped components, dedicated custom clamps are required, such as rod-through hoisting devices for hollowed-out components to avoid damaging the hollowed structure.

Auxiliary positioning tools: the key to ensuring installation precision. The hoisting of large-size components demands high positioning accuracy, requiring auxiliary tools such as laser rangefinders, total stations, and levels: laser rangefinders measure the distance between components and installation datums with an error ≤±1mm; total stations are used for three-dimensional positioning, ensuring installation position deviation of components ≤±2mm; levels calibrate component horizontality with an error ≤±1mm/m. In the hoisting of 50mm-thick UHPC hollowed-out panels for the Ouargla Hotel in Algeria, Qinglong used BIM technology to simulate hoisting paths in advance and, combined with real-time positioning by total stations, controlled the installation precision of individual components within ±1.5mm. In addition, auxiliary tools such as tag lines (to control component swinging) and temporary supports (for fixing after hoisting) should be equipped to prevent components from colliding or falling.

Hoisting techniques and safety control: standardized processes ensure foolproof operation. The hoisting of large-size UHPC curtain wall panels must follow the "trial lifting - lifting - positioning - fixing" process: during trial lifting, the component is raised 300-500mm off the ground and held for 5-10 minutes to check whether hoisting devices and lifting equipment are functioning normally; lifting speed ≤0.5m/s, avoiding sudden rises and drops; during positioning, designated personnel direct the slow adjustment of the component position to ensure precise alignment; after fixing, temporary anchoring is performed immediately before removing the hoisting devices. Qinglong's hoisting team must hold special operation certificates, and safety technical briefings are conducted before hoisting to clarify division of labor and emergency measures; warning zones are set up at the construction site, and unrelated personnel are prohibited from entering.

The hoisting of large-size UHPC curtain wall panels is a dual test of technology and safety: tool selection must balance load-bearing capacity and protection, and techniques must follow standardized processes. With professional tool configuration, mature hoisting experience, and strict safety control, Qinglong has achieved zero-accident, high-precision hoisting in multiple large-size projects. For customers, choosing a manufacturer with the capability to hoist large-size components is key to smooth project progress. With its full-chain service advantages, Qinglong provides reliable assurance for the hoisting of large-size UHPC curtain wall panels.