After a long and eventful design phase, the first self-climbing AirCRANE System is finally being manufactured in the north of SPAIN, close to San Sebastián.

Beginning the detailed design of the patented technology, a mechanical expert said: “now the devil is in the details”. By using smart & innovative solutions, HWS Concrete Towers has overcome all the challenges this “devil” presented and developed a reliable and disruptive climbing system.

Designed to be scalable and configurable to install any wind turbine in the market, the AirCRANE system is a cost-effective alternative for concrete towers of unlimited height. Its versatility makes it useful not only for installation and maintenance of wind turbines, but also for construction of bridge piles, central cores of skyscrapers, chimneys and many other applications.

Any of its design parameters can be adapted to the operational requirements, e.g. the height of its steel lattice structure is defined by the distance between the anchorage points. In the case of the attached figures, each climbing step has been set to 7 meters height, leading to a minimum of 20 meters length climbing structure.

At present, HWS is confident to complete the manufacturing and testing of the first AirCRANE by summer 2020. This unit will demonstrate its capabilities close to its manufacturing site by climbing a precast-concrete girder in vertical position (see pictures), which simulates a wind tower.

Afterwards, HWS will display the AirCRANE at Wind Europe 2020 in Hamburg: (https://www.windenergyhamburg.com/en/?ref=WindEurope).

HWS would like to thank the European Commission and specially the project officer for its continuous support and flexibility throughout the project. (Horizon 2020-SM Instrument Phase 2, no. 802858, CORDIS link: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/804858)