Components for ground support equipment

When aeroplanes are on the ground, everything has to happen very quickly. In order to realise the "turnover" as quickly as possible, a large number of special vehicles have been developed: the Ground Support Equipment (GSE).
Here, numerous processes - such as refuelling, unloading baggage, de-icing and boarding - are carried out simultaneously. The challenges, especially for the components, include flexibility (every aircraft is different in size, the GSE vehicles must be able to adapt to this) and absolute reliability. Regardless of whether the sun is shining, it is stormy or snowing at the airport, the GSE must function reliably. Every failure is expensive.

Customers worldwide rely on motion plastic because it is corrosion and maintenance-free, resistant to chemicals and absolutely reliable with a predictable service life.

Areas of application:

De-icing vehicles | De-icing

In order to guarantee aerodynamics and thus safety when flying, aircraft must be completely free of obstructions. This also applies to ice and snow in cold seasons. A complex task that demands a lot from man and machine in order to survive under time pressure.
Our energy chain, cable and bearing technology have been tested under extreme conditions and are ideally suited for use in telescopic arms, for cab rotation or in the spray nozzle. Certain iglidur® materials are also resistant to media such as glycol, formic acid, paraffin or Skydrol.

Products for cabins and de-icing vehicles

1. cabin equipment

Curved drylin® linear guide
iglidur® plastic plain bearing
Maintenance-free igubal® spherical plain bearing

2. rotation of the cabin

Rotary crane bearing with external gearing

Products for de-icing vehicle nozzle adjustment

3. nozzle settings

iglidur® plastic plain bearing
igubal® rod end

4. telescopic boom

Luggage lifts | Cargo Loader

Cargo loaders are used at airports to load large containers or pieces of luggage onto aircraft. They must be able to withstand the heavy loads and harsh conditions and also be height-adjustable.
e-chain® and chainflex® cable are ideal for cable routing for height adjustment. dry-tech® plain bearings, thrust washers and rollers can be used flexibly and are completely lubrication-free, even under loads of up to 200 MPa. They are therefore used in scissor lift tables or platforms, for example.

Products for the folding mechanism of railings

1. railing folding mechanism

2nd railing extension mechanism

Individual special part in injection moulding, 3D printing or from bar stock

3. platform

4th scissor lift

High-load fabric bushings igutex® TX2

Products for vertical movement in GSE vehicles

5. vertical movement

Aircraft tugs | Pusher

Aircraft tugs, also known as "pushers" or "towbar tugs", are real powerhouses. They are used to move aircraft on the tarmac or in maintenance hangars. In some models, the front wheel is clamped in a mechanism and the aircraft is lifted.
iglidur® heavy-duty plain bearings are used here in the clamping mechanism, energy chains are used to guide the cable and hose and PRT slewing rings ensure the necessary rotation of the seat in the driver's cab.

Products for hinges and de-icing vehicles

1. doors, hinges, flaps

Products for the clamping device in GSE vehicles

2. clamping device

3. tensioning device

4. cabin equipment

Curved drylin® linear guide
iglidur® plastic plain bearing
Maintenance-free igubal® spherical plain bearing

5. rotation of the cabin

Rotary crane bearing with external gearing

Catering trucks

Catering trucks can be used to transport empty "service trolleys" out of the aircraft and full ones back in again. The last few metres between the truck and the aircraft are usually bridged with a telescopic platform.
Here, motion plastic is ideal for a variety of applications: e-chain® for cable routing in the height adjustment or drylin® linear bearings and iglidur® plain bearings in the platform. motion plastic scores points here thanks to its freedom from lubrication, high edge loads and resistance to chemicals such as Skydrol, formic acid or glycols.

Products for railing extension mechanisms

1st railing extension mechanism

Individual special part in injection moulding, 3D printing or from bar stock

Products for platforms and de-icing vehicles

2. platform

3. telescopic platform

drylin® W hybrid roller bearing

4. vertical movement

5. scissor lift

High-load fabric bushings igutex® TX2

Ambulifts

An Ambulift is used to enable physically impaired people to board an aircraft safely and comfortably. A large number of movements take place both at the front (when boarding the Ambulift) and at the rear (when boarding the aircraft). With the help of motion plastic, these can be automated completely lubrication-free.

1. doors, hinges, flaps

2. telescopic platform

drylin® W hybrid roller bearing

3. vertical platform adjustment

drylin® W hybrid roller bearing

4. vertical movement

Success stories

Aircraft tanker

This tanker is used to fuel aircraft at airports all over the world. To fuel different types of aircraft, the crane boom must be as flexible as possible. e-chains and chainflex cables that work in very tight installation spaces are used here.

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Aircraft de-icing and washing system

This all-in-one concept de-ices and washes aircraft in a fully automated procedure, saving airport carriers a great deal of time and money. Energy chains provide safe, reliable cable guidance under tough environmental conditions such as extreme cold, moisture and chemical use.

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Aircraft handling

Quickloading, an engineering office, develops solutions to facilitate and accelerate aircraft handling. For example, in an aeroplane de-icer in Siberia or a
ventilation system for aircraft interiors, iglidur® plain bearings are used continuously outdoors in extreme cold or heat as well as under the influence of acidic de-icing agents.

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