VICH Classic Case | Customer Inquiry: Can Fencing Be Installed Horizontally, Diagonally, Or Even On The Ceiling As An Overhead Platform?
Can Fencing Be Installed Horizontally, Diagonally, or Even on the Ceiling as an Overhead Platform?
This fencing installation requirement came from an internationally renowned first-tier brand in high-end hydraulics-a core supplier to leading construction machinery OEMs such as Sany, XCMG, Zoomlion, and Liugong.
They were building a new smart manufacturing workshop. The customer clearly stated: this overhead platform safety net is not only meant to prevent painted components from falling but also needs to support workers during daily inspections and equipment maintenance above. It is not just a "cover," but an "aerial work platform." Moreover, the customer did not want traditional welded solutions and preferred a more flexible layout.
Faced with this "high-load, high-flexibility" aerial platform, Vichain's technical team embarked on a new round of innovation and development.
Stage 1: Load-Bearing Capacity
As a specialist in industrial safety fencing and a drafting unit for national standards, Vichain possesses extensive experience in the R&D and performance calculation of conventional fencing products.
However, attempting to use fencing as a load-bearing platform was a first. To meet the heavy-duty requirements, engineers thoroughly re-optimized the structure: adding reinforcement crossbars to the mesh panels to distribute pressure, and precisely adjusting the grid spacing to ensure even force dispersion. This not only enhanced protective safety but also fortified the overall structure, transforming an ordinary protective wire mesh into a steel wire mesh platform with genuine load-bearing capacity.
Stage 2: Installation
This production line was newly built by the customer, featuring an entirely new layout. Furthermore, the customer desired the flexibility for easy disassembly and reconfiguration in the future. In response, we proposed a solution that impressed and even exceeded customer expectations: I-beam bolt-free installation.
Our fencing and support structures can clamp directly onto the workshop's I-beam girders. This method requires no alteration to the original structure, not a single drilled hole, and no hot work. Installation efficiency is significantly improved, while also providing exceptional convenience for future modifications, disassembly, and reassembly.
Additionally, for the ramp sections connecting the upper and lower levels of the production line, to prevent painted components from falling, the safety fencing needed to be installed along the inclined slope. While this sloped layout is a standard application for Vichain's cable tray products,inclined installation of fencing presented one of the major challenges in implementing this project, imposing higher demands on product arrangement, anchoring structures, and on-site installation.
Stage 3: Modularity
The new smart manufacturing workshop's painting line spanned 1,000 square meters and was divided into multiple zones of varying sizes. To address this, we engineered the fencing into standardized modules that could be configured to match the workshop's actual layout precisely. This led to a powerful prefabrication + on-site modular fast-assembly combo: all components were prefabricated in our factory according to detailed lists and then assembled on-site like building blocks.
This approach delivered remarkably significant results in cost reduction and efficiency gains.
Stage 4: Compliance and Safety
The entire solution not only had to meet the client's functional requirements but also ensure its inherent safety and stability. For the proposed design, we conducted simultaneous testing and validation to verify it met all load-bearing and safety specifications. Furthermore, in accordance with the national standard GB 4053.3, we advised the client to upgrade the side fencing, enhancing the stability of lateral protection and ensuring the required height was achieved.
The compliance assurance for the entire protection system was strictly aligned with national workplace safety regulations and the high safety standards expected of advanced manufacturing workshops.
This project was fundamentally different from our previous work. The approach shifted from merely "enclosing the hazard" to actively "enabling safety." It successfully helped the client transform their new smart manufacturing workshop into a safer, more efficient, and more flexible production line.
If you have a similar requirement, please contact us at info@nbvich.com. We will provide a customized solution to ensure your safety comprehensively.