Aerocompact launches new long rail system for solar power plants
The Austrian manufacturer Aerocompact has developed a new attachment solution for installations parallel to the roof on sandwich panels and trapezoidal sheet metal roofs. The CompactMETAL TR65 long-rail system requires neither special approval from panel manufacturers nor additional proof it can withstand heavy snow loads or be used with large purlin spacing. This is because the system is self-supporting and fully braced on the roof structure. Thus, it relieves the load on the panels, which cannot support large loads as they are built with steel sheet outer shells and mounting foam.
The long rail system is suitable for accessible roofs with inclinations between 0 and 70 degrees. The substructures can be made of wood, steel or aluminium. At the heart of the new fastening solution is the TR65 long rail, which will be available from October as part of the CompactMETAL system kit for metal roofs.
Quick and easy installation
First, the TR08 trapezoidal short rail is fastened as a base support with thin sheet metal screws to the raised profiles of the sandwich panels (high beading). The screws absorb all shear forces. Then the TR08 is additionally connected to the substructure with a stainless steel self-tapping screw with support thread. The TR65 is mounted on this support base and the assembly system is ready. The self-tapping screw absorbs the compressive and tensile forces caused by wind or snow on the roof, for example. Because there are no further work steps, fitters save both time and money on their drilling equipment.
The installers attach the solar modules to the long rails using the 60 mm Aerocompact universal clamp with integrated grounding pin. The clamp can accommodate solar modules with frame heights from 30 to 46 mm. ‘Thanks to our new generation of clamps, installers save on components both at the installation site and in the warehouse. In the future, we want to use the universal clamp for all other Aerocompact systems as well’, explains Christian Ganahl, Chief Technical Officer of Aerocompact.
Robust and self-supporting
The statically optimized cross-section of the profile can handle loads over lengths of up to three meters, which is why only a few support points are required. This makes the system particularly suitable for roofs with large, free-spanning distances between the horizontal roof beams (purlins). However, if necessary – for example, if there is a high snow load – the number of support points can also be increased both easily and conveniently. The system can be laid out with the planning tool “AEROtool”. Aerocompact offers a 25-year warranty.
