Official commissioning of unique Wampfler test system

For the first time energy and data transmission systems can now be developed and tested in near-real conditions / Test carrier for developing new solutions for container cranes

Weil am Rhein, Germany, July 7, 2006. Today at the plant headquarters in Weil am Rhein, Germany, Wampfler AG officially commissioned the world’s first test carrier for energy and data transmission systems. The new construction is modeled after an actual container crane system in a cargo port and over 130 meters long. The test carrier weighs 20 tons, is approximately eight meters high and seven meters wide.

The container crane industry in particular is facing increasing demands with regards to the energy supply”, emphasized Stefan Ziegler, CEO of the Wampfler Group, during the commissioning ceremony. 95 percent of the global cargo volume is transported by freighters, and roughly 70 percent of that in containers. Since 1980 the container volume has increased worldwide by almost 1000 percent. Thus, the crane systems get faster and faster, and the demands for performance, quality, and availability are constantly on the rise. “The new test system enables us to comply with this rapid progress by allowing us to develop, test and optimize new, innovative energy and data transmission components”, says Ziegler.

This new technology puts Wampfler in the position to perform detailed inspections of state-of-the-art energy supply systems with speeds of up to 300 meters/per minute. Whether it be motorized cable reels, festoon systems, energy guiding chains, conductor rails, new control algorithms, or the “POWERTRANS^®” data transmission system – with this new test carrier Wampfler is able to test all energy and data transmission solutions in real conditions. “For us this signifies a major competitive advantage - for our customers it is a great plus with regards to performance and reliability”, says Ziegler.