Installation of pit covers with guide rails for VDL, a bus manufacturer, near Courtrai.

The bus manufacturer VDL, located near Courtrai in West Flanders, needed lightweight PLATO pit covers for its new workshop dedicated to the design of electric buses. Thanks to its engineering office, Dalis Pit Covers designed and implemented a system meeting the requirements of this type of vehicle.

Fully secure pit covers for bus inspections

The bus manufacturer VDL has a new workshop for the construction of electric buses. To ensure the safety of personnel, it was necessary to secure the inspection pits. That's why the company called on Dalis Pit Covers and its engineering office. Indeed, pit curtains had to meet very specific requirements since they involve electrically powered buses. The maintenance of this type of vehicle must be supervised due to the batteries representing a risk of fire and explosion.

Therefore, the installation must comply with ATEX standards. This regulation establishes safety rules to be applied in areas with a real risk of explosion. The devices must have all protections to avoid sparking.

In addition to these specific standards, it is also necessary for the pit curtains to meet other requirements such as:

• Easy handling;
• An ergonomic and intuitive use of the pit protection;
• Flawless reliability to ensure the safety of workers at all times;
• Compliance with current regulations.

Placement of pit covers on guide rails

For this project within the VDL company's workshop, Dalis Pit Covers provided the guide rails that were then welded into UPE beams to prepare for the installation of pit curtains. The goal is to strengthen the edges of prefabricated concrete pits since they must be able to support heavy loads.

Our company then took care of placing the pit covers. The lightweight PLATO system with extruded aluminum panels was installed. This type of installation allows workers to walk on it safely but also to transform it into a working platform. However, it is not possible to drive a vehicle on the device.

Pit curtains that meet the needs and requirements of the customer

Thanks to its engineering office, Dalis Pit Covers was able to meet all the requirements related to the specifics of an electric bus. After the installation of the devices, our team carried out all the necessary tests to ensure that the automated pit covers meet all resistance standards. An inspection body also visited the company to validate the work done.

Do you want to install a pit cover near Courtrai, in West Flanders?

Dalis Pit Covers offers its expertise for the installation and securing of your vehicle maintenance pit. For more information, you can contact us by phone or via our online form.