Upgrade of blackboard system gives university a lift

As part of a modernisation project, the Heinz-Schönfeld lecture hall of the Technical University of Dresden was equipped with a new blackboard adjustment system.

Instead of the cable winch system dating from the 1960s, a solution from Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products with PHOENIX telescopic lifting columns PH36 of the Pfaff-silberblau brand was implemented. With the new system, all five blackboard panels can now be automatically raised and lowered by 1,300 mm at a speed of 2 m/min at the push of a button.

The system is described as very simple to operate. “Each board in the lecture hall can be electrically moved individually via its own control element. The Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products system operates silently, which is a great advantage during events and lectures. Thanks to their backlash-free sliding guides, they guarantee absolute stability even when fully extended.”

Time for a modernisation

With its 481 seats, the Heinz-Schönfeld lecture hall is one of the largest lecture theatres at TU Dresden. It is one of the outstanding Dresden buildings of the early 1960s and is a listed building. In addition to the aesthetics typical of the time, the lecture hall is characterised by good room acoustics, which even in its day attracted national attention in the professional world.

However, the lecture hall was showing its age and therefore needed a complete upgrade – as did the technical equipment, which was no longer up to date and had become obsolete due to wear and tear. The blackboard system was also included in the extensive renovation work. The entire drive technology, including the ropes and pulleys, was badly worn. The aim was to replace the old blackboard system with a better technical solution.

Industrieservice Hanitzsch, a sales partner of Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products, looked intensively into the question of how the old technology could be modernised and what alternatives there are to the winch system. The company then proposed that the blackboards be raised and lowered, using Pfaff-silberblau PHOENIX telescopic lifting columns.

Several challenges to overcome

There were many different requirements. For example, the boards were only allowed to have special paint finishes and no metal frames, as high-voltage tests are occasionally carried out in the lecture hall, which could present a source of danger. In addition, the existing lateral guides of the blackboard panels were to be reused. Another challenge was the height differences in the basement, where the telescopic lifting columns are located. These had to be compensated for during installation.

Industrieservice Hanitzsch was founded in 1997 and will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next year. As a long-standing Pfaff-silberblau sales partner, the company offers a diverse portfolio of services in the areas of lifting equipment and warehouse technology, as well as traffic technology and gates. The core business includes not only the sale of first-class products, but also rental, maintenance and training. Due to its extensive experience with Pfaff-silberblau products, Industrieservice Hanitzsch was able to implement the new solution with the PHOENIX telescopic lifting columns PH36 quickly and without any problems.

Side guide rails can still be used

The multi-stage telescopic lifting columns facilitate integration, thanks to their compact installation dimensions and a basic installation length of 793 mm. The individual blackboard panels are located in a frame made of aluminium profiles and connected to the lifting columns at the lower edge.

This had to be specially made so that the panels could move in the side guide rails without any problems. The lifting columns were anchored in the basement floor and mounted on racks to compensate for the differences in height.

Due to their closed outer housing – also made of robust aluminium profile tubes – the PHOENIX telescopic lifting columns are insensitive to coarse dirt, which also means they are low-maintenance. They are not only used in industrial applications, but also in theatre and stage technology due to their visually appealing design.