A renowned entertainment company was tasked with creating a complex and movable staging apparatus for an upcoming major performing artist’s tour. To build the stage, they needed a rugged linear bearing system that included a large quantity of heavy load-bearing rail. Along with materials, flexibility was also essential to the design. Therefore, having consistent products from the same manufacturer would serve as building blocks for the entire system. This would include fixed systems as well as telescoping platforms. Along with these requirements was a quick delivery date, since the tour would begin in weeks. Speed would be essential to keeping the tour on schedule.
The staging company was supplied with rails in a variety of lengths. The Hevi-Rail line was considered the best fit, partly because it offered the option of welding multiple butt joints within the structure.
This project began with a simple customer inquiry made to the PBC Linear website. The company responded by contacting the customer and evaluating their needs and the full scope of the project.
The customer was already knowledgeable regarding linear bearing systems, was also well-known to PBC Linear. With the completion of the project, the PBC Linear engineering team provided the staging company with efficient options and solutions that were not available elsewhere.
After first evaluating the specifications of the customer’s request, along with the available inventory, the PBC Linear engineering team discovered that the lead time for the project was unattainable. This led to more in-depth discussions regarding the customer’s overall needs, allowing engineers to provide a different set of options based on available inventory. This early engagement helped to influence the customer’s design and ultimately provide a solution resulting in a successful, on-time delivery of the project.
The staging company was supplied with rails in a variety of lengths. The Hevi-Rail line was considered the best fit, partly because it offered the option of welding multiple butt joints within the structure. In other words, they could now combine smaller lengths to form more specific rail lengths instead of cropping a large number of 20-ft lengths that had initially been requested. This option of welded joints gave the system designer more freedom to use the building blocks creatively.
It was evident from the beginning that the Hevi-Rail line would be optimal for the stage project. Parts of the enormous stage would be required to move up and down, as well as side to side, while having the stamina to remain productive over the entire tour. The designers and engineers were comfortable with welding and building steel fabrications, and would need products that were strong, reliable, and easy to work with. The rails and bearings would also need to be easily integrated into a system built with stationary steel supporting members. The Hevi-Rail line fits all of those needs.
The PBC Linear team achieved a high level of satisfaction in this application by employing good communication and flexibility throughout the entire project and meeting the deadline. Delivery of this high-profile project was handled in just one shipment, requiring 144 bearings and over 2,000-ft of rail.
PBC Linear
PBCLinear.com
Filed Under: Bearings
