Flexible access to your goods

Buitink Technology designs and manufactures custom mobile inflatable Harmonica roofs. An inflatable Harmonica roof consists of inflatable panels that can be inflated (when the roof needs to be closed) and deflated (when the roof needs to be open).

An inflatable Harmonica roof from Buitink Technology offers flexible access to the goods beneath and protects them against wind and weather.

When an inflatable Harmonica roof or a segment of it is folded in (and the roof is open), it will close automatically when the panels are filled with air.

When the inflatable mobile roof or one or more segments must be opened, the air can be sucked out of the panels and the roof or segment can be retracted manually or automatically.

Applications

There are many applications for Buitink Technology’s mobile inflatable Harmonica roofs, some examples of which are provided below.

1. Temporary protection of equipment

In certain situations, goods or equipment must be (temporarily) stored outside before they can be transported (by crane) to the next step in a production process. This can include, for example, undercarriages for trains that must be set up outside temporarily. With an inflatable Harmonica roof, the trainsets are protected from rain and snow, but still remain optimally accessible, even for being hoisted by crane from above.

2. Inflatable mobile roof for storage

An inflatable mobile Harmonica roof is ideal for dry storage of bulk goods, while still being easy to load and unload.

The mobile inflatable roofs can be used in many industries and for many materials: biomass storage, road construction, infrastructure works, agriculture, recycling, sand storage, wood chips, wood pellets, compost, straw, hay, fertiliser, sludge, asphalt, etc.

3. Inflatable mobile roof for transshipment

An inflatable Harmonica roof from Buitink Technology is ideal for storage and transshipment in the shipping industry. Not only can the ships themselves be fitted with the inflatable Harmonica roofs, but also the transshipment locations on the shore. In this way, the (bulk) goods remain optimally accessible for loading, unloading and transshipment, but at the same time are protected from the weather.

4. Inflatable mobile roof for salt storage

To protect the salt storage against the weather and to make it quickly and flexibly available for gritters, Buitink Technology manufactures and installs sliding curtains for salt storage. See our website for more information: sliding facade fabrics Rijkswaterstaat

The inflatable Harmonic roofs from Buitink Technology are also very suitable for covering a salt storage from above, when it must be accessible from above. The materials from which an inflatable roof is made are well suited for a salty environment and do not corrode.

5. Inflatable mobile roof for biomass

An inflatable harmonica roof is very suitable for storing biomass, such as wood chips or wood pellets. In this way, the storage area remains optimally accessible for stock replenishment.

6. Inflatable mobile roof for recycling

More and more waste materials are being recycled. To do this, these waste materials must first be stored in a dry place and protected from the weather, including to prevent nuisance for the people in the region (pollution, noise, stench, etc.).

With an inflatable Harmonica roof, the goods are well protected from the environment and vice versa, but still remain accessible quickly and flexibly.

A mobile inflatable Harmonica roof also has an acoustic and sound-insulating effect. See our website for more information: mobile noise barrier

The solution for your situation?

Most likely there are many more situations and circumstances in which a mobile inflatable Harmonica roof from Buitink Technology is the ideal or best solution. Contact us and let us take on the challenge of meeting your mobile roofing needs! Then we will see if we can come up with, and offer you, a suitable solution.

Made-to-measure from our own factory

The inflatable mobile Harmonica roofs are developed, engineered, drawn and manufactured entirely in-house. That means we can deliver quickly and implement the solution that is most suitable for your situation.

You can choose from many colours and different thicknesses/heights of the material when inflated. There are countless fastening options that we can apply. The inflatable roof can be produced in various strengths and stiffnesses and the mobile inflatable roof can be produced, for example, in an anti-static or chemical-resistant material. Or we can use material with an extremely high puncture resistance, for example, if sharp objects can fall from height onto the roof.

Do you have a specific application in mind for the inflatable Harmonica roof from Buitink Technology ? If so, contact us and describe your challenge to us!

Engineering

We solve it with a lightweight flexible solution!
since 1948

Transport and packaging

An inflatable Harmonica canopy from Buitink Technology is very compact in transport dimensions and also extremely lightweight. This enables us to deliver the Harmonica roof all over the world, both by sea (in a sea container) and by air freight.

Below, we provide the weight and transport dimensions for an inflatable harmonica roof as an example:

Number of separately operated harmonica panels:	96 stuks
Length of one panel:	4,5 meter
Width of one panel:	1,5 meter
Total surface area of the inflatable canopy::	650 m2

Weight

The total weight of the canopy described above (approx. just 5,250 kg) is as follows:

Weight of the inflatable panels (approx. 3.5 kg/m2):	2.400 kg
Weight of the aluminium panel connection profiles (approx. 5 kg/m):	2.600 kg
Weight of the ventilation system:	250 kg
Total weight of the system:	5.250 kg

The total weight of the entire roof system is therefore only about 8 kg/m²!

This is not only very practical and efficient, but also environmentally friendly. From the perspective of sustainability and limiting CO² emissions, it is a great advantage that so little material mass is used per m²!

Transport dimensions

The roof described above has a transport dimension of only about 5 x 1 x 1.1 metres. The accompanying air system is packed in a box measuring approximately 1 x 0.5 x 0.6 metres.

The advantages at a glance

The Buitink inflatable clamp lid has a number of important advantages compared to the alternatives:

• Made-to-measure from our own factory;
• All sizes possible, various choices of thickness/height in inflated condition;
• Very lightweight: assembly and installation can be carried out with light equipment or even with manpower alone; no large cranes required;
• Due to its light weight per m², an inflatable Harmonica roof is durable and in all respects relatively favourable in terms of CO₂ emissions as compared to heavy steel or aluminium alternatives. This can include, for example, the number of tonne-kilometres to the installation site (of the roof itself but also of vans, lorries and equipment), heavy equipment (cranes, etc.) that is not needed, little material used for the roof itself and so on.
• Very compact when folded; we deliver all around the world!
• When closed, the roof consists of inflated, rigid panels that are self-supporting and do not exert any strong tensile forces on the substructure;
• An inflatable panel insulates against heat and cold and has an insulation value of 3.3 W/m² K;
• This panel does not deform permanently under high forces or impact, but rather is flexible and simply bends with it (returns to its original shape);
• Resistant to all weather conditions, does not corrode;
• Quick and easy to open and close;
• Opening and closing can be automated;
• Ideal for use at sea: very good seawater and salt resistance, easy and safe to handle and easily absorbs very large shock forces (due to wind or when ship is in a storm with high waves);

You can find further intelligent applications of inflatable mesh textile panels on our website:

• Inflatable-clamp lid
• Inflatable disc-shaped pipe valve
• Inflatable work platform
• Inflatable-debris-collector
• Slide plug
• Spacer fabric applications

The above photos are an example of customised inflatable clamp lids.

FAQ Inflatable Harmonica canopy

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Can a harmonica roof withstand all weather conditions?

The materials used to build the Harmonica roof are very robust, durable, hard-wearing and designed to withstand all weather conditions that may occur throughout the year. The materials can therefore withstand the impact of rain, sun, wind and snow. 

What type of air system is needed for the Harmonica roof?

The size of the Harmonica roof determines the air system capacity needed to open and close the roof. During the quotation process, we calculate for you exactly what is needed in your case, and whether the air system that may be present on site can also be used for this. Ultimately, our goal is to install the roof system in accordance with your wishes, including the complete air system, and to deliver it to you in working order.

How long does it take to open and close the Harmonica roof?

By optimising the capacity of the air system for the size and volume of the Harmonica roof, the time required to open and close the roof is just a few minutes. Of course, this also depends on the size of the segments that make up the roof.

Can the Harmonica roof also be printed with company logos or advertising material?

We can print the top (or bottom) of the Harmonica roof in full colour with your company logo or other forms of advertising or communication. If you provide us with the desired print in the correct digital format, we will take care of the rest.

Is the Harmonica roof easy to repair in the event of damage?

The Harmonica roof is inherently very sturdy and will therefore not easily show damage or wear. Should any damage nevertheless occur, it is easy to repair this yourself using the repair kits that we can supply. In case of more serious damage, our assembly and maintenance team will inspect and repair the Harmonica roof on site.

Are there any limitations on the size of the Harmonica roof?

The Harmonica roof is available in various thicknesses and is actually unlimited in its surface area due to the fact that it can be built up in modular segments. Depending on the application and situation, we work together with you during the engineering phase to determine the most logical segmentation of the roof. In the case of manual operation in particular, it is better not to make the segments too large due to the practical advantage.

What about the fall-through safety of the Harmonica roof?

The Harmonica roof consists of cushions that are filled with relatively low air pressure. Nevertheless, this low pressure is sufficient to withstand a lot of weight, making it resistant to all kinds of weather conditions. The roof will also absorb other forces, such as falling equipment, even if the air pressure drops. Our engineers can make specific force calculations for you.

What if aggressive materials are stored under the roof?

The materials we choose for the construction of the Harmonica roof segments are determined by the requirements and conditions they must meet. In the case of certain chemically aggressive fumes, materials with a high chemical resistance such as TPU can be used. Present your question to us and we will examine the possibilities together.