The Gehl DL-6H forklift with the 5 axis end-effector installing curtain wall panels in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The mobility of a forklift has helped a Canadian glass and aluminium consulting company develop an attachment to install architectural panels normally the job of cranes or hoists.

Explore1.ca developed the 5 axis end-effector in December 2000, out of necessity for a construction project in Grand Rapids, Michigan, US, and is now releasing it to the market.

The prototype was mounted on a Gehl DL-6H telescopic handler with 8,000lb (2986kg) capacity to erect 8 foot (2.4 metre) by 18 foot (5.5 metre) glass and aluminium curtain wall panels weighing up to 1,800lb (672kg) under a roof canopy.

Sota Glazing Inc president Juan Speck, who commissioned the job, said the end-effector was the "perfect solution".

"The end-effector installers have been able to install large, pre-glazed panels in areas that would traditionally have to be stick built. The added saving for us is not having to separately engineer stick and pre-glazed wall system components for the same project, Speck said.

The attachment uses hydraulic power to lift and position panels up to 3,000lb (1120kg). It typically uses up to 16 vacuum cups in customisable configurations. Six remote functions enable installers to take panels from a horizontal plane (the crate) to a vertical plane (the wall) and position the panel with precise movements.

Explore1.ca owner and founder Michael Byrne said the attachment was used "for any type of architectural panel you'd normally handle with a crane but where there is any type of overhead construction (that obstructs)."

"In the right situation, it could save people money. Renting a four-wheel variable reach truck is relatively inexpensive compared to a crane," he said.

"The combination of forklift and end-effector is more viable and gives greater flexibility for construction of architectural panels. It's the mobility of the forklift that makes it work."

With product testing completed, the 5 axis end-effector, which costs from USD30,000 to USD75,000 is now available to the curtain wall construction market.