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S-Flex developed a low-ballast pitched roof system for non-penetrative installation

The system Flat Direct can be used on pitched roofs with up to 30 degrees incline and guarantees short installation times with its preassembled components. Non-penetrative installation of PV systems on pitched roofs with foil and bitumen roofing places high demands on the frame. This refers specially to commercial buildings with low load-bearing reserves.

Aerodynamic functionality is achieved with eleven millimetres strong foam rubber pads. They are readily glued underneath the aluminum bottom rails of the system and are characterized by their high friction coefficients while allowing for a significant reduction of ballast. On top of that, the structural properties of Flat Direct with the air gaps between the modules produce a suction effect in the direction of the roof and achieve the best possible rear ventilation.

Further advantages of foam rubber pads over conventional building protection mats are their material compatibility with all conventional roofing materials. The migration of plasticizers from the roof membrane, leading to embrittlement, is prevented just as well as mechanical effects on the roofing. Long-term damage is reliably prevented.

Flat Direct from S-Flex is usable on a variety of roof types: unilateral or bilateral installation of vertically or horizontally arranged framed modules is possible on gable, pent, shed and butterfly roofs. Secure anchoring is achieved by way of mechanical coupling or counterweights on the roof ridge. A special ridge angle joint was designed for installations on pitched roofs, which can be easily adapted to the local situation. The system solution was designed to meet the specifications of snow load zone 3 and wind load zone 4. Ballast stone holders are available for installations where project-specific parameters require additional ballast.

The system Flat Direct was developed in cooperation with PMT (Premium Mounting Technologies). It is rounded off with optionally available covers for the cable channels integrated into the bottom rails. This way, string cables are protected against permanent and harmful environmental influences, UV radiation in particular. The Flat Direct will be presented for the first time at the Intersolar Europe, booth A3.728. The System is available in Germany, Great Britain, France, Spain and Netherlands.