Case Study: How Wanhos Customized Solar Tripods Solved Flat-Roof Constraints in South America

When executing commercial solar installations on urban flat roofs, system integrators often face a double challenge: ensuring structural integrity without exceeding localized roof load capacity, and achieving the ideal tilt angle to optimize daily irradiance.

Recently, a commercial PV project located on a multi-story concrete roof in South America showcased how customized mounting engineering can overcome these exact site limitations.

The Project Challenge

The installation site featured a spacious flat concrete roof, but local building regulations strictly restricted penetration to protect the waterproofing membrane below. Additionally, regional wind speeds required a high-load structural profile, while the geographic latitude called for a precise 15° to 20° fixed tilt angle to maximize seasonal yield-something standard flush mounts could not deliver.

The Engineered Solution: Wanhos Customized Triangle Tripod System

To address these conditions, Wanhos structural engineers designed a tailor-made aluminum triangle tripod system.

High-Strength Material Selection: The primary support structures were extruded using high-grade AL6005-T5 aluminum alloy. This material provides superior tensile strength while maintaining a lightweight footprint, significantly reducing the total dead load on the building structure.

Non-Penetrative Foundation Integration: The tripod bases were directly anchored to pre-cast concrete ballast blocks on the roof deck. This design effectively resists uplift forces caused by seasonal high winds without drilling into or damaging the roof membrane.

Pre-Assembled Component Delivery: To reduce high labor costs in urban construction zones, Wanhos delivered pre-assembled triangle frames directly from our 20,000 m² factory.

On-Site Performance & Results

By using pre-assembled tripod legs and snap-in rail clamps, the installation crew reported a 35% reduction in total mounting assembly time compared to conventional multi-piece aluminum racking. The structural design fully complied with international load standards, including AS/NZS 1170 and TÜV safety certifications.

Whether you are managing complex commercial roofs or high-wind industrial sites, Wanhos Solar provides direct end-to-end engineering support-from 3D CAD modeling to factory-direct manufacturing.