Panel Claw has announced the release of its new flat mount roofing system – clawFR. The company notes milestones releases of its installation manual, autoCAD blocks, first projects submitted for permitting, and the initial batch of solar module-specific UL 2703 certifications.

The racking hardware is being introduced with a 10° single-tilt option and a 10° dual-tilt option with plans to launch a 5° single-tilt option later in 2019.

CEO Constantino Nicolaou noted in an email to pv magazine that the 10° version of clawFR is 40%+ faster to install than its current 10° system, and needs a single tool/M6 bolt to connect all racking components. The company’s press release also suggests the 5° hardware will be 70% faster to install than its Polar Bear III HD hardware.

Nicolaou said:

Our goal with clawFR is to lower the cost of building a 1MW rooftop system to the same as that of building a 1MW ground mount. We’ve been after this goal for 11 years and with clawFR, we think we’re finally there.

The Polar Bear III HD platform will be retired as it is fully replace by the clawFR lines.

From the UL certification documentation released (pdf) PanelClaw notes the following load direction ANSI/UL 2603 requirements of:

Downward pressure: 10lb/ft2

Upward pressure: 5lb/ft2

Down-slope Pressure: 5lb/ft2

With that, “PanelClaw has determined these minimum load ratings often do not satisfy the various environmental conditions in regions of clawFR deployment”, and the below image of PSF values that seemingly far outpace requirements.

Currently, solar modules from REC, Silfab, Talesun, LG, JA Solar, Jinko, Hanwha Q Cells, and Sunpower are approved for connection (also noted in the above UL pdf).

The company noted key benefits of their systems in marketing material:

Best roof coverage ratio in the industry 50” repeat, 80% roof coverage ratio, 11” row gap

Single bolt hardware kit (M6x16)

No-Tool module attachment method

No-Tool easy, 90 degree module tilt up feature

5x corrosion resistance of G90

Fully optimized wire management

Flexible order of operations (mechanical racking

installation can be completed before modules

arrive)

installation can be completed before modules arrive) 20% improvement in packing density allowing for more megawatts per truckload

25 year warranty

PanelClaw also notes that later in the year they will release clawOS – a software tool to help developers and EPCs to better design system layouts.