roll forming machine

The thickness of your steel building should be driven by a variety of factors, like what type of building it is, the climate in the area where you live and any potential "worst case" scenarios that could compromise the building's integrity (tornadoes, earthquakes, high winds, etc.). In most cases metal buildings are constructed with a steel gauge no higher than 28; 26 gauge steel is the industry standard for most commercial and residential applications, and 24 gauge is steel is also common for standing seam panels and buildings that will experience high wind or snow loads. STEEL BUILDING THICKNESS: COMBINE CONSTRUCTION GRADE STEEL WITH THE RIGHT ACCESSORIES In addition to high-quality construction grade steel or metal panels, you'll want to consider other options that enhance the building's durability, longevity and overall comfort such as weather resistant coatings, reflective coatings and insulation. These factors will also affect the thickness of your buil

Drones make the headlines left and right; most often in regards to the military or the FAA's challenge in creating legal guidelines for recreational and commercial drone flights. However, these days, drones are showing up in the news due to the work they perform for the construction industry. DRONES IN CONSTRUCTION: COULD YOUR AEC COMPANY BENEFIT? Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are becoming a popular addition to the construction workforce, especially for companies building large-scale, high-dollar projects. A recent article in Construction Executive states, "drones show potential to aid jobsite safety and efficiency." And, a similar article on siemens.com is titled, "Need Construction Site Surveillance? Hire a drone."  We can see it now, once the legalities have been worked out, construction sites will have large signs saying, "Warning: This jobsite is monitored by drones with cameras." Firstly, we should state that the le

We all bemoan the horrible state of air quality in the United States, but did you know that interior air quality is often significantly more toxic than outdoor air? Check out this quote from the US Environmental Protection Agency: "The average American spends approximately 90 percent of their time indoors." Yet, "...studies of human exposure to air pollutants by EPA indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2 to 5 times – and occasionally more than 100 times – higher than outdoor pollutant levels. Indoor air pollutants have been ranked among the top five environmental risks to public health." Wow! That's scary, but think about it; your steel building doesn't have an entire, planet earth-sized atmosphere from which to filter and add new air into the mix. While a tightly sealed envelope is fantastic when it comes to energy efficiency, it can be disastrous for interior air quality if you haven't paired it with adequate ventilation. By consideri

One of the greatest selling points of steel buildings is their durability and resulting longevity. Metal roofing systems are one of the primary stars of the longevity show, and most high-quality metal roofing products have warranties of 40 years. Now, studies are showing that, when coated with the right products, a steel roof can last upwards of 60 years or more. How's that for durability and longevity? STEEL ROOFS: THE ROOFS THAT KEEP ON GIVING Your building's roofing system is an integral part of its systemic health. Sure, it provides shelter for building occupants, but it also provides protection to the rest of the building's components, which increases their life spans as well. A high-quality metal roofing system will be enhanced by coatings designed to meet the demands of your geographic location and will also include accessories - like gutters and downspouts - to ensure water is collected and moved down and away from the building and the foundation. Together, the

For hundreds of years the construction industry was largely unchanged. Sure, motorized equipment and power tool made specific tasks quicker and more efficient, but the work they wasn't all that different. Plans were drawn by hand, notes were handwritten and physically filed and construction workers communicated using good ol' fashioned eye contact and voices. Then, the technological revolution began. In the past two decades, the construction industry has seen more rapid-fire changes than in any period in history, including both the industrial revolution and the post-war era. From digital records and 3-D imaging systems to smart construction software and drone technology, the construction site functions a little differently than it did when our fathers and grandfathers strapped on their tool belts. 5 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY INNOVATIONS Let's take a look at 5 construction innovations, most of which were nonexistent 20 years ago, and all of which would have made your grand

Even the strongest of humans have their own version of Kryptonite, and the strongest of building materials does as well. In the world of steel and metal buildings, that Kryptonite is called corrosion. Most people choose to build with steel because of its celebrated durability and longevity, not to mention affordability. However, all of these attributes are compromised when steel products become corroded. STEEL BUILDING COATINGS ARE THE KEY TO DURABILITY, LONGEVITY & AFFORDABILITY As you navigate the lists of steel building materials, it's imperative that you select the best materials for the job. Just as steel gauge measurements indicate a component's strength - the type and quality of coating used is another factor that will determine how long the components will function effectively before needing to be repaired or replaced. Steel is strong, yes, but it is also comprised of chemical elements - and these elements react with other elements (remember your high school ch

Preparing your steel building budget requires more than a quote from a steel building manufacturer. In most cases, those quotes only account for the design, relevant drawings and actual building materials. However, there is a lot more included in building and finishing a complete steel building project. You have permitting fees to consider, the costs for excavating the site and pouring the foundation, building accessories, interior trim pieces, and so on. Hence, preparing a steel building budget can be a little more complex than you would have thought. TIPS FOR PREPARING AN ACCURATE STEEL BUILDING BUDGET The following are tips for taking a "Big Picture" approach to steel building budgeting, so you don't miss important fees or costs that will throw your original budget out of the water. Understand soft versus hard costs. Typically, we talk about soft and hard costs. The soft costs are the things you'll never see once the building is completed. These consist of

Hurricanes are not unusual when you live in the path of tropical storm patterns. However, elevating climatic temperatures are making them more common - and more disastrous - than ever. After watching the destruction caused by recent hurricanes, like Andrew, Katrina, Irene and Ike, property owners and builders are placing an increasing emphasis on building materials that can withstand superstorm conditions. Steel buildings are one of the most popular choices due to their ability to experience hurricane-force winds and remain standing. STEEL BUILDINGS OUTLAST HURRICANES WITH THE RIGHT DESIGN DETAILS While a steel building can survive during hurricane season, it will only do so it if it's engineered and built correctly. There are three factors that determine whether a building can withstand the rigors of a hurricane - including elevated wind speeds, debris impact and the deluge of water that accompanies it. Those are: Engineering and design Material durability Its ability to

There are several factors taken into consideration when designing a metal building. The building's overall use, occupancy, function and aesthetics are some of the first things that come to mind for a consumer. For an architect and engineer, however, the design process goes quite a bit deeper, complying with local building codes. Local building codes include regulations specific to building loads - the amount of force exerted on a building vertically, horizontally and longitudinally. COMPLYING WITH BUILDING CODES MEANS COMPLYING WITH BUILDING LOAD REQUIREMENTS These forces exist inherently via gravity and nature, but they are also created by certain weather or climatic conditions in any given region in the United States. The primary goal of building codes is to keep a building's occupants safe, as well as facilitating public health and safety. They begin at the federal level, with regulations passed by the International Building Code (IBC), and get more specific as they m

Corrugated steel panels have been a popular roofing and siding choice for commercial and agricultural buildings for decades due to its strength and durability. Now, corrugated steel is commonly used in the residential sector as well and, in addition to roofing, it is also used as a siding option. WHAT IS CORRUGATED STEEL? Typically, corrugated steel comes in sheet that have a "wavy" pattern, although there are several patterns to choose from - including patterns that have more linear and square-edged shapes. The idea for corrugated steel came from Henry Palmer, an engineer who worked for the London Dock Company back in the 1820s. It was quickly popularized due to its ability to be prefabricated and then quickly used to erect improvised structures by workers with minimal construction skills. Today, corrugated steel sheets are made using a cold-form process, where sheets of metal are pressed flat and then run through a process called roll forming. During the roll forming