Respected testing labs to further validate steel panel foundations sustainable system

Citation

(2007), "Respected testing labs to further validate steel panel foundations sustainable system", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 54 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2007.12854bab.001

Respected testing labs to further validate steel panel foundations sustainable system

Respected testing labs to further validate steel panel foundations sustainable system

In order to further validate the structural, performance and environmental materials viability of its concrete foundation substitute technology, Steel Panel Foundations have announced that Design Dynamics of Dallas and Farabaugh Engineering and Testing of Pittsburgh will begin testing on the system.

Utilizing a proven technology and a patented design, Steel Panel Foundations' breakthrough basement foundation paneling system is a complete, end-to-end structural foundation system for superior value, durability, strength and construction. The technology is already used in more than 100 newly-constructed homes in the Midwest, and conducting further tests will help to establish the basement system as a viable environmental alternative to concrete.

Design Dynamics, which specializes in evaluating the structural integrity of building construction specifications, will assure the long-term structural performance and durability of the steel panel foundation system. Tom Shingler, President of Design Dynamics, will oversee the structural engineering and design aspects of the testing and will rate the Steel Panel Foundation systems against optimal structural engineering requirements.

Farabaugh Engineering and Testing will administer physical testing and product performance against each of the component parts of the Steel Panel Foundation system. Farabaugh will measure individual system parts for air filtration, water resistance, structural integrity, impact resistance and shear rate. The material in the system will undergo certification against American Society for Testing Material (ASTM) and American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) specifications.

“Design Dynamics and Farabaugh Engineering are among the leading independent labs for the performance and structural testing of installed building and construction products,” said Chuck Forner, Chief Product Manager for Steel Panel Foundations. “Despite a track record of more than 100 installations, we felt it was important to further demonstrate the strength and durability of the Steel Panel Foundations system. The two labs will provide the kind of independent evaluation that contractors and end-users can invest in with the utmost confidence.”

Thermal spraying stands the test of time

Thermal or metal spraying steel to protect it from corrosion has always been recognised as a long-term solution for many industries. UK based Metallisation has been providing anti corrosion solutions for over 80 years, to a diverse range of industries all around the world. One of its successes is the anti corrosion protection of bridges, including the Forth Road Bridge.

Most bridges are prone to corrosion from the weather and from salt used to “grit” roads in winter. Bridges such as the Forth Road Bridge face the additional threat from the harsh sea salt environment in which it is situated. Metal spraying is the best protection from corrosion in this environment.

When the Forth Road Bridge was opened in 1964, by her Majesty the Queen, it was the longest single span bridge outside the USA. The road bridge, not to be confused by its neighbour, the Forth Rail Bridge, is 2.5km in length, including the approach viaducts. Metallisation was chosen to metal spray the steel structure, which makes up the bridge, to protect it from corrosion. The contract to protect the bridge was split between Metallisation and Merseyside Metal Sprayers Ltd, the latter company was commissioned to treat the 1,200 balustrades and vehicle grillage panels.

The project took around two years to complete. The process started with the delivery of the prefabricated steel sections to the Metallisation plant in Drem, near Edinburgh. Each of these giant sections was then treated individually, starting with the cleaning process using grit blasting. Grit blasting is the most effective way to remove scale and rust from steel to provide a clean, prepared surface for the zinc to adhere to. The second stage was to spray the steel surface with zinc using the Metallisation Flame spray process, which is still used today, with the Metallisation MK33 system. The zinc was supplied at the time by Charles Clifford, manufacturers of zinc. Charles Clifford subsequently became an integrated part of Metallisation.

In the Metallisation Flame spray process, the raw material in the form of a single wire, cord or powder, is melted in an oxygen-fuel gas flame. This molten material is atomised by a cone of compressed air and propelled towards the work piece.

The molten spray solidifies on the component surface to form a dense, strongly adherent coating suitable for corrosion protection. Major advantages of the Flame spray process are that the coatings are available for almost instant use with no drying or curing times and there is no risk of damaging the component through heat distortion (Figure 1).

Figure 1 The Forth Road Bridge – a testament to the metal spraying process

The modern day version of the MK33 is the Metallisation Mark 73, which represents a breakthrough in anti- corrosion spraying. With a new choice of continuous or stop/start nozzles, throughputs have been raised by 33 per cent. With its predecessor already one of the fastest guns around, this new development puts the Mark 73 way ahead of the field. The combination of the new head with an improved valve and pilot assembly and a high power air motor drive must make this the fastest and most reliable system in existence.

The metal spraying process, coupled with the equipment used in protecting the Forth Road Bridge, was very innovative for its time. Although, now watching the video of the work being carried out, it all seems incredibly antiquated and labour intensive. When the large prefabricated panels were being sprayed a rather unique process was devised in order to control the pistol heads of the MK33. Using brass plates with holes punched in strategic places, the pistols were controlled and moved by a flow of air being pushed against the plates. Whenever the air hit one of the strategically placed holes it caused the pistol head to change direction. Thankfully, the controlling of the pistol heads is now far simpler.

The third and final phase in the metal spraying process was to apply the etch primer and then the surface was painted. Even this stage in the protection of the steel structure was researched and evaluated, to ensure the longevity of the life of the bridge. Sample steel panels were taken to a laboratory and exposed to a continuous atmosphere of salt spray, much stronger and harsher than the reality that the bridge would face. The same panels were also exposed to the extreme pressures of an accelerated weathering machine, to see just how strong and protective the metallised surfaces were. After 18 months of testing both zinc sprayed surfaces and the paint surfaces, the metallisation process had shown no sign of any breakdown. This included a test area that had been deliberately scratched through to the metal itself.

The Forth Road Bridge is still going strong today. This is just one project of many that is testament to the metal spraying process in protecting steel structures from corrosion. For a copy of the video demonstrating and discussing the Forth Road Bridge project, please call Stuart Milton on (0) 1384 252 464. For further information on metallisation please visit: www.metallisation.com

Air Liquide announces two new implementations of its SPAL clean metal inert gas technology

Air Liquide Industrial US LP, a leading supplier of industrial gases and melting technologies, has implemented its SPAL clean metal inert gas technology at investment casting companies MCM Precision Castings, Inc. of Ohio and Urschel Laboratories, Inc. of Indiana in their induction melting furnaces.

SPAL's patented technology improves metal cleanliness by creating an inert gas barrier between the molten metal and the surrounding atmosphere, protecting the molten metal from harmful effects of oxygen, nitrogen and moisture. The process enables companies using the technology to make cleaner metal, which results in higher quality and increased metal and alloy yields.

Commented Etienne Lepoutre, president of Air Liquide Industrial US LP, “We appreciate the confidence shown by these two companies in our technology and capabilities. Air Liquide is committed to providing high levels of service and expertise by delivering advanced solutions to meet the individual application needs of customers to help them be more productive and achieve greater operational and environmental efficiencies.”

MCM Precision Castings, Inc., located in Northwest Ohio, specializes in an array of metal casting products. The company serves the automotive, food, business and industrial, textile, tool, agricultural, marine, material and electrical industries and has recently been selected as a new prototype and pre-production foundry for Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

Urschel Laboratories Inc. of Valparaiso, Indiana is the world leader in the design, manufacture and sales of precision food cutting equipment. Its products are used by every major food processor in the USA and in over 100 countries worldwide.

Air Liquide Industrial US LP is the subsidiary of American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. responsible for providing bulk gases and related services to industrial customers in the US including those in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical, metals and automotive industries. American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. is the subsidiary of Air Liquide Group responsible for its North American operations.

For more information on SPAL or other metals processing technologies and services, please contact Bob Oesterreich at Tel: 713-896-2332 or visit www.us.airliquide.com/en/business/industry/metals/indesx.asp

Honourable mention for Vaisala Humidity Calculator at Tekniikka 2006

The Vaisala Humidity Calculator, a free web-based software tool that allows you to calculate several humidity parameters from one known humidity value, was granted a honourable mention in the “new product” competition at the Tekniikka 2006 exhibition in Jyväskylä. The Tekniikka exhibition is one of the biggest automation and production technology shows in Finland and was now arranged for the 12th time.

With the Vaisala Humidity Calculator one can make unit conversions quickly and easily, and see the effects of changing ambient conditions, like temperature and pressure. Relative humidity, dewpoint/frostpoint, absolute humidity, water content, mixing ratio, vapor pressure, and parts per million can be calculated. The most commonly used units have been included for each parameter. Also an uploadable version is available. You can access the calculator via this link: www.vaisala.com/humiditycalculator/

Drying at the speed of light – AdPhos demonstrates its NIR technology

More than 50 participants from 15 countries around the World, met on the 6 and 7 of November 2006 at AdPhos headquarters in Bruckmühl (near Munich) to evaluate the company's unique NIR technology.

Experts from the steel industry, coil processing companies, process line integrators and coating suppliers learned about the industrial performance benefits offered by NIR- technology from real case studies that demonstrate the time reduction and ease of maintenance of these NIR systems.

In the Application Technicum at AdPhos the ultra short drying and curing times of NIR were demonstrated using commercial coil coatings; technical presentations provided details of process performance, existing applications and experience and the economical benefits of using NIR.

Delegates also inspected the extensive systems engineering of two NIR- systems manufactured to order by AdPhos which were ready for delivery to customers. One was an NIR-rinse water dryer, the fourth NIR-unit for ThyssenKrupp Steel, and the other was an NIR-coil curing oven for a leading American aluminium coil coater which is to replace a conventional gas convection oven.

During the breaks and the evening reception discussions were lively and animated, especially with several existing NIR-customers, and participants were able to establish the real application experiences and benefits of NIR technology.

A CD containing all the presentations and practical demonstrations, including facility photographs, is available – free of charge – via E-mail from info@adphos.de