Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/493534
A PR IL 2015 | 19 Structural Steel PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY EMPIRE IRON WORKS LTD. & WALTERS GROUP INC. R ecently introduced sophisticated software that supports customization, the CISC Guide for Specifying Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS), robotics and other improvements in fabrication technology are just some of the factors helping drive the structural steel sector forward. Perhaps most dramatically, architects and engineers are expressing these advances through more adventurous designs for AESS and in significantly longer truss spans – mostly to meet the seemingly infinite spiral of demand for more inte- rior light and space. "One of the most novel things we've seen is the use of exposed steel to support glazing systems, for example, the new Union Station roof in Toronto. I hope to see more of it," says Mel Grimes, president of M&G Steel. He adds, however, that when you support glass with exposed structural steel, the steel has to be manufactured to very tight tolerances. The use of laser-based measurement, modern CAD, seamless downloading to shop CNC equipment and the presence of a glazing specialist during on-site instal- lation all play key roles here. "They make this type of design structure easier than it was in the past," Grimes says. He makes the point that suitable 3D modelling has only come to the structural steel sector in the last decade, unlike the auto sector and other manufacturers that have had what they needed in this area for more than 20 years. Given the difference between today's computational capacity and software and that of just a decade ago, the reason for this is not surprising. "The customized aspect and the relative smallness in scale and repetition have worked against us when it comes to software," Grimes explains. The new software meshes well with shop robotics. Grimes says some of the robotic machines that have hit the market in the last few years are popular and well worth the investment. A series of operations, cutting, bevelling, finishing a steel component, or welding, for example, can now be done to very fine tolerances – and also quickly, so it won't be cost prohibitive. While the improved speed from robotics is a boon, many worry about the cost of some of the new equipment. Andy Boelee, general manager of Empire Iron Works Ltd., says "The price tag can be high," with the cost for some machinery in the $2- to $5-million range. This can pose a challenge when belts are being tightened. "We're Structural steel is dramatically increasing its range of design and fabrication options by GODFREY BUDD Bankers Hall Galleria, Calgary, AB; Union Station, Toronto, ON; Ottawa International Airport, Ottawa, ON. Beam Me Up