PIPES AND DUCTWORK
Suspension systems shine
Working within a restricted ceiling space is something that is becoming increasingly common in today’s modern buildings. But as spaces become more restricted, new innovations in wire rope suspension systems are there to meet the challenge as Malcolm Moss, managing director for Doby Verrolec explains.
T
he way that people work and interact is constantly changing and buildings are evolving as a result of this. One of the main constraints continues to be the budget and as a result, a lot of buildings are having to be designed and built in a more compact and cost- effective manner.
It is therefore imperative to maximise the amount of useable and saleable space in every available form within modern buildings. Some design and architecture trends have led to a number of challenges with restricted space. Ceilings for example, play an integral role in producing a productive and creative environment - with the current workplace trends focussing on lower ceilings compared to the high ceilings of recent years. Ceiling heights are also increasingly being lowered in a bid to maximise the floor space available.
But in meeting the need to maximise available space and creating a building which meets the requirements of the architect something has to give and quite often little thought is given to the space required for the suspension of ductwork and other MEP services.
In today’s modern and sophisticated buildings, the plenum, which facilitates air circulation for HVAC systems, is becoming smaller and the space available for the suspension of services is vastly reduced which has a direct impact on installation methods.
Modern versus traditional methods Historically, threaded rod was one of the favoured methods to use for the suspension of static loads and although it is generally accepted as
36 April 2018
being a good, solid solution, the preparation and installation time can prove to be costly when a budget is tight.
This is perhaps one of the main reasons why, in the last few years, wire rope suspension systems have become a firm favourite with installers for the suspension of ductwork.
A typical solution consists of a strong ergonomically designed zinc cast body with a patented gripping wheel design and inbuilt adjustment mechanism. This is used in conjunction with galvanised wire rope to produce fast and efficient installations.
Using a solution such as DobyGrip, can cut the time spent on this element of installation by as much as 60% according to independent tests. This is because it removes the need for the cutting to size and dressing of steel rod which brings substantial time savings. Safety is another area where wire rope
suspension systems have proved to be invaluable, not least because their use will lessen the time that the contractor will spend working at height which in turn reduces the likelihood of potential accidents.
If you also factor in the hot work that must be carried out to cut components to size in traditional suspension methods and the time spent applying for the necessary permits then you can begin to see why a wire rope suspension system has become a very popular choice. The issue of bulk and weight also comes into play from the perspective of the project site in that the materials used for traditional systems take up more space while they await installation and where kit is sitting around there is an increased health and safety risk of trips and falls. Using traditional methods pose a number of other problems, for example, in the manufacturing process, threaded rod is often cut
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