WESTMINSTER, Colo., Jan. 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The desire for new and different in precast concrete often means enhancing exteriors with arches, etched insignias, and sculpted relief finishes. Casting these surfaces economically while maintaining structural integrity falls to pre-cast panel manufacturers like Omega Concrete of Kansas City. The more intricate the shape, the more intricate the forming and that’s where things get complicated. Fortunately, the precast industry has a dedicated ally in Foam-Control PLUS+ Molded Polystyrene products for commercial construction.
“The biggest problem with wood is that it likes to be cut straight,” says Keith Jensen, Vice President at Omega Concrete. “Working with Foam-Control PLUS+, from ACH Foam Technologies we are able to create nice, smooth curves for arches, precisely etched lettering and logos, all very difficult and expensive to do with wood.” Omega recently worked on a 40,000-SF expansion of a college dormitory that incorporated arches within arches, multi-directional bands, and a cross insignia. “If we’d built that formwork from wood it would have been very difficult to strip out, time-consuming, and expensive.”
“Our role is to understand what the designer is trying to achieve and develop solutions within our capacities to fabricate intricate architectural elements with foam formwork,” says ACH Foam Technologies project estimator, Sharon Witz. Density is the first consideration. Foam thickness determines the pressure it can withstand. The next step is figuring out how to build the formwork so the finished surface isn’t damaged when it’s removed. The ACH Foam team then develops the required shop drawings, which detail every piece and every dimension of the formwork for the contractor and designer’s review and approval. When a purchase order is issued, interfacing the design to the machinery used to cut the foam precisely is done through a CNC or Computer Numeric Control tool. Precisely developed designs are executed while accounting for a 32nd-of-an-inch burnout caused by the hot wire as it cuts the foam.
Omega also benefits from Foam-Control PLUS+ as a durable, premium-grade panel core insulation. Foam-Control PLUS+ insulation provides a complete thermal break between the interior and exterior façade. Precast insulated panels allow architects to sustainably meet building codes, with a high-performance building envelope that works well in any climate.
“We try to be problem solvers,” says Witz. “From precast panels with precise detailing to lightweight, structural solutions, building envelope and roofing insulations, Foam-Control PLUS+ products are often a surprisingly simple solution to very complex challenges.”
Steve Silva - ssilva@achfoam.com / 303.645.4114
Sean O’Keefe - sean@sokpr.com / 303.668.0717
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2ce953e1-fd56-42e8-a149-dffbf19cff6e