Cold-Formed Steel 101: No Need for Big Factory
Date Posted: August 6, 2022
Posted In: Discussion, Ideas, Organizations, People,
From BuildSteel:
by Dan Wies of Wies Offsite
Cold-formed steel (CFS) stud prefabrication doesn’t necessarily require a large building and complex operations involving machines, designers, cranes, and steel coils. In fact, most prefabrication facilities start out in a contractor’s warehouse.
There are many ways to get started fabricating CFS framing and other parts, pieces, and components of a building. Here are 5 ways you can begin prefabricating components and products without investing in a big factory.
My list shows how you can easily incorporate prefabrication techniques into your workflows. This list can also serve as a test to help you see what will work best for your company.
Photo courtesy Wies Offsite
Precutting CFS studs saves labor. Photo courtesy Wies Offsite
5 Ways to Make a Big Impact in a Small Space
Right now, and likely for the foreseeable future, contractors face a shortage of workers in the trades. There are many ways to make our people and projects more efficient. Below are a few examples of “big” things you can do in a minimal amount of space:
1. Precut CFS Studs
This requires no warehousing. Take some field measurements or get measurements within tolerances and order CFS studs to the needed length ahead of time to limit cutting on jobsites. Besides the labor savings in not having to cut, the other trades will thank you for not running a chop saw 24/7.
Don’t be afraid to order multiple precut lengths, you’ll have to check with your supplier to see if there’s a minimum order for this process. Here are some additional considerations:
- Some cold formed manufacturers will charge a fee for shorter lengths
- Consider whether the upcharge on shorter lengths is worth it
- Decide whether to precut CFS studs on site or in your facility
2. Start Kitting Materials
After getting through the submittal process, you know what parts and pieces you’re going to use on a project. Pre-loading a gang box with all the screws, shots, pins, safety equipment and tools necessary to get a project off the ground can save time and money.
- Create a checklist template around each project to have your shop make sure that the correct supplies are getting to the correct job
- Use your material take off to get started on what should be allocated to the project before the mechanics ever step foot on a project.