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Have you ever driven past a construction site and observed cranes lifting huge panels of concrete in the air? Have you seen a new building seem to spring into place, almost overnight? What you have witnessed is tilt-up construction. This innovative construction method works well for building office buildings, retail centers, warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities. Also referred to as tiltwall or tilt wall construction, the tilt-up construction process involves creating a building’s walls horizontally as large slabs of concrete called panels. The panels are then lifted, or tilted up, into position around the building’s foundation. Tilt-up construction starts …

A smart building is any structure that uses automated processes to automatically control the building’s operations such as HVAC, lighting, security, and other systems. At its most fundamental level, smart buildings make occupants more productive by improving brightness, thermal comfort, air quality, physical safety, sanitation and more. These benefits are achieved at lower costs and environmental impact than buildings that are not connected. The creation Making a “building smart” begins by linking core systems such as lighting, power meters, water meters, pumps, heating, fire alarms, and chiller plants with sensors and control systems. At a more advanced stage, even elevators, …

Manufacturing has been the backbone of economic development, supporting organizations that cater to consumer demand. Industry is no longer limited to outdated assembly lines. New tools and solutions, such as 3-D printing, robotics, and big data help factories meet greater demand at a lower cost. To help your manufacturing processing team grow, consider adding these strategies to your line up: 3-D Printing 3-D printing is the process of creating objects by stacking materials, such as plastic or resin, in very thin layers. Although more than 30-years old, 3-D printing is still revolutionizing the manufacturing industry. One of its primary benefits …

Initiating and then sustaining a Lean Manufacturing strategy can be a daunting task, typically requiring your business to make a cultural and process transformation. If your company is looking to achieve Lean Manufacturing success, here are a few lessons to follow: Align your Lean goals with your business goals up front The misalignment of goals is often the reason for failed initiatives and what happens on the shop floor is no exception. When starting your Lean journey, make sure to define what success means for the overall business clearly and then align your Lean goals as well as resources with …

In a tight labor market, searching for new workers with a specific skill set to enhance an automated production line is challenging for human resource recruiters. The capabilities of these new workers can be readily applied to new manufacturing technology with proper training and “up-skilling.” In the manufacturing industry, it is imperative that workers take the initiative to learn new skills in preparation for the continued rise of automation if they want to remain relevant in their fields. One valuable tool for applying “up-skilling” to specific manufacturing jobs is a company apprenticeship program. It seemed that apprenticeships fell out of …

Technological improvements, like virtual reality, allow industry experts to create new and challenging training opportunities for workers to gain more experience, leading to increased knowledge and wages. Thanks to tools like virtual reality, construction workers can now complete intelligent training to improve their skillset off-site. The program offers a safe setting for users to gain operational skills and worksite awareness for real-world settings. Virtual reality simulators can speed up training and reduce costs by up to 75 percent, depending on which construction tool is the focus.  A virtual reality training program can be useful when simulating the controls, functions, and …

Technological advances have driven the commercial construction industry forward with communication and engineering improvements. However, the question that must be asked is, is it worth the workers and equipment to apply it to this new technology? Here are some thoughts to consider: 3-D Printing Also known as additive manufacturing, 3-D printing in the construction industry is already being demonstrated worldwide from 3-D printed single-family homes to the first 3-D printed excavator. It’s predicted that this technology trend could lead to less conventional building practices because it offers alternatives to modular construction, on-site manufacturing of building materials, and offers the ability …

A flat roof membrane is a roofing option with level or low slopes. While it serves the same general function of preventing leaks and helping to move water off the roof to reduce ponding, membrane roofing has an advantage over other roofing types for flat roofs, especially in areas prone to heavy snow loads. While they are most commonly used for commercial properties, their residential use is growing. There are many benefits to flat roofs, such as: Flat roofing membrane is a sheet made of a variety of compound materials, but most likely either synthetic rubber, thermoplastic, or modified bitumen. …