Applications

SteelTek Systems Limited not only provide a complete solution but can manufacture and provide individual components built to customer specification and requirements including:

Light Steel Joists

Joists are one of the supporting components that span from wall to wall and support a floor or ceiling. They can be made from wood, metal or concrete. Metal, and particularly steel joists, allow structures that otherwise would not be possible.

Manufacture infill panelling.

The strength of the material, especially in comparison to wood and concrete, and the fact that it has predictable characteristics, means that the joists can span greater distances. There are also fewer requirements for support columns allowing unobstructed internal spaces.

Building Modules & Modular Units

Buildings that have a modular or repetitive structure are ideal for prefabrication. Large sections of the building can be machined from the same template, keeping construction costs down, and the majority of the work is done off site.

Modular units can be delivered on site as a flat pack or delivered as ready made components. They are easy to construct, requiring no skilled labour and a smaller workforce, making modular units the most cost effective construction method.

Roof Trusses & Modular Roofing

Roof trusses create the roof shape, the framing, and provide the basis for the complex structure. Like joists, because of the strength of steel and the fact that the stress in each and every component can be determined, steel roof trusses are capable of spanning larger areas than their wooden counterparts.

Roof trusses are triangular in shape and modular by nature. This makes them ideal for prefabrication because they can be moulded from the same templates and fabricated off site. Their modular design also simplifies the construction of this complex part of the building process.

Purlins

Purlins are the horizontal girders that support the rafters of a roof. They are traditionally made from timber. The strength of the material means that there are fewer purlins required and they can also span larger structures.

The purlins can be prefabricated to exacting specifications resulting in less site wastage than with traditional wooden builds. One of the major advantages of using steel purlins as part of a steel roof, particularly in the residential sector, is that that it is not threatened by pests, decay and warping.

Lattice Joists

Lattice structures are a framework where strips are overlaid in a criss cross pattern and then these sections are used to from part off a larger structure, in this case floor or ceiling joist. Using a lattice design adds rigidity, resulting in optimum strength with little weight gain.

Lattice joists can reduce the depth of the floor because strength is provided by the cross banding. Also services can still be run through the floor because the structure is not solid. Again steel joists are able to span structures that could not be spanned by wood or concrete.

Lattice Beams

Lattice beams provide support fro the roof structure and are typically larger than a joist and are often used to support them. By using a lattice design it is possible to add strength to the building framework without any additional weight.

Lattice beams have a high strength to weight ratio because the cross banding provides additional strength without being solid. Similarly lattice beams can be applied to higher stresses and larger spans than wooden beams.

Infill Panels

Infill panels are used to create the interior layout of a building by acting as a divider. This allows buildings to have the same external characteristics but different internal layout depending on the use of space. Steel infill panels are also superior to wooden on concrete constructions because they are lightweight, reduce noise, provide insulation and give valuable strength to walls, increasing the overall strength of the building.

Curved Structures

An advantage of using steel over other building materials is that it is possible to mould it into the shape you desire. This ability means that there is less technical engineering work required if the job demands a curved roof or arches. Curved moulded steel has also been used to create the bends in bridges, for example highway constructions such as motorway flyovers or slip roads.

It is also possible to create curved structures using straight steel sections. The Swiss Re Tower known as the 'gherkin' in central London uses light steel framing to create it's curved, glass covered structure.

Load Bearing & Flooring

A load bearing component carries the weight of the structure. For example a load bearing wall carries the force of the building resting on it. In the early stages of design the load bearing sections are gauged to the appropriate thickness to carry the weight.

The advantages of using steel as the load bearing component in construction is that the strength of the material means that the load bearing sections do not need to be as thick as traditional structures that absorb the building's force. Steel also has known characteristics making it a very reliable load bearing material.

Steel flooring is strong, quick and easy to install and hard wearing. Open work steel flooring has a lattice appearance and is ideal for use on factory or industrial plant mezzanine floors and upper levels. Steel flooring can also be used as a ground floor covering and also on staircases and disabled access ramps.

Construction Modules

Prefabricated sections are ideal for buildings that have a modular and repetitive structure or entire complexes that have a repeat style. Large sections of the building can be created from the same template, making it an easier job for the architect, the site manager and the machinists. This results in lower costs per unit for production and construction.

Construction modules mean that the hard work is done before work on site begins. Like Meccano, the pieces of the building are pre-cut and modular and are then slotted together, following simple steps. It's easy to put up a ready made building, no need for a large workforce of skilled labourers. The building arrives on site as ready made panels and these are bolted together.