Olympia Steel Buildings Weblog

Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings - Solid Foundations

Regardless of the type of foundation used for pre-engineered steel buildings and their specific configuration, the outline of the metal buildings foundation should be carefully and accurately laid out before any excavation is made. This will ensure accurate placement of corner measures and in turn ensure a square metal building foundation. Tip: For the greatest accuracy, measure the diagonal and adjust the string lines until the two diagonal dimensions are equal. If the diagonal lengths are equal, the framing will be square. Note: Steel building erection should never be started on green foundation concrete. Allow the foundation concrete to “cure” completely before beginning building erection.

Pre-engineered Steel Buildings Construction - Foundation Basics

Pre-engineered Steel Buildings - The Building Foundation.

Pre-engineered steel buildings are manufactured to close tolerances and  require a square and level foundation. Foundation design and construction are important steps in the prefab metal building process and the contractor or owner is ultimately responsible for the quality of the buildings foundation. Improper or inadequate foundation construction will severely limit the metal buildings performance and could lead to costly repair or rebuilding. It is essential then that the steel building foundation meet certain design assumptions and load conditions. For this reason, all metal building foundations should be designed by a local soils engineer, in accordance with local city, county and state codes.

Pre-engineered Steel Buildings Erection – The Basics

The manufacturer of Olympia Steel Buildings consistently produces high quality, pre-engineered steel buildings. However, prefabricated metal buildings only become structures after their erection, erection being the common term used to refer to the buildings construction, all their parts, such as rafters and columns, purlins and girts, wall sheeting, roofing material, insulation and the like having been assembled and joined together at the jobsite to complete the final structure.

Quality erection of each steel building is essential if the manufacturer, steel building sales, metal building construction crew and building owner are to realize a lasting pride and satisfaction in the completed building project. However, the actual steel building erection, operations and conditions are beyond the manufacturers control, since metal building manufacturers don’t generally erect their buildings once manufactured.

That said, the metal building industry has standard techniques, procedures and methods, which although general in nature, represent good building erection practices. The experience, expertise and skills of the erection crew as well as the equipment available for handling the metal building components will determine the quality of pre-engineered steel building erection and ultimate customer satisfaction with the completed building. Only experienced and knowledgeable erectors with trained crews and proper equipment should be engaged to do the erection, and the building erector should always use proven and safe erection methods.

Olympia Steel Buildings Wins Federal Contract

Olympia Steel Buildings was awarded a $52,865 federal contract from the US Army's Contracting Agency, south Region, Yuma, Arizona. Under GSA Contract GS-07F-0312V Olympia Steel Buildings can provide  pre-engineered steel metal buildings for every use, including aircraft hangars, warehouses, small shops and storage steel buildings, industrial metal buildings, manufacturing plants, equipment and vehicle garages, mini-storage facilities, office buildings, fire stations, truck and bus garages, schools, athletic and recreational facilities, commercial buildings, churches, and roof-only metal building systems. Choose Olympia Steel Buildings PBR roof or opt for our patented Zeus-Shield standing seam metal roofing system.

Top Reasons To Build With Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings

Pre-engineered steel buildings are ...

• Cost Effective – Save up to 50% off cost of conventional construction with pre-engineered steel buildings rather than building with wood, brick or stone.

• Energy Efficient – Energy Star rated “Cool paints” for metal buildings & metal building roofing keep your building 20 degrees cooler in the hot sun.
• Pre-engineered steel buildings tight building design and construction means there is no air infiltration into the building, saving you on HVAC costs both summer and winter.
• Metal building metal roofs reflect up to 70% of the sun’s energy, keeping your building cool and saving you even more on energy costs.
• Olympia’s “High Energy Insulation System” steel building insulation system saves you even more.

• Green – Steel buildings use 70-72% recycled material & can earn your building project points toward LEED certification.

• Fast, easy, do-it-yourself building construction – for simple building projects, 3 guys, a weekend and you’re done.

• No surprises – pre-engineered steel buildings come in an easy-to-assemble metal building kit with everything you need & meet all local building codes.

• No architectural fees – from simple to complex, if you have a design and need in mind, pre-engineered steel buildings designers, consultants and engineers can eliminate the need for expensive architectural fees.

• Warranties, Warranties, Warranties
• 25-year warranty on the roof  - AZ55 Galvalume® - 26 gauge, 80,000 psi
• 40-year warranty on the paint  - various colors available
• 50-year warranty on the structural steel frames

• Virtually maintenance free – Steel buildings never need painting, never need re-roofing – just hose the building down and you’re done.

• Fully customizable with windows, doors, skylights, sidelights, vents, cupolas, gutters & downspouts, a variety of environmentally friendly colors, and panels that can achieve the look of wood, brick or stone.

• Fire, insect and pest resistant so your insurance costs can be lower and you never need worry about termites again.

• Flexible building solution for virtually any type of building project.

• Can withstand high winds and heavy snows – no worries about hurricanes, tornadoes or blizzards.

• Peel and stick solar panels for standing seam metal roofs can make any building an energy-efficient power-house, on or off the grid.

How Steel Buildings Are Manufactured - Building Components

Roof and sidewall panels are fabricated from steel sheeting. Large coils of metal sheeting are placed in a machine called an “uncoiler” which passes the sheeting through another machine called a “straightener” that straightens the sheet. The straightened sheet is die cut and passes through a roll former to give the straightened sheet the shape of roof or sidewall sheeting. As with all machinery in the steel building factory, computers are feeding information to the metal corrugation machine giving it the exact specifications for each building.

Sophisticated machinery on the Trim Line automates the process by which custom trim is formed and ensures exact bends and perfect angles. Starting with a coil of steel mounted on an uncoiler, the steel passes through a straightener to a series of ten roll formers that form the shape of each trim and make all trim components: rake trim, corner trim, jamb trim, head trim, base trim, eave trim, rake angle, base angle, gutter straps, downspouts and gutters.

Out in the yard the Staging Department gathers all the steel building components and carefully loads them onto trucks to deliver the building to the job site. Special attention is given to the Bill of Materials ensuring that every order is complete and accurate. The Traffic Office handles the shipment of each building, scheduling trucks and coordinating buildings to arrive at the job site on time where the erection crew is waiting for delivery.

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How Steel Buildings Are Manufactured - Building Production

Actual building production begins with the input of pre-engineered steel building specifications into CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machinery, a process that involves the use of computers to control machines programmed with CNC machining language (G-code). The CNC machinery controls all machine features including feeds and speeds.

Components of steel buildings, such as I-beams, gutters and down spouts, sidewalls and end wall panels, and even standing seam roofs are systematically manufactured in designated areas called “lines” throughout the metal building factory. Each manufacturing line completes a specific function, automated by use of conveyors that move the steel sheeting, I-beams and fabricated metal components from station to station. Since each steel building is manufactured to order, building components are produced as required to fulfill each steel buildings exact specifications.

The manufacture of steel buildings rafters and columns begins with the Plasma Table. The Plasma Table cuts the web, the center of the rafter or column (like the center of the letter “H”). The web moves to a holding station waiting to move by automated conveyor to the station where the web will be tack-welded to the flange.

The flange machine cuts flanges into specified lengths determined by the pre-engineered buildings specifications from steel bar stock. After cutting, the flanges move to a holding station waiting to move by automated conveyor to the station where the flanges will be tack-welded to the web prior to going through the automatic welding machine.

Certified welders tack-weld flanges and webs in place to form rafters and columns. The tacked rafters and columns move by conveyor to the PHI machine. At the PHI machine, an automatic welding process fuses the web and flange materials, permanently welding the flanges to the web. A Welding Inspector checks all welds to ensure that strict AISC standards are met.

How Steel Buildings Are Manufactured - Quality Control

Quality Control in the manufacture of pre-engineered steel buildings is maintained throughout the metal building manufacturing plant by department supervisors who conduct quality inspections and are responsible for all metal buildings components manufactured in their assigned manufacturing area known as a "line".

The steel building factory Booking Department reviews the steel building order and building drawings with the building purchaser. COD charges are discussed and a booking letter is sent to the purchaser setting up the projected delivery date of the steel building to the job site. The Booking Department also reviews the permit drawings with the purchaser to make sure all building details are correct.

The Drafting Department creates shop drawings for each department. The drafting department also prepares the Bill of Materials and construction drawings which are sent to the purchaser before the building is shipped.

Raw materials are ordered through the Purchasing Department. The metal building factory Receiving Department closely checks and certifies all materials as they are delivered. Factory Customer Service handles all customer concerns including component and shipment, and questions regarding the erection of the building.

 

How Steel Buildings Are Manufactured

How Steel buildings Are Manufactured - Order Entry

Have you ever wondered how steel buildings are manufactured? The process is both complicated and precise. The manufacture of a steel building is an awesome combination of engineering, draftsmanship, ingenuity, teamwork, knowhow and metal building manufacturing expertise. Each building receives the utmost care and attention throughout the manufacturing process, manufactured by experienced craftsmen and watched over by a dedicated staff of professionals from start to finish. Precision engineering, machinery and components plus exceptional quality control yield a precision high quality manufactured product.

When a customer purchases a building through Olympia Steel Buildings, the Sales Technician, who performs multiple functions of building consultant and estimator, forwards the purchaser’s order to the metal building factory in Ambridge, Pennsylvania  where the Order Entry staff oversees the order from the time it is received until the building is shipped. In top metal building factories like the one used by Olympia to manufacture all their metal building, the factory itself fabricates all required building components in house. That way, all components are compatible and go together easily on the job site with no surprises and no waiting for components to arrive from different suppliers.

The steel building factory staff verifies design codes, local building codes, snow and wind loads and seismic information to make sure that everything complies with the purchaser’s contract. Once everything is verified, they then place the building order into Master and Permit Schedules where metal buildings orders are efficiently managed through all phases of building manufacture.

Steel building information including local code requirements, snow and wind loads and seismic information is then entered into the metal building software program. The metal building software program generates anchor bolt placement drawings showing anchor bolt locations and the kip reactions that help determine foundation requirements. Front and rear elevations are shown in the drawings. Engineered shop drawings are generated for the framing of the building.

The steel buildings factory Engineering Department is responsible for the optimization of each pre-engineered steel building, each engineer is certified by the state where the steel building is to be erected. The steel buildings factory engineering department reviews all kip reactions on metal building drawings. The purchase order is checked again for accuracy. Permit drawings are generated that can be used to help secure permits to erect the pre-engineered steel building.

Olympia Steel Buildings Construction Services Get The Job Done

Olympia Steel Buildings Construction Services help you get the job done on time and on budget every time. They develop the project around your building requirements and work with you to design and build a facility to fit your building needs and business plan with complete design work and provision for future expansion.

Olympia’s knowledgeable staff of pre-engineered steel buildings designers, engineers and building construction managers use the latest Auto CAD computer software for building and layout design. Our experience and knowledge of pre-engineered metal building construction combined with the latest technology in building today give you a building that is sustainable, cost-effective and energy efficient - and you get a beautiful building.

Olympia's pre-engineered steel buildings are precision engineered and expertly erected to give you a “tight” building that reduces air infiltration into the building saving you on HVAC costs. And we offer 12 energy efficient colors for metal buildings that will reduce your cooling costs and come with a 40 year warranty against chipping, cracking, peeling or blistering. Because of such key features, Olympia pre-engineered steel buildings can qualify under LEED guidelines, so you know that Olympia Steel buildings are Green.

What you get. 

• Olympia’s AZ55 Galvalume PBR roof sheeting is 26 gauge, 80,000 psi and comes with a 25 year steel mill backed rust through perforation warranty
• Stainless steel capped fasteners  - lifetime rust warranty
• Siliconized polyester baked-on enamel paint – 40-year warranty with various colors available to suit any taste and complement any environment
• Purlins, girts, base angles – all secondary framing – hot-dipped mill-galvanized for long-life rust protection
• Standard at no extra cost: cable X-bracing provides enormous strength for wind protection
• Optional accessories include: wall lights, sky lights, insulation, ridge vents, cylindrical vents, gutters and downspouts

*Services vary depending on location