Lindapter® welcomes the construction product regulations introduced about ten years ago as an additional opportunity to independently verify its factory production control, high-quality manufacturing and product performance. Here, one of the leading manufacturers of steel clamping systems discussed the role of European technical assessment and the benefits of CE marking.
Lindapter® designs technical solutions that can significantly reduce construction time, providing a fast, cost-effective alternative to welding or drilling and bolting. Since the company was founded in 1934, its R&D engineers have created a large number of original products to overcome almost all the challenges of connecting steel to steel applications, from structural and secondary connections, to the fixing of steel floors and building services.
Based on Lindapter's successful tradition and a series of independently evaluated management systems, including the standards ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, the company supported the introduction of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) in 2011. The purpose of CPR is to coordinate the safety performance of buildings with CE marked products, indicating that the products have been evaluated and comply with relevant health, safety and environmental regulations, and can be sold in the entire European Economic Area (EEA) without restrictions.
All products bearing the Lindapter CE mark have been evaluated by the European Technical Evaluation (ETA) and undergo a rigorous independent testing program, which is verified by a notified body and approved by the European Commission.
To ensure complete integrity and transparency throughout the evaluation process, we evaluated the following performance characteristics-mechanical resistance, fire safety, health and environment, safety and accessibility in use, noise protection, energy economy Performance and thermal insulation, and sustainable use of natural resources. The Declaration of Performance (DoP) and factory production control certificate for each Lindapter product bearing the CE mark are proudly posted on its website.
Benefits of CE marking
The CE mark creates additional confidence for engineers, distributors and contractors, because product performance has been independently tested and confirmed to comply with internationally recognized standards and fully complies with CPR.
International recognition of the CE mark is very important for engineers, distributors and contractors, because professionals from different EEA countries often participate in a project. For example, the decision to specify a Lindapter product may be made by an engineering company in France, Lindapter's technical support team in the UK may draw connection details, and a Belgian contractor may purchase the product for a local project.
In this case, Lindapter's CE marked products will be accepted immediately at all stages, without country-specific testing or additional country approvals. Distributors receive more benefits because product packaging includes mandatory details such as country of origin and batch code for full traceability, while contractors receive consistent information that meets the basic characteristics described in the relevant DoP High-quality products.
All Lindapter products are designed to avoid on-site drilling or welding to increase installation speed and minimize labor costs. These benefits are especially important today, as many construction sites try to recover from the downtime caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, because contractors follow current social distancing guidelines and seek to minimize the number of workers in an area, it is essential to work as safely and quickly as possible.
Lindapter's ETA/CE mark product group includes:
Beam clamp-a multifunctional connection system that can quickly connect almost any type of steel section together, including steel beams, channels and angles. The assembly is configured with specific Lindapter assemblies to suit the required application. For example, heavy-duty AF beam clamps are usually used for connections that require high slippage or tensile loads. Typical applications include fixing secondary steel structures to structural frames to support items such as cladding, roofs, sidewalks, and industrial equipment. Because there is no need to drill or weld, the steel will not be damaged, and the adjustability of the fixture allows the contractor to easily align the connecting steel structure.
Hollo-Bolt®-the original expansion bolts for structural steel only need to be installed on one side of the steel, and can be quickly installed by inserting the fastener into the pre-drilled hole and tightening it with a standard hand tool. Acquiring the CE mark since 2011, this faster bolting or welding alternative allows contractors to reduce construction time and labor costs. Hollo-Bolt is usually used as a structural connection for connecting hollow steel profiles. When designers seek careful fixation to achieve a neat finish, it is increasingly used for "exposed structural steel in buildings." Hollo-Bolt is available in a variety of sizes, head types and corrosion protection options for a wide range of applications, such as connecting cladding, canopies, steel stairs and safety barriers.
Floor Fixings – Lindapter's innovative solution for fixing steel floors to supporting steel structures. Popular products include Grate-Fast® for fixing open bar grilles and Floor-Fast® for grating floors. Installation is done quickly and safely from above, and since there is no need to access the underside of the floor, the need for expensive scaffolding or raised floors can often be avoided. In addition to the ETA and CE marks, these products have also passed the Lloyd's Register of Shipping Type Approval, with shock and vibration resistance. Although they are permanent fixtures, they are detachable to facilitate maintenance on the sidewalk and under the floor.
Deck Fixtures-A variety of high-quality, cost-effective connections for suspending construction services from popular composite deck profiles. Each product is designed to adapt to specific paving profiles, for example, Lindapter MF is compatible with CMF® MetFloor® 60 and 80 profiles. Each fixing part is locked in the dovetail groove reentry channel and provides a zero-impact connection to avoid delamination and damage to the deck. As with most Lindapter products, adjustability is a major advantage, allowing contractors to easily align pipes, cable trays, HVAC and other building service equipment.
Since its launch in 2011, CPR has had a significant impact on the construction industry. This article observes some of the benefits in the context of steel connections. You can view more information including Lindapter catalog, DoP and CE certificates online. Lindapter products are easily available from a global network of authorized dealers, in the UK this includes Owlett Jaton.
Claire joined the magazine in 2012 and developed her industry knowledge through numerous company visits, exhibitions and conferences she participated in in the UK and abroad.
Claire is proud to keep readers up to date with the latest industry news.
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