Visible Cladding Success - Centre Point Counters The Conflicts Facing Contractors
With up to a dozen rivets required per square metre to retain many types of rainscreen cladding panel, plus the array of equipment needed to complete the task, specialist installers are at risk of making critical errors as well as suffering fatigue or even injury. It is a situation that was crying out for the simple yet ingenious product solution that is already proving itself to be both user-friendly and reliable.
As Lead Product Manager, Francesca Healy comments: “There was a clear opportunity to innovate in this area and improve outcomes for installers, main contractors and, in turn, clients. To make the visible fixing of rainscreen cladding panels quicker, easier and safer, SFS has developed the Centre Point system: a self-drilling, threaded fastener with a centring sleeve. The whole process is quicker to carry out, involves fewer tools and operations; and ultimately provides a more consistent install.
Put simply, the challenge of meeting a panel manufacturer’s requirements can mean the difference between having a façade system that performs safely for the life of the building, or one at increased risk of panel deformation or detachment, potentially putting the public at risk as well as leaving the building fabric exposed.
To fully appreciate why Centre Point is proving so effective in both retrofit and new-build situations across the sectors, it is instructive to reconsider the inherent problems presented by using traditional visible fixing products.
Panels are supplied with both fixed position holes (generally at the centre) and those to allow sliding – or gliding - uptake of thermal expansion: which require very precise positioning. Failing to meet the necessary tolerances can lead to stresses and actual failures, through deformation and detachment.
In practice, typical rivet based visible fixings require the installer to pre-drill a plus-1mm sized hole in the aluminium profile, the hole must be positioned exactly in the centre of the sliding slot. Therefore, as well as the drill and rivet gun, the operative must carry additional tooling, including a nose tool for alignment, to avoid over-tightening the panel against the substrate and a stand-off nose piece is needed to maintain a small gap.
Such complications not only impact productivity, but can also increase the potential for installation errors, which can seriously detract from the performance of the installed system. Underlined by the implementation of the Building Safety Act, specifiers and installers must ensure both integrity of the installation (against any thermal stresses). All involved should further strive for durability to avoid the need to return to site, with the risks of more working at height plus the costly provision of additional scaffolding or other access equipment.
In contrast to traditional practices, the SFS Centre Point solution requires a straightforward screw gun to complete a single operation install that is faster and simpler whereby the fastener is inserted into the sliding hole and screwed straight in.
Firstly, even if the installer is working at an awkward height, the design of the fastener’s bio-polymer sleeve perfectly aligns with the middle of the slot before breaking and ejecting away as pressure is applied; meaning no debris remains in the hole. As no residue is left in the hole it means the fastener allows for the full movement of the panel. Then not only is the stainless-steel fastener’s optimised tip able to efficiently penetrate into aluminium substrates, there is also a ‘bi-met’ version of Centre Point available for installation into steel substrates. In both cases the specially engineered double thread performs two functions.
Initially it prevents the fastener from kicking sideways, keeping it perpendicular to the face of the panel. Secondly, the double thread guards against the fastener unwinding once installed. There is also a reduced threaded zone, which mitigates the risk of damage from over-driving and prevents the panel being clamped and thus immovable against the rail. Aesthetically, the Dome screw head of the Centre Point can also be painted to colour match the panel.
Finally, the operation is facilitated through the SFS optimised T25W drive bit which provides a secure engagement for optimal guidance.
Francesca concludes: “The Centre Point solution ensures that the panel OEM’s requirements are fulfilled, while main contractors have the reassurance that their projects are protected against poor panel installation and that project dates are more likely to be met. In the long term, façades are protected against panels failing as a result of being unable to accommodate thermal movement.” https://uk.sfs.com