When you’re evaluating a critical construction component such as concrete weld plates, it’s important as a Construction Manager, Structural Engineer or Construction Project Manager that you weigh the costs and benefits of a particular design that’s for sale against the needs of your project.
Conventional concrete weld plates for sale are commonly from structural steel suppliers who provide a wide range of standardized structural steel components. These standard concrete weld plates are fabricated using the standard approach to concrete weld plates, which is simply to provide a faceplate of the right structural steel (such as ASTM A36) with a set of bolts or other steel anchors welded to the back of the concrete weld plate.
However, when you’re evaluating structural steel products for sale, such as concrete weld plates, there are a number of factors that you should consider that can have a significant effect on the success of your structural steel project.
Cost and Design Advantages
Do you really want to buy a commodity product or do you want to specify a product that has clear engineering and economic advantages?
As an Architect, Structural Engineer or other advisor to the Owner, you’re often measured by whether you’re bringing new solutions to the table that can bring cost savings or improved building performance to their next project.
By thinking through whether you are looking for a traditional concrete weld plate for sale or if a new solution such as the EM-BOLT boltable embed plate might be better for your next project, you’re doing your job as the trusted advisor to the Owner to ensure that they’re getting the best recommendations possible from you.
The standard concrete weld plate is easily sourced, however this approach to the concrete to steel connection has some real disadvantages.
The standard concrete weld plate that's usually for sale (show to left below) requires field welding and inspection resources that can often best be used in other important steel to steel critical path joints. For concrete to steel joints, a bolted connection (shown below right) provides numerous advantages.
Standard concrete weld plate vs. patented boltable embed plates.
Patented boltable embed plate face.
Patented boltable embed plate anchors.
Standard concrete weld plates that are typically for sale require welding of the concrete weld plate face to the structural beam. Moving to a boltable concrete embed plate frees your onsite field welding and inspection resources to focus on those tasks that are mission critical. Moving away from purchasing a standard concrete weld plate to specifying EM-BOLT embed plates (or equivalent) is proven to lower construction project costs and reduce construction project risk.
Additionally, moving away from a standard concrete weld plate that’s for sale to a boltable embed plate opens up a range of new thermal break solutions that can help your project to meet demanding new energy codes.
Concrete Weld Plate Design
Is there design support available for the concrete weld plate detail drawings to ensure that you’re meeting the right engineering codes and saving design costs?
Concrete weld plates are often designed using commonly available concrete anchor software such as HILTI Profis™ Software or Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Designer ™ Software. However, when sourcing concrete weld plates for your next project, you may want to ask your provider if free concrete weld plate detail design services are available for custom concrete weld plate designs or if Revit drawings are readily available for a standardized product. Engineering design time can be expensive and mistakes costly, and having the ability to move a design detail project to your structural component vendor can represent a significant cost savings.
EM-BOLT provides just this type of support.
Concrete Weld Plate Strength
Has the concrete weld plate design that’s for sale been structurally load tested to a standard such as ACI 318-14? It’s important to know that you have a structurally valid product when you’re a specifying engineer.
In short, if you’re on the hunt for concrete weld plates for sale, we encourage you to reach out to EM-BOLT to compare our product on your next project.
You’ll get:
- A product solution that will lower the cost of your next structural steel project
- Free engineering calculations and details suited for your project
- A tested product that meets design codes with a proven track record
- Innovative thermal break solutions that help you meet demanding building codes
Take advantage of the additional resources we’ve made available to you below or reach out to us at (802) 448-3053.
Interested in learning more about how EM-BOLT boltable embed plates save construction costs and time? Take advantage of the Guide below!
Would you like help with your concrete embed plate engineering calculations? Reach out to us below.
Embed plate Revit drawings of our standard series of products are also available; for Revit drawings go here.
To learn more about the advantages of EM-BOLT Boltable Embed Plates, go here.
To learn more about our Concrete Slab Thermal Break solutions, go here.
