Transporting and installing or uninstalling bulky steel units can be a costly and difficult endeavor, especially if the unit needs to fit into a small or oddly-shaped space. To address this issue, fabricators like the STI Group have made available knock-down steel units that can be easily disassembled and reassembled as needed. Using knock-down units enables contractors to avoid many logistics problems involved in installation, bringing down costs and man-hours. Knock-down units also offer valuable flexibility when upgrades are needed or when the units are installed alongside older structures or systems.
Knock-Down Steel Units Are Easy to Ship and Store
A knock-down unit that has not been assembled is easier to pack and ship using pallets and similar materials, when an entirely assembled unit would take up more room and, depending on the type of unit, would be bulkier and more difficult to handle. If the unit needs to be stored for a period of time, a disassembled, conveniently packed knock-down unit is easily fitted into storage, takes up less room and can be stacked. This, in turn, results in reduced costs for shipping and storage.
Knock-Down Steel Units Feature Streamlined Reassembly
Once it is time to install the unit, reassembly is designed to be a simple, easy process. The units are specifically designed and manufactured to make reassembly quick and easy, even if it needs to take place in an area with limited space. Specially designed fasteners provide structural integrity to the assembled unit and can be easily unfastened for disassembly.
Knock-Down Steel Units have Great Durability
Unlike traditional units that are only intended to be assembled once, knock-down units feature design elements to ensure that repeated assembly and disassembly does not cause premature wear and breakage. Break points, in particular, are engineered to remain durable throughout multiple reassembling. A well manufactured knock-down unit will continue to retain its functionality and structural strength. Contractors should keep in mind that throughout a unit’s lifetime, it is likely to need repairs, modification or upgrades. A knock-down unit is uniquely adapted to undergo these changes without losing strength or function.
Ease of Installation Is a Feature of Knock-Down Steel Units
Because knock-down units arrive at the job site completely disassembled, or may be disassembled on the site as needed, they are easy to install. This quality is particularly important when space at the installation site is at a premium, or when the unit needs to be maneuvered through narrow or irregularly shaped spaces in order to arrive at the installation site. For example, a unit may need to be installed in a small room that can be accessed only through a narrow hallway or staircase, or on a rooftop with limited access. In all of these situations, it is far easier to bring the unit parts to the site and then assemble the unit.
Knock-Down Steel Units have Great Potential for Customization
Sometimes, a contractor is faced with the necessity of altering some components of a pre-manufactured unit. This may occur due to local laws or regulations, to individual customer preference or to the necessity of integrating the unit with older structures or systems. In any of these cases, customization is far easier to perform on a knock-down unit. Since the unit arrives as a set of standardized parts, swapping in a different part in the course of assembly is easily accomplished with little additional labor and no adverse effect on the assembled unit. Contrast this with the difficulty of taking apart a manufactured whole unit that is not intended for disassembly in the first place, integrating the new component and reassembling the unit, which is likely to result in permanent structural weakening.
Knock-down steel units present many advantages for industrial facilities. Using knock-down units makes it easier to access and perform installation in small spaces and areas with limited access. Because knock-down units are specifically engineered to withstand the stresses of multiple reassembly, they retain their durability and function and are uniquely adaptable to modification and customization. Due to the increased ease of installation and transportation, contractors will be able to reduce both costs and labor hours by using knock-down units. STI Group fabricates high quality, dependable knock-down steel units that are fully customizable.
