Even for extremely complex systems, prefabrication can be used

In this series of articles, we will take a look at the Épszerk-Pannónia Invest Építőipari Kft. reinforced concrete prefabrication plant. While our December article introduced us to hollow core slabs, stair stringers and tensioned or soft-iron beams, we can now present three more products in detail. Manufactured under strict quality control, their outstanding products can be used in the construction of industrial and residential buildings, and even public buildings, as they

By using prefabricated elements, the customer can incorporate a higher quality end product than monolithically produced structures.

They can significantly reduce on-site labour requirements and project delivery times, so it is no coincidence that factories specialising in the production of reinforced concrete elements have proliferated in recent years. The production of elements with very high aesthetic requirements in adjustable templates can be easily carried out under factory conditions.

"Our plant has its own concrete laboratory to carry out fresh concrete tests and we use accredited laboratories for the certified tests"

- we learned from ÉPI. What makes ÉPI's plant stand out from other manufacturers, apart from the quality assurance system, is the continuous development of concrete technology and the emphasis on the continuous maintenance of the production templates, the production machines and the replacement of worn parts and formwork shells within a certain period of time.

Soft iron or stretched bark slabs

With the right design approach, bark slabs can be used in a wide range of single or multi-family residential buildings, multi-storey underground car parks, office buildings, industrial facilities and halls, depending on the intended use of the building. Reinforced concrete formwork panels can be used as a formwork element, depending on their reinforcement, thickness, span, strength and the thickness of the concrete placed on them. This technology can be used for practically all possible monolithic reinforced concrete slab constructions.

The use of bark slabs is free of geometric and design constraints, which ensures fast installation with a favourable initial weight.

The panels can be used as load-bearing slabs in both directions, as well as in puncture zones. Their shutter panels, made on automated production lines, are typically 7-8 cm thick, up to 2.4 m wide and up to 10 m long, and can accommodate the mechanical piping for surface heating/cooling from the start of the production process; or, knowing the location of electrical fittings, their receptors and electrical piping outlets can be incorporated into the panels.

Prefabricated shell elements were used to construct the expansion of the headquarters in Somlóvásárhely Kreinbacher Birtok headquarters in Somlóvásárhely, the ceilings of the PURO Hotel in Budapest, and the Magyar Nemzeti Bank headquarters in Budapest.

Insulated sandwich wall

The sandwich panels are manufactured in steel moulds, which also allow the placement of various surface-forming „stamps” and inserts, thus ensuring an outstanding surface appearance and high dimensional accuracy. The location of the openings can be freely selected, and electrical and mechanical basic installations can also be placed in the sandwich panels during manufacture, which significantly speeds up on-site construction work.

A sandwich panel of this type can be produced in almost any size according to the designer's requirements, even with a surface on both sides that meets the requirements of exposed concrete.

These can be façade, load-bearing, plinth walls or partition walls separating heated and unheated spaces. They are cost-effective to supply, can be installed quickly, can be loaded immediately, do not require plastering and require minimal on-site labour.

The ÉPI product is also ideal for use in the construction of residential buildings, office buildings, or industrial facilities. as was the case with the CATL factory in Debrecen and the construction of the CTPark factory in Tatabánya.

Pillars

The prefabricated pillars of the ÉPI are generally soft-formwork designs, but can also be tensioned if necessary. Manufacturing in steel moulds ensures high dimensional accuracy and high-quality concrete surface formation. With the help of their mould park, elements of any geometry (rectangular, circular), pillar head design, and constant or variable cross-section can be manufactured, with brackets designed to accommodate connecting beams or crane tracks if required. The pillar elements can be quickly assembled and loaded immediately.

Prefabricated pillars are ideal for office buildings, parking garages or industrial facilities and halls.

This was also utilised in the construction of the new Control-X Medical Zrt. site in Dunakeszi and the Monori M4 motorway police and engineering centre in Monor.