Light steel framing's popularity continues to grow as does the uptake of offsite construction in general. Key benefits of light steel framing are; quality, speed and cost making it ideal for many sectors of construction. SCI has provided technical support to the light steel sector for the last 25 years, and continues to do so in a number of ways.

SCI's involvement at committee level of the revisions to Eurocode Design of Steel Structures, Part 1.3 - Supplementary rules for cold-formed members and sheeting (also known as EN 1993-1-3) ensures that SCI are in a position to inform members and clients of up-to-date expected changes as they happen.

In a highly competitive commercial market demand from clients for proprietary technical product development has increased. Manufacturers and their customers engage SCI as an independent body to provide reassurance that appropriate procedures are followed with due consideration for all possible performance criteria.

The SCI's Light Steel Forum is a membership group whose primary objective is the technical development of light steel construction systems. The group produce and disseminate technical information to the industry, a recent example produced by the Forum is the SCI guidance Uninterrupted height of masonry cladding to light steel framing (P426) which provides free guidance on using continuous masonry cladding with light steel framing.

The work undertaken with industry partners has helped SCI to develop improved design guidance to enable the use of light steel framing in a wider range of applications and assessment of materials used in combination has lead to enhanced design efficiency.

Certification has always been a vital part of the construction industry with customers and specifiers needing to have confidence in the products being offered. The complexity and unique nature of many offsite construction systems, and the growing regulatory demands, mean that independent certification is increasingly important. SCI is able to offer different options to suit specific requirements: NHBC/SCI Stage 1 System Certification for light steel framing in accordance with NHBC Chapter 6.10. SCI Assessed certificates for a mixed and varied range of steel-based construction products. SCI offer a more comprehensive scheme called -SCI Product Certification- which can cover all the basic work requirements of the Construction Products Regulation. SCI are hoping to be able to announce the first companies and their products to successfully achieve SCI Product Certification within the next few months.

For more information about any of SCI's activities relating to light steel framing and offsite construction please visit the SCI website or contact Andrew Way.

This webinar is available for both SCI members and non-SCI members to view and is free to all.

Moving more work offsite makes construction quicker, safer, more precise, with reduced deliveries of individual components to site. With support from Innovate UK, SCI has been part of a project looking at what opportunities modern methods of construction offer. This webinar will present some of the solutions that have real opportunities to make a difference.

Register at the SCI Portal to view this webinar

SCI have updated the list of courses and webinars being presented throughout 2020. The courses will keep attendees up-to-date with latest developments, the include our fundamental courses such as;

• Portal Frame design
• Steel Connection Design
• Disproportionate Collapse Rules
• Essential Steelwork Design

There are also some half day courses which are run on the same day, these provide the opportunity to either attend one of both.

This year we are pleased to return to Ireland in June to run our two day course Essential Steelwork Design in Dublin.

Our courses are presented by our SCI team who are experts in the subjects presented. All of our courses include worked examples, experience over the last 30 years has taught us that the worked examples help to emphasis the information presented.

Anyone attending an SCI course can request a CPD certificate.

For more information on our courses please view the course list and information regarding each course here

If you have specific training requirements please contact us to discuss: Education@steel-sci.com

Caunton Engineering celebrates fifty years of successful operations

Caunton Engineering began its structural steel operations 50 years ago in a former blacksmith's shop in the village of Caunton. Now half a century later it is a thriving business based in Moorgreen near Eastwood turning over £60m pa and employing over 250 men and women. Quite some achievement.

SCI offers support, for Sole Traders and Corporate Members, through our Advisory Desk Service. Questions and Answers which we feel are pertinent to the wider Member audience are published anonymously to the SCI Information Portal.

This month our published question is about; Minimum flange width of Composite edge beams supporting precast planks

Question: SCI P401 indicates a minimum flange width determined by an edge distance of six times the diameter of a shear stud placed on the beam centre-line. What is this due to?

Please see the answer to all Advisory questions on the SCI Information Portal.

SCI Corporate and Sole Trader Members can access the Advisory Desk by email advisory@steel-sci.com or by phone
+44 (0)1344 636 525

Our next SCI Member webinar

Light Gauge Steel Applications and Design Tuesday 11 Feb 2020.

This webinar will discuss the common applications for light gauge and cold-formed steel and explain some of the structural design aspects specific to cold-formed steel sections.

Register to view this webinar.

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