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Mar 12, 2007 10:23 pm US/Pacific
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Oakland Construction Project Uses New Technology
by Mike Sugerman
OAKLAND (CBS 5) ―
Lots of building going on in Oakland these days.
And one building stands out because of technical innovation that makes it's construction child's play.
A 75-unit condo project in downtown Oakland is among of the first in the nation to be built with ConXTech technology. 28 have been awarded or applied for.
What makes this project so special is how the beams are held together.
A revolutionary system helps hold steel framing in place.
One end of the beam fits into a special collar, and then gravity helps hold it in place, along with bolts, that don't need to be welded. Connections are strong; they are said to safer in earthquakes than traditional ones.
And it takes half the time than traditional wood framing.
The prefab steel structures are manufactured by robots at the ConXTech factory in Hawyard. This is also a revolutionary technique.
Bob Simmons of ConXTech, who invented the technique, said, "As far was we know there is nobody else doing this full penetration welds for structural steel anywhere else in the world."
The job takes robots about 5 minutes. Humans, he says, would take two hours.
Simmons says he thought of the connection system thinking back to his days as a kid playing with toys.
Something parents might think about when your kid asks for just a little more playtime.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)