Ca2d prototype
The new construction system allows to “make” buildings within three to seven days
Logroño, April 26, 2013. INDEX Fixing Systems, manufacturer and industrial supplier of fixing systems, shows once again its innovative character by participating in the construction of a new wooden modular construction system, the Ca2d. The project has been devised by the company Arquima and the Francisco Guardia y Rieraarchitectural firm, with the support of ACC1Ó, the Catalonian agency for business promotion; and can address all types of buildings, both residential and industrial facilities, with a reduction of a 20-25 per cent of the cost, compared to a conventional building site.
The first full-scale prototype was inaugurated on April 6 in Llinars del Vallès, Spain. Built to demonstrate the feasibility and profitability of the project, the Ca2d is a residential building of 200 square meters and three floors that has been built in three days. The TEXZ, INDEX Fixing Systems’ high-performance chipboard screw, stands out among the products used to fix the structure.
The Ca2d construction system is designed to make buildings of up to four floors for any type of purpose, with a very high degree of industrialization and intended for exportation. In the words of Arquima’s manager, Jose Antonio González, the new system aims to “change the philosophy of building and to go from constructing buildings to manufacturing them”. For its part, the system’s architect and ideologue, Francesc Guardia, notes that this system can use “the industrial fabric of the country” and export the timber modules worldwide in containers simply and cheaply, since they have a low weight and are easy to transport. Construction costs would also be reduced significantly, because once the modules are manufactured in a workshop and transported to their destination, a building of 1,000 square meters can be constructed in a week. Guadiana also explained that wooden structures today are as reliable as stone or metal structures, with the advantages of having a very small volume and weight.
The special features of INDEX Fixing Systems’ TEXZ chipboard screw make it perfect for this type of structure, as its patented geometry reduces installation time, compared to conventional hardware in a project in which speed is a key concept. The milling bit breaks the fiber of hardwoods and facilitates a rapid insertion, as so does its high-pitched thread, which also improves grip in the base material, and the ribs under the head countersink the base material while screwing. Its GSWR toothed thread with irregular dentations on the first coils triturates the fibers and reduces the installation torque, and its 25º angle cut facilitates balance and penetration of the screw in any installation position. Its expellers throw the shaving out of the hole during the drilling, which reduces friction and the heat generated in the process of threading. Furthermore, depending on the measure, these screws have PZ recess (measures 3 to 4), a combined PZ + Torx recess (measures 4.5 to 6) and Torx recess (measure 8). This allows to use the most appropriate recess for each type of application, from carpentry and DIY to assembly of large structures, offering maximum versatility and security for the user.
