siFramo, Sikla’s modular steel support system, is the only heavy-duty system with a European Technical Assessment (ETA) on the market. The ETA means that Sikla customers benefit from certified load values and continued significant time savings when installing products onsite in combination with the FLS self forming screw.
Safety and reliability are core values of our company. Sikla recognised the challenge posed by the EN 1090 standard back in 2015 and achieved the certificate of conformity for our in-house production control. Since then, the siFramo system has carried the CE mark. Now, with the ETA assessment, Sikla are setting a new benchmark in the industry.
To find out more about what the ETA means for Sikla and our customers, read this interview transcript by Dominik Zanker, Sikla Research & Development (R&D) expert based at Sikla Headquarters in Germany.
ETA siFramo and FLS F certificates
What are the advantages of using steel components that bear a CE mark?
The CE mark indicated that the product has been manufactured in compliance with the relevant European standards. This is regularly monitored by TÜV Rheinland and gives Sikla customers the certainty that our siFramo support system is a classified construction product with a verifiable structural analysis in accordance with the Eurocodes.
Why is the current verification procedure no longer sufficient?
The requirements for verifications are becoming increasingly more demanding. Due to the offset holes in the siFramo profiles, it was not possible to perform using the Eurocodes. Missing values had to be determined through practical tests, which proved to be practical for most users and projects. Over time, we received more enquiries about the origin and reliability of these values. While we addressed user questions by providing access to test procedures and structural analyses, this proved to be insufficient for Engineers responsible for verifying those analyses. These require official certifications or similar verifications.
Segment of an 1 800 metre long walkable support structure
How did a future-proof solution develop from this status quo?
The first projects were signed off and approved on a case-by-case basis. It soon became clear that a new approach was necessary and in collaboration with steel construction experts, we identified the need for a comprehensive approval system that includes product values and verification procedures. The CE mark, a recognised seal of quality, is a standard for trade within the European single market. Since additional national regulations, such as a “National Technical Approval” or an add-on to the CE mark, would not be compatible, the ETA, in accordance with the EU Construction Products Regulation, was the ideal solution. This covers all the requirements and provided assurance within the European Economic Area. The ETA is a widely recognised certificate that confirms a construction product’s suitability for use under the Construction Products Regulation across EU Member States.
What pioneering achievement has Sikla made with the ETA assessment for siFramo?
With the ETA for a heavy-duty system, Sikla are establishing a new industry standard. The CE mark on siFramo components is now based on the ETA. Product values and structural analyses, from programs like RSTAB, can be taken from the assessment and safely applied, as officially confirmed by the renowned construction institute and Technical Assessment Body (TAB) LUXIB.
How do customers benefit from the ETA?
The use of an ETA-assessed heavy-duty system ensures compliance with European requirements set out in the Construction Products Regulation. Verification is based on the Eurocodes. Discussions with Structural Engineers regarding product values are now based on the assessment. All previously unanswered questions can now be addressed with reference to the ETA and the declarations of performance. Operators of large plants and the departments responsible for technical plant safety also benefit from the increased level of certainty.
Safety-relevant work in a exhibition hall, subject to mandatory testing
Streamlined project execution
- Public construction projects
Reduced documentation and verification requirements for public sector projects
- Construction projects overseen by public authorities
More efficient delivery of projects such as airports, hospitals, or exhibition centres, reducing the need for discussions with Engineers for checking the structural analysis.
- Support systems in the public domain
Projects that do not exceed the requirements of Execution Class 2 (EXC 2) can be implemented without additional expense.
- Industrial projects
The ETA supports tendering for industrial projects based on designs requiring verification and testing. Project delays due to structural analysis approvals in individual cases are now a thing of the past.
Our customers gain a competitive advantage because siFramo is the only heavy-duty system with an ETA. The certified load values create new opportunities for structural analysis checks.
View the ETA's for siFramo and the FLS screw below:
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