Compare Designs
Others Use WALL Posts as Columns
Independent Column Supports are Better
Using the wall post as a column is not a new or
innovative design. National Partitions invented it years ago. We eliminated
the design for a number of reasons.
Others: Lost Flexibility
The design restricts the nonprogressive feature or
access of individual panels.
By placing weight on the post, removing the posts on either side of a panel to
access it was very difficult and required temporary column supports.
National Partitions design is more flexible and
allows easy access without restriction because the structural steel is
independent from the post system.
Others: Inefficient Design
Another issue with this design was that in order
for all components to be universal and easy for installation, all of the posts
needed to be designed the same. This meant that the posts that were not needed
to carry any loads were unnecessarily designed heavier and more expensive.
Efficient designs are
more cost effective. Therefore we do not build in features that are not always
needed.
National Partitions design is more efficient. Only
the components that are required to carry a load are engineered that way... and
all of our components are universal.
Others: Lower Capacity
Posts that carry loads have lower capacities and more restrictions than
independent columns. In this design there is no anchoring of the post to the
foundation and there is no bolting of a beam to the post. For safe designs this
greatly reduces the load capacity of the post and also the allowable building
spans. National Partitions independent structural insert design has a higher
load capacity and allows for wider building spans.
National Partitions structural elements have higher
capacities. We can clear span over 60 feet and can design loads to over 125psf.
Others: Not always Code Compliant
There are also building code issues to consider. In many situations, this
design must have an hourly fire rating. That is not possible if the design is
aluminum (it melts). For those that are using steel posts it is not possible
because their post allows heat to transfer to the other side. Either system
would not pass the ASTM E119 fire endurance test that would be required.
National Partitions design never uses aluminum as a structural element and our
designs are code compliant.
National Partitions uses independent structural steel elements and columns that
are safe, efficient, and flexible...
---------- TOP ----------