It’s hard to imagine precast concrete as being “flexible”. However, in a design sense, precast concrete from Fabcon continues to get more and more flexible! It used to be that architects would often overlook precast concrete as a viable option for their designs because of its limits in door and window openings. Thankfully, Fabcon’s VersaCore™ process now allows for more flexibility in cast-in openings. How did we do that, you ask? Well, it has to do with replacing pea gravel with foam billets. From our PDF article:
The proprietary Fabcon VersaCore technology overcomes the problem by adding
insulating foam on the production line. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam billets inserted
directly into the wet concrete eliminate the need for extrusion equipment and allow
Fabcon to cast door and window openings anywhere in a panel. Also, because the foam
billets stay in the panel, core construction is more consistent and predictable.With recent automated technology, Fabcon has further eased the problem of cutting
windows and doors. Through their proprietary laser machine, they are able to accurately
cut windows and doors with a tolerance of plus or minus 1/64 of an inch. With tighter
tolerances, Fabcon is able to provide a quality product to customers without raising
prices.
For more information, read our entire article: Opening Doors and Windows for Greater Precast Performance.