Building 337 located in 1 Health Plaza, East Hanover, New Jersey, USA, is a beautiful example of manufacturing excellence combined with progressive architecture. Montanstahl contributed to this real estate project by supplying bespoke laser welded sharp corner sections.
Profile: | Tailored Sharp Edge Sections |
Material grade: | 316L |
Execution: | laser welded & polished |
Industry served: | Architecture Building & Construction |
Destination: | East Hanover, New Jersey, USA |
Custom façades for a dynamic design
The architects conceived a design that would accommodate the needs of a pharma workforce that is constantly in flux: a singular uninterrupted environment that establishes strong connectivity and collaboration amongst employees.
This unique building consists of two continuous workspaces that spiral up and around a central atrium in a double helix arrangement. The atrium and the uninterrupted work floors (with its 800 workstations) are fully daylit with a technologically advanced and energy-efficient triple-glazed façade, which was entrusted to company Josef Gartner of the Permasteelisa Group. Due to the particular shape complexity and the requested surface condition and narrow tolerances, Montanstahl was tasked to provide specialized custom-made stainless steel sections for the mullions and transoms.
Façades design challenges
The architectural project required the design of structural elements that would limit deflection, vibrations and movements from the external glass façade. A turnkey solution was compulsory, one that would be both easy to install on site as well as preserve a high quality finish.
Montanstahl took on the challenge to supply 27 sections in 316L stainless steel with sharp corners and edges for the main façade within a truly tight time schedule.
Main steps of a tailor-made implementation: from laser cutting to delivery on time
To accomplish the realization of this architectural project, all flat stripes had to be laser cut from plates and then machined. Since the mullions and transoms were going to be architecturally exposed and thus visible from the outside, special care was taken for the metal surface finish. The sections were pre-polished by the skilled polishing company Hofe GmbH, in Munich, Germany, and then shipped to Montanstahl.
Afterwards Montanstahl protected the [metal] stripes with plastic covers in order to reduce damages during the whole production process. This phase was very delicate because all manufacturing equipment as well as several production 
methods had to be modified and adapted in order to prevent ruining the precious surface during all steps: from laser welding to straightening and packaging. Due to the high complexity of the section geometry, several sections had to undergo straightening process several times between one laser welding process and the next.
Quality and accuracy guaranteed right up to the last stage
Montanstahl successfully manufactured 3 to 9m long bars that exceed the demanded precision and quality levels. The laser welded sections were once again shipped to the German polisher for a final glazing and then to Austria for further mechanical hole drilling and bolt welding.
Ready for delivery, the cutting-edge tailor-made sections were ultimately shipped to USA, where they were easily and rapidly installed to create a magnificent construction