SDS2 Solid Steel Awards - Mold-Tek Technologies - Parkview Health Core Tower

Nov 1, 2019

Parkview Health Core Tower Expansion

The Challenge

A tight schedule and curved geometry on the Parkview Health Core Tower Expansion in Fort Wayne, IN, made for a challenging project for Mold-Tek Technologies detailers.

The Solution

In SDS2, Mold-Tek detailers were able to add curved grids into the model for improved fit-up in the field. When they decided to split their workload and add more detailers to the project, they relied on SDS2’s automatic piecemarking to deliver error-free drawings on schedule.

SDS2 Advantages

Fabrication-driven set-up options drive adaptability and flexibility in fabrication plans
Seamless integration with Zeman robotic welder improves overall efficiency, accuracy, and throughput
Using an all-encompassing detailing software with automated connection design streamlines operations, drives collaboration, and helps deliver daily success.

The Parkview Health Core Tower Expansion in Fort Wayne, IN, presented many detailing challenges for Mold-Tek Technologies, due to complicated geometry and miscellaneous framing for curved brick support, as well as a tight timeline.

The six-story, 168,000 square-foot medical tower allowed the hospital to add 72 inpatient beds and included around 63,000 square feet of shell space for future expansion to support the hospital’s growth forecast.

“We were eager to win this project and reach the next level of craftsmanship on a signature project,” said Amol Gite in Mold-Tek's 2019 SDS2 Solid Steel Awards submission.

Mold-Tek quoted the project at 4100 hours on a 20-week schedule and felt secure in their ability to get the job done with SDS2, which they have been using since 2006.

"SDS2 gives our teams the opportunity to continue modeling and detailing through typical connections without waiting on connection design from our customers."

As noted on the Mold-Tek website, “SDS2 gives our teams the opportunity to continue modeling and detailing through typical connections without waiting on connection design from our customers.”

As the project progressed, they saw a need to add more detailers to the project and ultimately decided to divide the model in two in order to keep everyone moving forward on schedule. While this might have introduced opportunities for error—particularly in managing piecemarks—SDS2 enabled them to coordinate the two models with minimal effort.

Whereas other detailing software programs require users to manually run commands for a numbering routine, putting them at risk of being out of sync, managing piecemarks is an automated feature in SDS2. As members are added or changed, marks and quantities for each piece are tracked and updated automatically.

The fabricator, erector, and general contractor all benefited from Mold-Tek’s accuracy and fast turnaround, Gite said. “Erection happened quickly, even though the project was complex.”

“Everything fit up well,” said John Vogt of Ben Hur Construction, the erector on the project.

Ryan Warrick, project manager for Lenex Steel Company, the fabricators on the Parkview project, said Mold-Tek was "quick, responsive, and adhered to all of our detailing standards. Coordination was excellent and drawings were produced on time."

"They are and continue to be the best detailers I have worked with," Warrick said.

Mold-Tek’s work on the project received second place in the Commercial, Small Tonnage category in the 2019 SDS2 Solid Steel Competition.