Diamond Concrete is reporting a 500–600 percent capacity increase for its precast stair tread and riser products following a plant relocation (from Smokey Point, Wash.) and installation of an Atlas Robotic Conveying System
Sources: CP staff; Diamond Concrete Products, Arlington, Wash.; Atlas Industrial Equipment LLC, Bellingham, Wash.
Diamond Concrete is reporting a 500Ò600 percent capacity increase for its precast stair tread and riser products following a plant relocation (from Smokey Point, Wash.) and installation of an Atlas Robotic Conveying System. The latter shuttles molds with freshly poured or cured product along two 4-in. rails, working in tandem with overhead handling devices. The conveyor and overhead equipment have yielded impressive benchmarks, including a) mold pouring, formerly a 90-second process, now 18Ò25 seconds; and, b) typical shift output, 110 pieces under manual line, 300Ò600 pieces currently.
Diamond Concrete casts 32-in. to 8-ft.-wide units in such shapes as cantilever, open or closed riser (7 in.), half-riser (4 in.), Drop-in-Place, and spiral. It offers standard or custom finishes, including polished concrete, terrazzo, and exposed aggregate, suited for a wide range of commercial and residential applications. In conjunction with several steel fabrication shops, Diamond Concrete has developed a proprietary Drop-in-Place precast insert as an alternative to cast-in-place concrete for multilevel stair towers in mid-rise or taller buildings. The inserts reduce a general contractor’s costs and downtime for all trades during stair pours, and can be installed by a two-main crew at a rate of 30 pieces/hour.
The company has distributors in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Nevada, and is seeking additional distribution through preferred vendors, including lumberyards and contractor supply stores, across the country. Û Diamond Concrete, 800/655-7010; 360-435-6151; www.diamondconcreteproducts.com; Atlas Industrial, 360/305-5918; www.atlas-industrial.com