World premiere: "Topmax” maintenance-free table form system for extra economy on the building site

Guaranteed wood-free – the super-slim table form

Hünnebeck has become the first manufacturer to launch on the market a table form system that dispenses entirely with wooden beams. The innovation known as “Topmax” has an extremely strong but only 12 cm thick maintenance-free, hot-dip galvanized and powder-coated steel frame enclosing a high-grade plastic form lining. This makes it the first table form to combine space-saving dimensions with high load-bearing capacity. The 13 m² and 10 m² forms are designed for the rapid and large-area shuttering of up to 50 cm thick slabs. In addition, the new table forms can be combined with Rasto and Takko panels from the Hünnebeck range, which in many cases saves users from having to resort to expensive custom solutions.

Greater economy per use was the goal of Hünnebeck’s design engineers in the development of the Topmax system. They analysed all the processes a table form is confronted with in daily use – storage, transport to and from the site, erection, pouring, stripping and on-site relocation – and attuned the new Topmax system all-inclusively to time- and cost-cutting practical use.

In doing so, they went new ways. For instance, they departed from the high-maintenance wooden beam in favor of low-maintenance, durable materials. The steel profile of the company’s own Rasto/Takko wall formwork system was thus adapted to use in a table form. The outcome is two table forms measuring 2.4 x 5.4 m (weighing 500 kg) and 1.8 x 5.4 m (weighing 420 kg) whose frame provided with all-round edge impact protection is only 12 cm thick. This creates space in the warehouse and cuts transport costs. Compared to conventional wooden table forms, the cost of logistics can be cut by up to 70% with Topmax. A specially developed folding head (rotatable through 180°) with a self-securing pin and engagement mechanism makes for rapid erection and high mobility of the up to 5.5 m high “table legs” (tubular steel props with the quick-lowering mechanism).

Hünnebeck expects the novel table forms to have a long service life – about 15 years – not least because the forms are fitted with the durable Ecoply Q plastic form lining. Thanks to inbuilt stacking protection, the table forms are lastingly protected during handling and storage and ensure a consistently high standard of concrete finish.

Compatible with frame panels
However, what makes the new table forms particularly ingenious is their compatibility with classic Rasto/Takko wall formwork. Thanks to their identical, continuously perforated steel profiles, their system components can be combined with and connected to the table forms with ease. This rationalizes the creation of infill and adjustment areas for instance, which in many cases can be shuttered quickly and inexpensively with system-compatible Rasto or Takko elements. Corner columns, for instance, can be easily shuttered around without custom formwork. For smaller adjustment areas, there are also squared timber holders that can be simply suspended from the table form profile.

System compatibility also opens up numerous further options. For instance, the Rasto centering clamp can be used for creating a tension-resistant joint between two Topmax table forms, which allows them to be lifted by a crane as a single unit. This means 26 m² of table form surface in a single transfer. No less simple is the connection of the Protecto edge protection system to the Topmax table form. The post holder can be fitted anywhere along the table form’s continuous perforated profile, thus quickly providing safety along the potentially dangerous edges of slabs.

Rapid transfer
The developers attached special importance to the simple and rapid transfer of the table forms. By using appropriate aids, plenty of time can be saved during loading, handling, erection and on-site relocation. For instance, loading and unloading is accelerated by a crane slinging point (max. load-bearing strength 5 kN) which can be attached anywhere along the frame profile. Rapid shuttering is achieved by using a specially developed carriage and/or the crane-operated Topmax transfer fork with a live load of 1,250 kg.

In both cases, the table form is eased initially with the aid of the props’ quick-lowering mechanisms and then unscrewed. After this, the props are retracted and the table form either lowered with a crank on the winch car and relocated, or moved with the transfer fork. If you have little crane time available, you can resort to the Topmax Lift. This “table form lift” specially developed for Topmax moves the table forms vertically onto the next floor quickly and inexpensively. What makes it unique is that the lift is the only such system for buildings up to 50 m tall.

Greater efficiency
Martin Hemberger, CEO of Hünnebeck GmbH, is categorical: “Our innovative Topmax – the world’s first frame table form – will significantly improve efficiency on the construction site and revolutionize construction processes. We have deliberately decided to launch Topmax on the market now – to take a clear stand at a time of crisis. All the same, forecasts in the current economic climate are very difficult. In our choice of projects, we are therefore proceeding very selectively in order to ensure maximum utilization of rental capacity. The feedback from our first reference customers has been extremely positive and vindicates our innovation policy.”

Captions:

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World premiere: Topmax, the first frame table form will significantly boost efficiency on the construction site. The new table form has an extremely strong but only 12 cm thick maintenance-free, hot-dip galvanized and powder-coated steel frame enclosing a high-grade plastic form lining.

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A specially developed folding head (rotatable through 180°) with a self-securing pin and engagement mechanism makes for rapid assembly and high mobility of the props on the Topmax table form.

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Thanks to suitable aids, the Topmax table form can be moved extra quickly. The picture shows the crane-operated Topmax transfer fork with its live load of 1,250 kg.

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The brilliantly conceived Topmax system: The folding head is particularly easy to attach.

Download: PM_Topmax en.rtf

Christian Henkel
Marketing/PR Hünnebeck GmbH
chenkel@harsco.com

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