The most recent issue of Wired Magazine (Feb 2010) has a cover article entitled “Atoms are the New Bits” written by Chris Anderson.  The article outlines an industrial seismic shift in how the manufacturing world is changing to reflect the Internet and the world of open source computer software development. 

Because of the lowering cost of expensive manufacturing equipment, smaller companies can now get involved in producing their own goods for special and unique products.  Because of the Internet, there is a global market to reach when the product might only appeal to a very small sliver of the population.  Bring these two things together and you have new industrial revolution where people can actually build a sustainable businesses by manufacturing niche products in their garage.

As the general manager of an online shop that sells connectors and fittings, this article was invigorating and inspiring.  Back in 2006 when we first got started, one of our first big jobs was to provide tables for O’Reilly Media’s Maker Faire.  They loved the “tinker toy” of building with Kee Klamp fittings. These components can be used to build just about any tubular structure simply and easily.  We loved the faire and even met some of the folks who were featured in Chris Anderson’s article (namely Jim from TechShop).  The faire was an exciting time, and while people groaned at the price, they loved the concept. 

The New Industrial Revolution and the future of Simplified Building Concepts

Simplified Building Concepts has been a work in progress from the beginning.   We’re not one of those companies that started off with a crystal clear vision.  Over time we shifted this way and that to respond to the market.  More recently our focus has turned to the development and sale of safety products which ultimately led us to produce a new web site exclusively focused on safety: Simplified Safety.

With the creation of the new site, Simplified Building Concepts is rediscovering its roots in the sale of simple connectors and fittings.  After reading this article I hope we can become an online resource for the growing number of folks involved in manufacturing out of their garage; providing them with quality parts and pieces that can be used to produce great OEM products. 

Every age has its amount of “interesting things” that are happening.  I enjoyed hearing about this new wave of garage styled industrial entrepreneurs and hope that our business can help them bring their products to market quicker and easier. 

Making it Easier with Google SketchUp

One of the ways that we are trying to make it easier for industrial entrepreneurs is by providing SkechUp models of our components.  This allows product developers to model their product before they build.  Take a look at our SketchUp component library to view both components and projects.

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Until now, there have not been many options to attaching a handrail to a steel grating floor.  You can weld, but that can be costly and dangerous. You can build an offset handrail that attached to the side of the structure, but installation can be difficult.  We have a new fitting and grating clip which make attaching handrail uprights to steel, aluminum or fiberglass grating even easier. The trick is to use a 262 fitting, with a G Clip GM.  Using these two components allows you to connect handrail bases to floor gratings in a simple and straight forward manner from one side of the surface.

See the pictures below for an overview.  See our fitting page and G Clip page for more information on those components.

1. Insert the bottom half of the G Clip from the tops side of the grating

2. Connect the grating clip to the grating with the bottom fastener

3. Slide the 262 Fitting onto the bolt on the clip.

4. Fasten the fitting to the clip with standard nuts and washers.

5. Slide in your upright pipe and tighten the set screws.

That’s it!  In several minutes you’ve created a connection that is as strong as a weld, but is not prone to rust and requires no specialized labor to install. 

If you’re interested in constructing a handrail on steel grating, please see our handrail resource page and then contact us. 

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We have expanded our offering of grating clips, g clips and steel flooring fasteners to include some new products:

G-Clip Bar Grate Fasteners

G-Clips (short for grating clips) are easy to install clips that hold down steel, aluminum or fiberglass grating.  The idea is simple, through the usage of simple tools, clip instead of weld your bar grating to a steel work environment. 

Grate-Fix – Another Clamp for Steel Aluminum and Fiberglass Grating

Comparable to products from those from struct-fast, the Grate Fix uses a different method to attach the grating to the steel work.

New High Tolerance versions of the steel floor fasteners are also now available. 

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BeamClamp is a unique steelwork connection system that does not require welding or threading.  The clamping system allows for quick installation.  Unlike welding, the product is engineered and has guaranteed load specifications.

The video animations below will give you an idea of how BeamClamp can work for you:

Please contact us or view our BeamClamp Product Page to learn more about this steel connection system.

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We have put together a series of short videos on how to use our ADA Series 500 Fittings. Please watch the following videos to get an idea of how our ADA fittings work together.

Building a D-Return

Building an Upright

Putting it all Together

Message to Contractors

Learn more about ADA Handrails…

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Above is a video of a BoxBolt being installed with a BoxSok. BoxBolts are used to connect structural steel from only one side.

Learn more about BoxBolts

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