Western's
Hybrid Steel Building System
A Western Steel Hybrid Building System is a combination of Pre-engineered Metal Buildings (PEMBs) and Conventional Steel Buildings, bringing the best qualities of each, together.
The main differences between PEMBs and Conventional Steel Structures are how they’re engineered and installed. PEMBs components are pre-engineered using a three-plate design through production. Each steel component is cut and pre-drilled at the factory, ensuring a quick and easy assembly without onsite drilling or welding – PEMBs are essentially a bolt-together building system. PEMBs exclusively utilize I-beams as primary members, where Conventional Steel Buildings typically utilize open web steel joists as primary members. One of the benefits of Structural Steel Buildings is that can be completely customized. I-beams are utilized as secondary structural components, along with steel plates, channels and hollow beams. These components are then cut, welded and drilled in the field. Conventional Steel Buildings are ideal for more complex structures because of their architectural design flexibility, but this construction method involves higher labor costs and uses more material than needed since fabrication takes place on the job site.
PEMBs tend to be more cost-effective because of the precise level of steel fabrication done at the factory. There is very little wasted material since each member is cut to spec and the overall production time in the factory can be much faster. Because PEMBs require minimal field fabrication as a bolt together building system, it expedites the installation process. PEMBs are not as adaptable to complicated architectural designs than a Conventional Steel Building.
At Western Steel, we took a SolutionCentric™ approach to achieve a steel building system that combined the two methods. Our Western Steel Hybrid Building utilizes Conventional Steel primary members and PEMB secondary members, bringing the versatility of open web steel joists and the pre-engineered efficiency of PEMBs together.
Open Web Steel Joists Primary Frames
Joists from conventional steel construction are the primary frame of a Western Hybrid Building System and they are used to support the floors or roof of a building. A steel joist must be designed to withstand forces and stress while minimizing weight, space requirements, and material costs. Different types of joist designs are available based on loading and mounting configurations. Open-web steel joist (OWSJ) consists of two parallel members, or chords, with a repeating, triangular web structure located between the chords.
Pre-engineered Secondary Members
Girts & Purlins
Eave Struts
Are secondary members that are installed along the roof eaves to support the edge of the roofing panels. They are typically roll-formed “C” sections, 8 inches deep nominal (roll-formed) with 3 ¼ inch wide top and bottom flanges; or brake-formed “C” sections 10 inches or 12 inches deep nominal with a 3 ¼ inch wide top flange and a 4 ½ inch wide bottom flange.
Wall Base Angle/Trim
Provides support for wall panels and closes off the open ribs at their base. A standard base condition is to use this one-piece member without a panel notch in the concrete foundation. However, dimensions of this member allow it to be used in conjunction with a panel notch, if the customer so desires.