As far back as WWI, stud welding has been a much-relied-upon staple of manufacturing and construction industries. Especially today, stud welding makes large-scale construction and innovative building designs possible. Without the capabilities of stud welding, we wouldn’t have the unique sculptural steel landmarks we have across the globe.
If you’re working with stud welding, you know just how useful of a tool it is for a wide variety of construction applications. When you work with Northland Fastening Systems, you get access to everything you need to get the job done for structural steel welding and much more.
Some of the most well-known steel landmarks in the world were built relying heavily on stud welding and composite steel construction. For example:
- Golden Gate Bridge: Finished in 1937, the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most photographed and well-known suspension bridges in the world. Its iconic red paint stands boldly against the blue waters of the cold San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean. The bridge spans just over a mile, connecting the city of San Francisco to the San Francisco Peninsula. Stud welding was key in the construction of this modern wonder of the world, as it was used in the composite construction of the pavement and steel beams in addition to riveting and fastening the whole of the bridge components.
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- World Trade Center: Construction of the new One World Trade Center began in 2006 on the site of the complex where the original seven world trade buildings were destroyed in the 9/11 attack. This stunning replacement is still under minor construction, but currently stands 1,792 feet to its tip with 94 above-ground floors. This Freedom Tower is made possible with composite steel construction using stud welding as a primary reinforcing agent.
- Space Needle: This Seattle landmark was opened in 1962 for the World Fair. The observation deck of the tower has six floors that reach up to 518 feet, with a total tower height of 604 feet. Views from the needle show majestic scenes of Mt. Rainier, Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Baker, Elliot Bay, and Puget Sound. Thanks to the strength and flexibility created using stud welding in its construction, the Space Needle withstands wind speeds up to 200 mph and earthquakes up to 9.0 magnitude.
- Sydney Opera House: Construction on the unparalleled design of the Sydney Opera House began in 1959 but wasn’t completed until 1973. The arcing shell structure of the opera house is a Gothic-esque design and a reminder of its location against the waters of the Sydney Harbour. This unique design relies heavily on exact engineering and the support of thousands of pins welded throughout the shells. Using stud welding extensively in the construction of these shells allowed the architecture team that built the opera house to form a strong, stable structure.
If you’re using stud welding and structural steel welding to build your own landmarks, NFS can provide the tools and supplies you need. Contact Northland Fastening Systems today at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online to learn more.