ABOUT

DESIGN BUILD

From Blueprint - to Frame - to Finished Construction

With the DreamWeaver Homes proprietary CAD/CAM platform every structural part required for the project is precision manufactured. All the parts are formed and notated for rapid assembly in a weatherproof factory environment - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All structural steel components are perfectly fabricated - (studs, track, joists & trusses) - to exacting specifications for single family housing to multifamily to commercial, industrial and even casinos. Single family homes are completely finished under roof, ready to be transported to the site and placed on a permanent foundation. Steel frame panels for single family, multifamily and commercial buildings are produced in the factory and then assembled on-site.

The manufacturing process leverages advantages of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) to transform coils of cold-rolled, light gauge steel (LGS) into structural components. These components do not burn, are stronger than wood, are not subject to rot, rapid deterioration or infestation and unlike other materials maintain their structural integrity. The production process produces consistent, computer designed steel components to exacting tolerances with minimal environmental impact and recyclable waste. The finishing process results in a variety of assemblies which are significantly less expensive than wood framing, flooring, trusses or other ‘modular’ wood-based components or structures of equivalent size or nature. The entire process significantly reduces labor and material costs and manufacturing, assembly and project completion times, in factory and on-site. Utilization of sustainable materials that are delivered at low relative cost using fast, modern methods is the future of building.

Input material consists of bulk coils of cold-rolled steel which is fed automatically into the roll-forming machinery. Components can be produced in large quantities and at high speed (up to 95 linear feet/minute) with consistent quality and precision.

The machinery produces components for wall frames, floor joists and roof trusses to exact measurements. All components are produced processed and ready for assembly. Each part is punched, dimpled and notched as required to enabling assembly without clamping, drilling or using a framing jig. Post-forming, components are carted to a designated staging area and assembled quickly.

The production and assembly lines are run by the BIM system and work in complement with each other to maximize efficiency. Dependent on the order, components can be shipped at this stage for finishing on-site or continue on-line for additional finishing procedures including, but not limited to, pre-wiring, pre-plumbing, insulation and sheathing through a complete housing structure. The process is designed to enable production runs concurrent with on-site activity as needed. The system provides full control of design, inventory and production.

In March 2002, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Office of Policy Development & Research and the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) issued a whitepaper on a project started in 1998. The report was followed by a second study in December 2003 which also included the Manufactured Housing Research Alliance. The participants in both projects included some of the largest manufactured housing producers and industry material suppliers in the U.S. and top engineers, including Tim Waite, P.E., a principal of the Company. (Following are links to the HUD sponsored whitepapers.)

Design for a Cold-Formed Steel Framed Manufactured Home
Steel Framing Prototype Development: Final Report