Simpson Strong-Tie has released a Year in Review look back at its top product innovations for 2018. Engineered to enhance jobsite efficiency and to alleviate design and installation challenges, Simpson Strong-Tie products released in 2018 ranged from cold-formed steel seismic connectors to epoxy anchoring adhesives to auto-feed screw driving tools for decking contractors.
In September, Simpson Strong-Tie was recognized by Pro Tool Innovation Awards for its commitment to product improvement and innovation, receiving acclaim in the specialty drill bits category for the Deck-Drive DCU screw plug solution and in the drill/driver attachments category for its Quik Drive PRODW drywall system.
“Manufacturers are consistently improving their tools. Each year, however, some exceed the norms and develop products which truly deserve recognition,” says Clint DeBoer, executive director of the Pro Tool Innovation Awards. “Business owners, builders, contractors and tradespeople really need to understand which products can help them work smarter and more efficiently. Often, they can also save a lot of money in either material costs or time savings, and that innovation goes straight into their pocketbook.”
Top Simpson Strong-Tie product innovations for 2018 included:
- The Quik Drive PRODW Drywall System, an auto-feed screw driving system for drywall applications.
- Stainless-steel Titen HD heavy-duty screw anchors (THDSS), large-diameter screw anchors for use in corrosive interior or exterior environments.
- The Deck-Drive DCU screw plug solution, a hidden deck-fastening system comprising the premium DCU Composite screw, the DCU screw plug and an Auto-Set Driver bit.
- The code-listed SET-3G high-strength anchoring adhesive, formulated for threaded rod and rebar installation and bonding in a range of temperatures and conditions.
- An expansion of the Outdoor Accents decorative hardware line creating a collection of connectors and fasteners that provide both structural strength and design to outdoor-living structures.
- The Yield-Link connection, designed to expedite structural steel connections made in the field by eliminating the need for field-welding without compromising structural strength.
- The SCS seismic bypass framing connector, a hybrid seismic clip engineered for either slide-clip or fixed-clip applications in high-seismic areas, and it has undergone full-scale cyclic research testing.
- The BTH brick tie, a product capable of connecting brick and stone veneers to light-frame construction across spans of up to 3-inches.
- The patent-pending MMHC hinged roof connector, featuring a hinge that rotates to help modular builders construct stick-frame roofs in the factory that will fold flat during shipping.
- The SHH steel header hanger, engineered to reduce drywall buildup and screw count when installed to support cold-formed steel box headers and large-flange lay-in headers used in curtain-wall construction.