Concrete forms
There are many types of concrete, many ways of forming it and many uses for EPS foam along the way. Using Hotwire cut foam can facilitate custom designs on concrete counter tops, decorative architectural cast stone, GFRC columns and fireplaces, ArcusStone, insulated wall panel systems, and form insert liners.
save labor, time, and money without compromising on your finished product.
Decorative Precast Concrete
Using EPS foam instead of the traditional wood, fiberglass, steel and other mold materials can save labor, time, and money without compromising on your finished product. EPS forms also are a space saver since the forms do not need to be stored because they can be easily and accurately re-produced at any time in the future from the CAD drawings.
Precast Concrete – GFRC Shop example
A precast shop that wants to do just basic foam molds should start with the 8600 or 8700 CNC. Both are designed to hold up very well in a dusty environment with features like hidden bearing and guide rods, dust flaps, and a positive pressurized power unit to keep dust away from the critical mechanical and electrical components.
To add the capabilities of making bowls for fountains, planter molds, and turned pieces the Rotary Axis is needed along with the turntable and bowl cutter attachments. To continue straight doorway trim around an archway the 3000 shaper is required. The 3000 Shaper also is used for column caps and bases as well as larger arches.
If your shop is doing balusters in a limited quantity you could make molds on the 86/8700 with the bowl cutter attachment for one or two molds now and then-it works, but it is not as high production and easy as the 2000 Internal Lathe. The internal lathe can do custom balusters and columns. The 6300 glue gun is also an essential in a precast shop for splicing parts together.
Foam cut with a CNC Cutter with a Straight Wire is an alternative to building forms with traditional wood
EPS Form Liners
This documents a section of the bridge construction on U.S. Highway Route 12 in the southeastern Washington town of Waitsburg. Hotwire Direct became involved through a local concrete contractor who wanted to try foam as an alternative to building up the traditional wood forms for the form liner. The only machine used on this project was a CNC cutter with a straight wire.
creating outstanding properties in both commercial and residential buildings
Concrete Slabs
The strength of concrete combined with the insulation value of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam creates outstanding properties in both commercial and residential buildings. Energy efficiency is one of many benefits obtained with these systems.
