Product FAQs

The clamps are available as off-the-shelf items and offer a guaranteed safe working load with a factor of safety.

No, however load indicating washers or torque indicating bolts may be used if required by the client.

A wide range of components are kept in stock so orders received before 12.00 PM    can typically be shipped the same day. For assemblies where hardware and location plates are required we generally ship within 5 to 7 days from receipt of order.   When these lead times are not sufficient, please contact us to discuss further options.

The system is almost maintenance free. We recommend periodic visual inspections in a similar manner to inspections that would be carried out on bolted and welding connections.

When high loads are applied to steel to steel connections there is the possibility of prying action regardless of the method used to join the members together. If this is a concern in your application contact LNA Solutions and our engineers can examine the application and determine if any prying will occur based upon the steel and the load being applied.

The clamps are manufactured from a ductile material so the clamp tends to form to the harder steel rather than bite in to it.

Load values are derived from a series of physical tests. The safe working load figures include a Factor of Safety, this is the ultimate load divided by the factor.

The clamps can carry tensile, shear, frictional and multiple loads. We recommend the use of our BY Clamp when high frictional load conditions are required.

We recommend that components not be re-used once they have been subjected to loading.

The location plate serves two purposes.  First, by pre-drilling the holes to suit the flange widths of the sections being connected the plate ensures that the edge of the bolt and the clamp are firmly positioned against the edges of the beams being connected.  Second, the location plate also provides a reaction point for the rear tail of the clamp to rest upon.

Generally, the lifetime of the clamps is the same as the steel to which it is clamped.  The Clamps are Hot Dip Galvanized so they have excellent corrosion resistance but this would be down to the exact environment that they are in.

Dissimilar metal problems may occur depending upon the metals and the environmental conditions. Humidity or coastal locations for example could create a situation where dissimilar metals react adversely whereas an application where steelwork is in a dry environment may not create problems. LNA Solutions can provide a variety of material types and product finishes that can be applied to provide a barrier between metal types.

Corrosion rates for all types of steel vary depending upon the environmental conditions. Severe atmospheric conditions and humidity or coastal locations will produce a quicker rate of corrosion than an application where the steel is in a dry environment.  LNA Solutions can provide a variety of product finishes that can be applied to withstand a wide range of site conditions.

Our BeamClamp Configurator available within our resources section of this website provides you with a tool to design your own connection. The configurator takes you through a variety of basic questions about your connection and then providing it is within the capability of our system it provides you with a full detailed drawing that can be either stored for a project or sent through to us for pricing. If your connection is outside the capability of the software our Engineers are on hand to tailor a connection to your needs.

The two main approvals we have for BeamClamp are Lloyds Register (LR Type Approved) and for our BA/BB/BF1/BG1/BH1 we also have Deutsches Institut fur Bautechnik (DIBt Approval). These approvals provide test data to back up the loading tables we provide on this website and in our technical brochures.

Our BA/BB/BT/BW/BY Clamps all have a specific tail length that are given as dimension E in our technical information. The tail length is used in combination with the thickness of our packing shims to ensure the clamp can connect as close to 90 degrees to the steel flange as possible. Our BA and BB Clamps have three tail lengths 1,2 and 3 and our BT/BW/BY Clamps have two tail lengths. A calculation chart is available in our catalogue or in our resources section under “Specifying Beamclamp”, alternatively if you need assistance please contact our technical department.

No. If the correct torque as recommended when using our clamps is applied to tighten the bolts then the pre-tension is sufficient that the bolts will not work loose. The connection is as reliable as a standard bolted connection and if locking devices are preferred for additional peace of mind then these can be used as they would be with a standard connection.

The exact amount you can save by using clamping will depend on the individual circumstances but please see our section BeamClamp v’s Traditional methods for a typical example. There are also major benefits that come with clamping that cannot be quantified with a cost, these are; Adjustability, Guaranteed load every time, No Hot work permits, No damage to existing coatings and structure and no access or power issues.

A clamped connection can be as strong as a welded connection but the major benefit a clamped connection provides is a guaranteed connection every time without the reliance on the skill of a welder.  A clamped connection only requires the drawing to be followed when installing and to apply the correct torque to for a guaranteed connection.  No additional site proof testing is required like it is with a weld which reduces the time and cost on site.

Our section “Why use BeamClamp” will provide all the answers but in short it is because of the following:  No site power required, Steelwork is not weakened, Site adjustments can be easily made, Protective coatings are not damaged, no hot work permits are required, it is clean and requires no remedial work, labor and installation costs are reduced.

It is important that the tail length of the clamp combined with packing shims are very close to the thickness of the steel flange to ensure that the clamp sits as close to 90 degrees as possible.  It is not always possible to get an exact match and if not we always suggest the clamp and packing shim dimension to be slightly less rather than higher. This means the clamp will tilt very slightly backwards but ensure it is not loaded on the nose.  See our section on “Specifying BeamClamp” for details.

A clearance hole for the outside sleeve of the BoxBolt is required to make a connection. This is given in our technical information as diameter C. Please refer to the individual product page for this correct hole size.

The exact amount you can save by using a BoxBolt will depend on the individual circumstances but please see our section “BoxBolt v’s Traditional methods” for a typical example. No special tools or equipment are needed to make a BoxBolt connection and it can be made with unskilled labour.

The BoxSok provides a much quicker method of installation for the BoxBolt. The BoxSok eliminates the need for having a wrench to hold the collar and having a separate wrench to tighten the core bolt. The BoxSok is a double socket that allows torque to be applied to the central core bolt and resists the collar from spinning at the same time. This device can save a lot of installation time on site when installing large quantities of BoxBolts.

The BoxBolt is available in three lengths per diameter to make it suitable for varying thicknesses of steel. The length is determined by using dimension X on our technical information to suit the total thickness of steel that will be connected together. The clamping range (Dim X) does overlap from size 1 to size 2 and size 2 to size 3 to allow for flexibility.

The Boxbolt is available in Bright Zinc Plated for the less corrosive environments, Hot Dip Galvanized for the more corrosive applications and a Stainless Steel finish for the most arduous of locations.

You will need to know the diameter of BoxBolt that you wish to use, this may be determined already or you may need to refer to our technical loading tables and review the tensile and shear capacities. Once you have this information you will need to know the overall clamping thickness of your connection. This is the total amount of steel you need to connect together, once you have this information you can then select the correct length BoxBolt by referring to dimension X on the technical table. Our clamping ranges overlap but as long as your thickness is within this range then the product will be suitable. If you are concerned about the hole sizes, how close to put the BoxBolts or potential for them to clash if connecting from more than one side then please also refer to our technical tables or contact us directly.

Yes. The BoxBolt can be easily removed after it has been installed. This involves loosening the core bolt and unscrewing it until it becomes loose.  If you do not want the cone to fall on the inside of the connection be careful not to unscrew the core bolt too far. Then using a ball bearing splitter or tapered fork device force this down the back of the collar and prise out the BoxBolt. A brand new BoxBolt will be required to make the connection again.

We suggest that all floor panels are connected in each corner and at spacings along the side of no more than 23.5” (600mm).  This is the test specification that was used at TUV when the Floorfix and Gratefix were tested for vibration conditions.  This is a guideline however we realize that due to floor plans it is not always possible to use this spacing exactly.

Under normal circumstances the Floorfix would not drop off the end of the screw.  For added security a locking pin or nylon nut can be used on the end of the screw, in these instances we typically supply a longer screw.

The Floorfix/FloorfixHT/Gratefix products have all been tested at a TUV Laboratory for vibration conditions in the horizontal and vertical axis. These tests were designed to simulate vibrations that would be created from walking, driving and machinery on the floors. All the products passed the testing and the certificates are available on request.

The FloorfixHT (High Tolerance) provides all the same benefits as the standard Floorfix but it has more flexibility for when the supporting steel is newly erected and could move due to construction tolerances. The FloorfixHT has a much larger clamping range of up to 1” (25mm) and also allows for the supporting steel to move from its intended centre line of +/- 1/4” (6mm).

The Floorfix provides a way of fastening down Durbar/Chequer plate steel flooring without the need to have access to the underside of the floor. It clamps the steel floor directly to the supporting steel without the need to drill, tap or weld to the supporting steel. The steel floor panels can be positioned on the steel without having to worry about holes lining up and can be easily lifted for maintenance.

The Gratefix provides a way of fastening down Grating without the need to have access to the underside of the grating panel. It also clamps the panel directly to the supporting steel without the need to drill, tap or weld. The Grating panels can be positioned on the steel without having to worry about holes lining up and can be easily lifted for maintenance.

Yes. Brackets can be secured underneath the nut of the BL Flange clamp to support building services from.

Yes. The BL Flange Clamp can be provided as an assembly with a bolt already installed for clamping directly to the steel or we can supply the two clamping pieces separately so that a longer bolt or threaded bar can be used instead.

Yes. By using a set at the top and a set at the bottom of the connection the threaded bar can be locked at the desired angle up to 10 degrees from vertical.