Megapress as the economic alternative to welding
In Nuremberg, Germany, the former Sebastianspital nursing home – a building classified as a historical monument – has been converted into a "temple of the muses" and now houses the Nuremberg University of Music. However, the basic redevelopment of such a historical building harbours a wealth of special challenges. In terms of the heating installation using black pipes, this was reflected specifically in the numerous wall lead-ins or the historical ceilings involved. This is because the conventional welding process under such construction conditions is often extremely complex and immensely hazardous.
The welding of black steel pipe however, has something of superb craftsmanship about it. This is clearly evident at the specialist trade company Maier & Georgs Nachf. GmbH based in Nuremberg. The company's employees are simply long-standing masters in the art of welding: "We do it well, and we make sure that we will continue to do so!“ The traditional company must therefore have really good reasons to change course and now make the case for using a press connection system for black pipes.
The benefits of pressing
These reasons, in particular, are supplied by the Viega piping system, Megapress, with its decisive advantages in comparison to conventional black-pipe welding. For example, work had to be conducted just under the brick/plaster constructions of historical ceilings. For statical reasons, these were dropped further and given new sound insulation panels. Every centimetre in the construction counts. Welding under such constructional conditions is only possible with an extremely large degree of complexity. Using Megapress, however, means that even where space is very limited, the large connectors of up to two inches can be reliably pressed with the hinged press jaw – even overhead.
Is there a future for Megapress at Maier & Georgs? "The decisive factor here is that Megapress now gives us an economic alternative to welding. Welding is a fine art. Sometimes, the effort involved is not worth it however. For example, where urgent repairs have to be carried out, on construction sites where keeping to deadlines is extremely important or when working in a historical building. Here, at the latest, Megapress will be used again …", according to the Nuremberg construction specialists.