Publisher’s version / Version de l'éditeur:
Canadian Building, 9, 1, pp. 22-24, 1959-02-01
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Modular co-ordination cuts design and building costs
Kent, S. R.
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no. 58
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NATIONAL RESEARCH
CANADA
DIVISION OF BUILDING
COLTNCI[,
RESEARCII
Modular co-ordination cuts design and
building costs
b y
A N A T Y U
F D
STANLEY R. KENT
Assistant Professor, School of Architecture University of Toronto
REPRINTED FRO]II CANADIAN BUILDER
Vol. 9, No. l, January 1959, p.22-24.
TECHNICAL PAPER NO. 58
of the
DIVISION OF BUILDING RESEARCH
OTTATTA
FEBRUARY 1959
NRC 5o65
. LIBNARY
-i , -i , { I 0 1959
ilA?IO]IAT RESEARCHffiul
A r c h i t e c l K e n t ( r l i s m o d u l a r c o - o r d i n a l i o n ' s s l a u n c h e s t c a m p a i g n e r i n C a n a d a . H e i s m o d u l a r c o n s u l t a n t t o O t l a w a ' s D i v ' n . o f B u i l d i n g R e s e a r c h , h a s o r g a n i z e d a m o d u l a r e x h i b i t w h i c h D B R u s e s a i l r a d e s h o w s . A n d h e regularly carries lhe
c a u s e i o a r c h i l e c t u r a l a n d b u i l d i n o c o n v e n f i o n s ( t h e latest: CCA's an-nual m c e l i n g
i n M o n l r e a l t h i s m o n f h ) .
Gcoltrcy Fuzer
Modular co-ordination cuts design and
by Prof. Stanley R. Kent,
Scbool of Architectue, Uniuersitl ol Torcnn.
SURELY EVERY BUILDER looks to the day when he can ;'ick up the telephone and order any common building com-ponent, knowing that is a stock size and that it will fit with other components in his building. And surely every manu-lacturer in the building industry looks to the day when he can stabilize his production by not having to make a large variety of sizes for common building.
Unco.ordinqled Components
The reason why this is not so today is that the building industry originated with the master craftsman, traditionally a fitter of components. Since site cutting and fitting has been the accepted way, manufacturers size components to
suit themselves. Vhen glass was relatively expensive and difficult to cut, it was supplied to window makers in round inch sizes. They sized their millwork to avoid cutting glass. So sash, frame and ultimately wall opening were all fixed by glass size. The result: no relationship to natural brick oPenlngs.
rVhat are the natural brick openings ? Clay bricks were first sized to suit a mason's hand grip and lift. But hands seem to be changing. First North American bricks followed the English 3,, x 4tt x )', size; today's are one third smaller And Ontario bricks, for reasons unknown, are between the two. So there are many natural openings, and much cutting and fitting.
In the lumber industry, plywood appears to derive its 4' stze f rom the logger's cord. The unusual size of American glazed cerarnic tile, 4V4" * 41,/4", has been obtained from placing a square diagonally within a 6" x 6" square. The only advantage claimed for this size is that only eight tile are required to set up a square foot rather than nine of the 4't x 4" English tile.
Many stock sizes of insulating glass, made by one Ca-nadian manufacturer, have come from large orders of a v'indow manufacturer for units to fit his oatented wood sash and frames. The frames derived their sizei from the standard American brick. Here was co-ordination, but its application was restricted to patented sash and American brick.
These few examples demonstrate that no consideration is given to establishing a pattern of sizes that will assist the builder in adding components together without unnecessaq' cutting or fitting. The only way this problem has been sim-plified is by providing an ever increasing range of sizes for playing a selection game.
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M o d u l o r r o n E e o f c o m p o n e n l s i n which size of any single com-p o n e n t or sizes of comcom-ponents in any single range are com-pari of a c o - o r d i n a i e d r a n g e o f sizes. T h e f r a m e w o r k r e s u h s fr o m c o m p o u n d i n g of modular sizes arranged horizonlally and verlically.
Sonne
definitions:
S f o n d o r d modulor spoce grill ,. a reference space grid w i l h planes spaced at the standard module o{ 4',. Sfondord m o d u l a r conponent has slandard or speci{ied dimensions w h i c h , when used with its ioinl {its lhe slandard modular s p a c e g r i d . Manulacture dimension: manufaclurer's cafa-l o g dimension may deviacafa-le within specif ied cafa-limits due to u n c o n t r o l l a b l e f a c t o r s in manufacture. lt's set ouf on drawing w i t h u n d e r s l a n d i n g that deviations will be taken up by the i o i n f . S f o n d o r d r n o d u l o r d i n e n s i o n : ( a ) dimension used o n c e or repeafedly is a muliiple of standard module o{ 4 " . ( b ) sum cf a manufacture dimension and ioint. D e v i o l i o n : the difference belrveen an actual dimension, a n d fhe corresponding manufaclure dimension. Dif{erence m a y be positive, negalive, or zero. Lirnif dimension : m a x i m u m p e r m i l t e d oversize dimension (upper limit). or u n d e r s i z e dimension (lower limit), relalive lo manufaclure d i m e n s i o n . Toferonce: difference belween permitted over-s i z e ( u p p e r limit) and permitied underover-size {lower limil).
building costs
Standards Association; the Manufacturers' Association of Sweden; the British Standards Institution; and other groups in la- countries participating in a joint project on m;duftr co-ordination.
Modulqr Ronge of Sizes
For adding components together, there has to be a com-mon denominator, such as 4r,2r,6rr, Lrr. But if this deno-minato.r is large, say 4't, and this is applied to all cornpo-nents in their three dimensions, imaeine how wasteful of space and inflexible would be the planning and design. If the denominator is small, say 1r,, then thEre still exists a
rcan metal window manufacturers to reduce the number of window sizes from 30,000 to 300; Italian manufacfurers of prefabricated residential floor joists to reduce dimensional vafiety from 46 types to 7 types; and a Canadian manu-facturer of precast sills to cut production costs.
lhe modulor Erid
i s a n imaginary_ r e f e r e n c e s p a c e g r i d wilh planes spaced af the s l a n d a r d 4" module. A modular component, ilus ifs assembly ioinf, exacfly fils the grid, never creeps oui of position in if.
Modulor Conponenls
atio_n, unless the joint is an interlocking type like tongue and groove. By establisbing this standard, tbe builder -can order modu.lar components in 4,t rrtultiples and know proper allou,ance bas been made for tbe installation joint.
Co-ordinqfion : U.S. ond Sweden
$Zith such a lz:tional system havirig been worked out,
In spite of these facts, the building industry, one of the nation's largest and widespread over the entire arca of. Cana_ da, has made great strides toward co-ordination. Greater headway, however has been made in smaller countries; notably Sweden. Here manufacturers banded together and co-ordinated over 100 of the common building components -windows and frames, doors and frames, kitchen iabinets and counters, mechanical and electrical equipment, and masonry. A 10 centimeter (3 LiAerr) module is used.
Conqdion co-ordinotion
In Canada, the conditions for co-ordination in building are among the most favorable in the wodd. Here's why: 1) The 4't modular system has been proven in Canadian, American and European building, as the best method. 2) The geographical distribution of the major building activity is confined to eight distinct localities and so com-munication and organization for a change-over are greatly assisted.
3) The modular concept is being accepted by a growing number of companies, both Canadian and U.S. subsidiaries. 4) The 'most-repeated' components, masonry bricks and blocks, are lacking Canadian standards for sizes, and as many manufacturers are now seeking standard sizes, the way is clear to adopt modular.
\Tithin the last year, three latge, clay brick manufactur-ers have begun producing modular units, and there are in-dications that others will soon follow.
Should you or shouldn'l you ?
If you are a builder and wonder whether or not you should jump into modular co-ordination, then consider these
easily hidden factors which run uP yout building costs. Do the bricks you're using, which because of their size are fewer per sq. ft. of wall to buy and slightly less to lay than a smaller modular unit, cause many fractional dimensions for openings and increased costs in purchasing and installing orindo*s, window sills, doors, and milk boxes ? Do you find costly job errors result from the use of fractional dimen-sions ? Do you find excessive waste from cutting materials to make them fit ? Do you look to the day when you can order any common building comPonent and know it is stock size which will fit with other comPonents ? Tben ask for modular dimensioned' contponents front your supplier'
If you are a manufacturer, then consider these factors. Can you use your machines for long production runs, or perhaps continuous production, or are they being used as large and expensive hand tools ? Do constant changeovers to different sizes cause delays in deliveries ? Is the next new size going to be a 'white elephant' as it is 'unfitable' ? Are you looking for storage sPace to keep your multiplying num-ber of sizes ? Are your inventory costs rising ? Do you look to the day when production will be stabilized ? Then ntake loar com\onents tnodular to a modular range of sizes, (
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How modulor dimensions
control conponent size:
S i z e o f m o d u l a r c o m p o n e n l s is p r i m a r i l y d e p e n d e n i o n c o n f r o l o f s l a n d a r d m o d u l a r s p a c e g r i d . M o d u l a r c o m -p o n e n i s are of modular dimensions s u c h a s i | b y 8 b y 1 9 " , 2 % b y 4 b y l L " i 5 l / 3 b y 4 b y 8 " i 4 8 b y 9 6 b y 1 " . F r a c -i -i o n a f d -i m e n s -i o n s a r e m o d u l a r b e c a u s e lh e y f i t a m u l f i p l e o l 4 " , i . e . , 1 6 " .
omponenl and ils ioint. Therefore, component size and ioinl r c e e d modular dimension.
r componeni, assume a manufacture dimension and a ioinf r l a r d i m e n s i o n s 8 b y 8 b y 1 5 " m a y h a v e a m a n u { a c l u r e s i z e r r d m o d u l a r c o m p o n e n t o f m o d u l a r d i m e n s i o n s 4 8 b y 9 6 b y r by l" with a ioinl on iwo sides ol l/16" and a ioint of 0" o n i h e i h i r d .
N e x i c o n s i d e r a l i o n is f e a s i b i l i t y o f a c c u r a t e l y m a i n l a i n i n g m a n u f a c i u r e s i z e i n m a n u f a c t u r i n g c o m p o n e n i , a n d whaf deviations from manufaclure dimension is reasonable pracfice consislenf wiih quality manu{acture, bearing in m i n d t h a i a s m a n u { a c f u r e d i m e n s i o n i s i n c r e a s e d ioint dimension musl be decreased (as fheir loial musl remain lhe s a m e ) a n d , l i k e w i s e , a s m a n u f a c i u r e d i m e n s i o n i s d e c r e a s e d ioinl d-imension m u s i b e i n c r e a s e d .
fi {or example, permitled fole.rance is plus or minus l/g" in 75/e bv 75/g by .15 l5/15" unit, upper limif would be 73/o" wilh ioinl becoming l/4't1 lower limit would be 1t/z"..with ioint becoming.t/r"."
Manufacfurer must now decide whelher iolerance o1 l/a't in manufacture dimension causinE a 50"/o variafion in t h e ioint size, is good praclice {or assembling of fhe produci, then vary lhe assumed manufacture dimension or de-viaiions accordingly.
