When to Look for Engineered Panel Profiles

By Anna Lockhart. 

Some projects do not require tested profiles. Keep reading to learn how to determine what situations call for testing.  

In the metal roofing industry, testing product performance and quality is very important to ensure the quality of the materials and overall project that will result from using certain materials or installation methods.  

The words testing and engineering are often used interchangeably in the industry and refer to the process engineers go through to properly determine the performance of materials and installation methods in different conditions. Not all companies offer panel testing or engineering for profiles from certain brands, and sometimes such testing isn’t needed. When looking for testing, it’s important to know that brands that manufacture portable rollforming machinery, like New Tech Machinery, do not provide testing for industry standards; the actual coil manufacturers are the ones that do the testing.  Let’s discuss some quick ways to determine if engineering is actually needed in different scenarios.  

Commercial versus residential work 

Whether you’re working on a residential project or a commercial building, a great way to find out more about the specifications of the metal panels you’re interested in using is to contact the coil supplier and ask what testing and inspections they have already done on their materials. Finding out this information can help determine what products are best suited for residential versus commercial projects, as residential projects usually do not have as many requirements as commercial work. Because of this, engineered profiles are needed more in commercial work than in residential.  

Required by architect 

Architects will often supply their panel requirements for a job, if they have any, during the bidding process. It’s important to check over these specifications during this time to make sure your company can meet the expectations and testing requirements they have requested. Knowing what engineering your coil supplier does will help in determining if you would be able to adequately meet the architect’s requirements or not.  

Weather protection requirements  

Another reason to pursue engineering panels is if there are specific weathertight assurances that need to be met in a project. Mostly applicable in commercial projects, these testing requirements guarantee a roof meets the expectations that the metal roof system will withstand harsh weather conditions up to a certain standard.  

It’s important to know where to go when looking for engineered panel profiles when working with metal roofing. To learn more about the process and who to go to for help, check out New Tech Machinery’s guide though the process.