- 11-hour reduction in demolding times — significantly higher bed throughput
- Up to 32% material savings by eliminating mix overdesign
- 50% fewer cylinder breaks needed for QC compliance
- Full CalDOT (California DOT) compliance maintained throughout
- Real-time curing data integrated directly into production workflow
Introduction
Con-Fab, a leading manufacturer of prestressed concrete products, supplies essential components for infrastructure development including bridge girders and parking structures. To maintain their industry leadership and commitment to quality, Con-Fab needed to overcome significant operational challenges — prolonged demolding times, material inefficiencies, and the high costs of frequent testing — all while adhering to CalDOT’s stringent standards.
Challenges
1. Prolonged demolding times
Extended demolding times significantly limited production throughput, creating a critical bottleneck in operations. Every hour a bed was occupied waiting for strength confirmation was an hour of lost capacity.
2. Excessive material use due to overdesign
Overdesigning products led to unnecessary material usage and increased costs. Without real-time performance data, there was no way to know how much extra material was actually needed.
3. Costly and frequent cylinder testing
Frequent cylinder testing to ensure quality and compliance added considerable expense and time delays to the manufacturing process.
Sensytec’s Solution
Sensytec addressed these challenges by integrating SensyCast sensor technology directly into Con-Fab’s precast and prestressed production process — providing real-time curing data, optimizing demolding times with accurate strength readings, and identifying areas of material overdesign.
Key Results
Conclusion
Through the strategic integration of Sensytec’s sensor technology, Con-Fab overcame operational challenges and established new standards for production efficiency, material savings, and quality control — all while maintaining full CalDOT compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much faster did Con-Fab demold beds with Sensytec?
Con-Fab safely reduced demolding times by 11 hours per bed, significantly increasing production throughput.
What products does Con-Fab manufacture?
Con-Fab is a prestressed concrete manufacturer producing critical infrastructure components including bridge girders and parking structures.
How did Sensytec reduce Con-Fab’s material costs?
By providing real-time strength data, sensors revealed where mix designs were overdesigned, enabling up to 32% material savings without compromising structural integrity.
Did Con-Fab’s Sensytec deployment meet DOT requirements?
Yes. Con-Fab maintained full CalDOT (California Department of Transportation) compliance while implementing Sensytec sensor technology.
How much did Con-Fab reduce cylinder testing?
Con-Fab reduced cylinder testing by 50% by using real-time sensor data as the primary QC source for production decisions.