Stainless Steel Creation at the MotorCity Casino

On September 6th, 2007, the brand new MotorCity Casino establishment is hard to miss; a pair of large, stainless steel hang from each side of the building creating ribbon-shape curves that runs from each end of the building. It was the concept of automotive designer Chip Foose from Huntington Beach, California.

It is a large, remodeled version of the Chevrolet Bel Air's drip molding, a metal strip that keeps the water from pouring inside of the car during rain. But this version is about ten feet tall and was made in thirty foot sections that weigh about twelve thousand pounds. The rail ended up using 400,000 pounds of steel to construct.

Ken Lerg, the chief operating officer at Quality Metalcraft in Livonia said that nobody wanted to be involved with the project. Quality Metalcraft also was not applying for the job until Foose asked the company. He had worked with Quality Metalcraft with automotive related projects and knew the quality of the company's work regarding sheet metal.

The only problem is that the company had never done anything in a building but it did not stop the company from trying to make Foose's vision. Thomas Sundberg, the executive director of architectural business development for Quality Metalcraft said that their beginnings as an automotive based company helped them a lot with the project.

They have benefited from having the constant practice in manipulating metal sheets into new forms and making sure that it will pass the stress of the road. The company has to restructure some of their operations so that they can handle the project, get some additional space and commission 50 people for the project.

Michael Chetcuti, the chief executive of the company said that if you spend more money on it, they could accomplish it. But he said that they wish to be competitive so it is out of the question.

It is already been one year and the steel project for the MotorCity casino is almost done. The company is hoping to put the final part on September 15th, 2007 at 9:15 p.m.

Designers are confident that it will fit because they are making the metal in their shop before it is put in the building. Out of forty-seven parts that have been fitted, only one had to be fixed because of a bracket problem.

To avoid the same kind of mistake, the designers measured carefully each beam on site, the replicas were put in their new place and the wing pieces were made to fit. Designers also utilize computer aided design software to create and visualize the 880 sections of the stainless steels in the building.

The final total will likely exceed 1,000 when the project is finished. Chetcuti said that the project is still constantly changing and it is a like a sculpture. The three sections which measures ninety feet tall were put down, with a new one being put in place.

The wing, piping and the other pieces that are holding it up is made of stainless steel. Chetcuti said that the problem of making sure that the wing will hold up is the same as hanging two Hummers at each side of the building. Ken Lerg that they are expecting the structure to stay up for a long time.

10/10/2007 03:30 PM