Pleasanton, Calif. — Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, continues its evolution of holdowns with the launch of the HDUE holdown. As a one-to-one replacement for the company’s industry-leading HDU, the HDUE holdown secures shearwalls, braced wall panels and other lateral-force-resisting applications in wood construction. The HDUE improves on existing holdowns with breakthrough innovations to meet the higher design demands of today’s residential structures, such as three-story single-family homes with more windows and reduced area for shearwalls.
The patent-pending HDUE holdown is a game-changer in several ways. Most notably, its four largest sizes combine angled fastening and perpendicular fastening; this engages the screws in both tension and shear, allowing for higher load capacity while reducing the quantity of screws required. In addition, the teardrop-shaped holes permit selected fasteners to engage and distribute the load more evenly, and optimized screw patterns reduce splitting at the end of the post and maximize individual fastener capacity.
The HDUE also features a predeflected (rounded) seat, which reduces deflection under load. An overlapping back plate increases steel strength and helps prevent post splitting. In addition, for the higher capacity holdowns, the back plate design is shifted where the angled screws are installed, preventing mis-installation and ensuring a precise connection.
“Since we launched the first holdown in 1966, we’ve improved on our original design several times over to continue meeting our customers’ needs. With recent advancements in design and manufacturing technology, we saw an opportunity to innovate once again and address the challenge of increasing load demands in the market,” said Bryan Wert, director of product development for Connectors & Lateral Systems at Simpson Strong-Tie. “This new HDUE product line replaces our entire HDU series, bringing modern enhancements and superior performance to one of our flagship products.”
The HDUE is fast and easy to install with Strong-Drive® SDS Heavy-Duty Connector screws, which reduce fastener slip and allow wood posts to maintain a greater net section than bolts.
This new product line features six models with a wide range of load capacity to accommodate today’s construction needs.
To learn more, visit www.strongtie.com.
About Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc.
Simpson Strong-Tie is the world leader in structural solutions — products and technology that help people design and build safer, stronger homes, buildings, and communities. As a pioneer in the building industry, we have an unmatched passion for problem solving through skillful engineering and thoughtful innovation. Our structural systems research and rigorous testing enable us to design code-listed, value-engineered solutions for a multitude of applications in wood, steel, and concrete structures. Our dedication to pursuing ever-better construction products and technology and to surrounding our customers with exceptional service and support has been core to our mission since 1956. For more information, visit strongtie.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedI.
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