Semiconductors

MEGASLAB introduced a high-performance 6-inch concrete slab, compared to the originally specified 9 inches with rebar. It also replaced an ordinary 5,000 PSI slab with a +6,000 PSI MEGASLAB.

This thinner design without rebar allowed for faster prep, placement and curing of the concrete, speeding up the whole construction process. As a result, the entire building timeline was shortened, saving both time and money.

Manufacturing facilities like Wolfspeed’s are places of intense activity, with heavy machinery anchored to the slab and substantial loads moving across the slab 24/7.

Wolfspeed also uses portable robots called automated guided vehicles (AGV) to transport heavy materials around the large industrial space. The AGV traffic and weight create a lot of abrasion on a typical concrete slab, leading to damaged floors.

MEGASLAB provides a more durable surface that can withstand the repeated path of the AGVs due to its higher abrasion resistance.

Ordinary concrete with joints every 12 to 15 feet that curl can cause damage to the wheels of manufacturing equipment like AGVs, leading to premature wear and tear and inefficient operations. Slab repairs and machine maintenance can lead to costly downtime for a facility like Wolfspeed’s.

MEGASLAB’s extended joints remain smooth and virtually curl-free over time, reducing the amount of stress on the machinery for optimal performance and reducing disruptions caused by downtime, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

Wolfspeed’s sustainability commitment is well documented. The company is built on the power of energy-efficient silicon carbide and strives to drive change that transforms communities, industries, and the world by powering more and consuming less.

MEGASLAB enables Wolfspeed to uphold its sustainability commitment since its efficient design results in fewer concrete trucks, less carbon- intensive cement, and no rebar. MEGASLAB’s longer-lasting concrete also reduces the need for repair or replacements, lowering the carbon footprint of the concrete over its lifetime.

In total, MEGASLAB reduced the embodied carbon of the concrete used in the slabs on ground by over 40%. In addition to the lower embodied carbon footprint from the initial installation of MEGASLAB, there will be efficiencies found in daily operations due to the smooth, flat jointless surface.

Wolfspeed required a dense, durable floor slab to ensure operational efficiencies. MEGASLAB was able to deliver an innovative product that achieved this, while also significantly reducing the embodied carbon footprint of the facility.