Field Erected Air Handling Units | 4 Good Reasons to Assemble an Air Handling Unit On-Site

In 20 years of business we have been involved in supplying nearly 100 Field Erected Air Handling Units.  They come in all shapes and sizes and are used in lots of different applications.    

Here are the top 4 reasons why field erected units make sense:

1. They Fit –  It’s very typical that worn out air handling units exist in the bowels of a building.  They  cannot be replaced by a traditional factory built unit.  Site Assembled Units  are typically rigged through elevators, hallways and doorways.  This construction technique often allows for a larger unit to be built in place to increase capacity.
2. They Fit Better –  Available mechanical space is maximized by incorporating existing columns, beams and bracing into unit design.  Units can be built to the full extent of the space. 
3. They Cost Less – Yes,  believe it.  If you include unit, rigging and install cost, then field erected units usually cost less than factory built units.  
4. They have Shorter Lead Times  –  Lead time for a site-assembled unit is always less than a factory built unit.  Lead times are reduced to the timing of the longest lead time item like fans or coils.  4 to 6 weeks is possible for a custom field erected unit.

Assembling the air handling unit in place provides a cost-effective installation of the preferred air handling system in the preferred location without additional project costs (like knocking down walls) or unacceptable technical sacrifices.

Field erected air handling units utilize the same high quality components used in factory assembled units.   Panels and extrusions that makeup the casing system, equipment sub-assemblies and structural unit base sections are factory fabricated exactly as for a factory assembled unit.   These pieces are sized and transported on skids to accommodate the rigging limitations of freight elevators, door sizes, hallways or low ceilings, minimizing the impact on existing structures.   Field erected units are final assembled under the direction of factory trained supervisors.

In the end it’s very difficult to distinguish a field erected unit from a factory built unit. 

More questions on field erected air handling units;  askRick