RAT Chat - Getting to Know System 600

If you have been following the conversation around Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), you may have heard the name System 600 coming up. But what exactly is it, how does it work, and what could it mean for the frame and truss sector?

FTMA recently hosted a webinar with the team behind System 600 to give members an introduction to the system and where it is heading. For those who couldn't attend, here is a quick overview.

What is System 600?

System 600 is being developed by Building 4.0 CRC. It is an approach to industrialised construction that uses standardised interoperable building components and design rules to make construction more repeatable and efficient. It’s essentially a kit-of-parts approach where the design of the kit is governed by a set of fixed rules.

The name comes from the 600 mm planning module that underpins the system. Rather than designing every component specifically for each project, System 600 establishes standard dimensions and rules that allow products to be manufactured repeatedly and used across different buildings.

The aim is approximately 80% standardisation, while retaining flexibility for the remaining 20% to respond to individual projects, sites and architectural requirements.

Importantly, System 600 is not about manufacturing an entire building in a factory. It is about breaking a building into a series of repeatable products that can be efficiently manufactured by multiple different manufacturers and assembled on site. 

Why this approach?

The System 600 team has looked closely at international MMC projects and the challenges some have faced commercially. Highly automated factories and fully volumetric construction can require significant capital investment, complex logistics and highly customised manufacturing processes.

System 600 takes a different approach: use the manufacturing capability that already exists.

This is particularly relevant to Australia's frame and truss industry. Manufacturers already have established facilities, equipment, skills, engineering capability and supply chains across the country.
The opportunity is to connect that existing capability with new housing markets.

How does it work?

System 600 is currently focused on four-to-six-storey Class 2 buildings, including apartments.

The structural system includes standardised timber wall frames, with a range of wall lengths and configurations being developed. The approach also incorporates standardised solutions for floors, facades and services.

The system also separates elements that are likely to change between projects from the underlying structural products. For example, wall finishes can vary without requiring the structural frame to be redesigned.

Services are similarly being separated from the structural wall system through prefabricated bulkheads, reducing the amount of plumbing, electrical and other services running through wall panels.

Where does timber fit?

Timber, I believe, is central to the current System 600 approach, particularly through the development of standardised wall-frame products.

The system is not necessarily restricted to timber, with other materials able to be considered where they meet the required performance criteria. However, the existing Australian timber frame and truss manufacturing network provides a strong foundation who already are offering a 2D kit-of-parts.

The System 600 team is also interested in moving beyond basic frames into higher-value panelised products, including partially and fully enclosed wall panels.

For manufacturers, this could create opportunities to undertake value added activities.

And what about floors?

Floor systems are still being developed.

For the current Class 2 application, System 600 has been working with a 170 mm CLT floor solution, providing a relatively simple approach to structural, fire and acoustic requirements.

However, the team recognises that different applications will require different solutions. As the system expands into Class 1 buildings such as terraces and duplexes, there may be greater opportunities for timber cassettes, trusses and conventional joisted floors.
This is an area where industry input will be particularly valuable.

What does this mean for FTMA members?

System 600 is still developing, which means there is an opportunity for manufacturers to collaborate and influence what the final system looks like.

The team is seeking practical input on manufacturing capability, product specifications, tolerances, connections and potential panelised solutions.

There is also a real project pipeline emerging. Homes NSW is progressing a Residential Flat Building program based on System 600, with approximately 750 apartments planned in the first wave. The opportunity is now extending nationally, with the Australian Government committing almost $40 million to support the trial and scaling of open, interoperable kit-of-parts housing systems across states and territories. Together with the NSW Government’s $6.6 billion Building Homes for NSW program, this points to a significant market opportunity for manufacturers and suppliers able to participate in a more standardised, repeatable housing delivery model.

For the frame and truss sector, System 600 provides a potential pathway into new mid-rise and multi-residential markets using capability that already exists across Australia.

Meet the System 600 team

Professor Daryl Patterson is Chief Product Officer at Building 4.0 CRC and brings more than 28 years of experience across design, construction, development, technology and applied research. He has been instrumental in advancing mass timber and industrialised construction in Australia and has advised on more than 20 mass timber projects internationally. Daryl is also a founding proponent of Building 4.0 and has worked extensively at the intersection of industry, research and technology to improve productivity in construction.

Leah Singer is Head of Supply Chain and has 20+ years of experience across the construction industry supply chain, working with government agencies, developers, contractors, consultants, manufacturers and industry organisations in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

If you would like to learn more about System 600 or discuss how your business could become involved, the Building 4.0 team is keen to hear from industry. Interested parties are encouraged to register their interest on the Building 4.0 website where you will also find contact details. A new website is also in the pipeline which will provide regular updates on the initiative. 

Click to System 600 Questionnaire

FTMA is also working with the team to develop a technical workshop for members in the coming months, providing an opportunity to explore the system in more detail, ask questions and provide practical feedback on the manufacturing requirements.
Keep an eye out for further information from FTMA about how you can get involved.

Watch the recent webinar with System 600