Forte: Elegant tension elements for lightweight structures
The Forte product line connects ropes and tension rod systems in stainless steel. This provides a wide range of components with uniform dimensions which can be combined. This premium range enables architectural solutions which carry high loads yet are slender in design.
Forte opens up a large and creative range of possibilities. In any application requiring lightweight construction paired with a high-quality stainless steel design, Forte solutions from Jakob Rope Systems can be used as the tension elements. The comprehensive Forte range is now available. A new catalog provides all details of this premium product line.
This allows structural designers and engineers to combine elements from the wide range of components available in the Forte product line. Here they will find all the components needed to integrate tension ropes in the diameters 8 to 26 millimeters and tension bars in sizes M8 to M36 into their construction project.
Applications for transparent building
Forte enables lightweight and elegant designs to be constructed, reducing the need for solid building elements. This allows transparent construction with slender structures and a visually exciting and timeless look.
Himmelhausmattesteg Trubschachen (Switzerland). Suspension bridge with rope nets as substitutes for suspension ropes. Supporting ropes Ø 26 mm, tension rods M36 and Forte.
For the lightweight construction of a suspension bridge in Emmental, Forte tension elements provide a slender structure and exceptional stainless steel design. The high-quality material effortlessly resists the fluctuating climatic influences over a long service life. The ropes and rods installed here demonstrate the versatility of the Forte product line.
Hanging gardens, Station Courtyards in Aarau (Switzerland). Hanging gardens, Station Courtyards in Aarau (Switzerland). Horizontal suspension ropes Ø 14 mm with Forte M24.
Forte is already well-proven in green planting installations across numerous projects. Here, designed as elegant suspension rope systems, the tension elements span outdoor courtyards and internal building atria. Forte is used to bear substantial tensile loads, working elegantly as a structural element in the background. This allows the green plants to come to the fore.
Ibex enclosure, Dählhölzli Bern (Switzerland). Support ropes with Forte M16 – M26 and toggles.
In the Dählhölzli wildlife enclosure in Bern, Forte systems support Webnet structures made of slender elements across various span widths. This gives the wildlife enclosure a transparent look, with a clear view of the animals and their surroundings. The supporting elements blend elegantly into the background here too. The Forte components provide a robust yet open construction, avoiding the need to use solid materials.
Goodwood Festival, Westhampnett (UK). Tensegrity structure. Rope Ø 6 – 26 mm, Forte M12 – M36.
A Tensegrity installation in Great Britain utilizes Forte to create a design of ropes and rods which really uses the potential of the material and the engineering to full effect. The Forte tension elements used here were manufactured by Jakob Rope Systems for the installation in such a way that the sculpture is self-supporting and balanced. Forte allows this installation to float.
Quality and certified manufacturing
The tension ropes and rods within the Forte range allow small diameters to be used while at the same time also bearing substantial loads across the required spans. To achieve this balance between slenderness and force, the Forte product line components are subject to high requirements in terms of quality and load capacity.
All Forte components are milled from high-grade stainless steel. Their one-piece design and manufacture ensure they have the correct strength for the application. The precise CNC manufacture also allows consistent dimensions across all components within the product line. This means they can be combined freely, simplifying design work. As part of various construction type approvals, Jakob Rope Systems carries out continuous production inspections. These are supplemented by audits from various independent testing bodies.
Services support every step
To provide the best possible support to users of Forte solutions, Jakob Rope Systems also provides services to complement the product line. Even at the planning stage, and when selecting the correct components, Jakob product specialists are already available to assist. Users can also access the know-how of Jakob for detailed specification support and requirements for anchor points and connecting components.
Jakob will then use the Forte components selected by the customer to manufacture the complete system, where all Forte elements are adapted to the required dimensions and acting tensile forces. Once Forte solutions are installed, regular inspection and monitoring is appropriate for some projects. This is also covered by the service offering of the Jakob product line. This provides customers with detailed measurement data regarding the forces acting on the structure and the condition of the construction project implemented using Forte.
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The Forte product line combines high-quality ropes and tension rod systems. This creates a wide range of combinable components with uniform dimensions.
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Jakob Rope Systems offers approval valid throughout Europe for a large number of products from the Forte series and from the range of forks and external threads swaged. This is confirmed by the ETA certificate 21/0536.
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What actually happens to the many Jakob ropes that leave our production facility in Trubschachen to destinations all over the world? A special project with wire ropes from Trubschachen was installed at the Goodwood Festival in the UK this summer.