Tension shade workshop in Orlando Oct. 26, prior to IFAI Expo Americas 2010

Tim Collins, a 20-year veteran fabricator from Queensland, Australia, and other shade structure professionals will be demonstrating the design and fabrication of several shade sails—as these shades get installed on the second floor pavilion of the North Concourse of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., U.S.A., the same building that will house IFAI Expo Americas 2010, Oct. 27-29. There is no cost to attend.

In addition to Collins, the following professionals are scheduled to attend:

• Timothy Akes, U.S. representative for MPanel Software, will discuss and demonstrate AutoCad and MPanel and how they are used to design and engineer a tension shade;
• Barry Jamieson, director of Polyfab Australia, will recount the development in the early 1990s of Australia’s first range of heavy-duty knitted shadecloth with shade factors over 90 percent to protect people from the ravages of UV exposure.

Tentative schedule:
12:00 noon—Introductions/welcome
12:30-1:00 pm—The tension shade concept/history
1:00-2:15 pm—Designing a shade sail/fabric selection/using software
2:15-2:45 pm—Break
2:45-3:15 pm—Cutting panels/sewing/attaching edge webbing or cable/hardware selection
3:15-4:00 pm—Installation of shade sails

For more information, or to signify your attendance at the workshop, please e-mail steve@polyfab.com.au.

Source: Polyfab Australia