New Product Flash: Thread By Steelcase

Steelcase has introduced Thread, a power system designed to provide any carpeted space with power where and when people need it. Most traditional building construction was not designed to meet the extreme demands for power today, leaving many occupants in search of power. Access to power in many workplaces and education facilities remains scarce.field-service-management

Steelcase researchers saw workers choosing uncomfortable places to work and study all to gain access to power for their mobile devices. They saw people sitting the floor, climbing under furniture, and even taking phone calls in the restroom, all to power their devices and get work done.

steelcase_threadA challenge is that seamlessly bringing power to all spaces has been time consuming, complex, costly, and rigid, without flexibility for future needs. Thread works around these hurdles. The system transforms a carpeted floor into a power source. The first of its kind, patented system runs power through an ultra-thin modular track designed to be laid under carpet. The track attaches to a low-profile connector and a standing power hub or adapter. Standing power hubs allow workers to access six standard outlets. Thread is a one circuit, 20 amp system, allowing enough power to support laptops, mobile devices and even powered furniture and collaboration devices. As users demand, each power hub can be moved to a different connector throughout the space.

There are multiple ways to that power might be routed through a building—the most common being inside a wall (where a typical wall outlet is then visible); outside a wall (where conduit is visible, like might be found on concrete walls); or from floor boxes. Thread is capable of connecting to all of these power sources, but connecting the Thread infeed to a floor box is not recommended, since it might create a potential trip hazard. The infeed track begins with a universal connector that allows an electrician to connect to any standard ½” product for wiring (flex conduit, rigid conduit, etc.)

The Thread power system can be installed easily in any new or existing building and provides organizations future flexibility for change in workplace design. The system is fully UL/cUL certified and ADA compliant.