M.E. and M.E.E. External: adjustable panel support

28 August 2026

M.E. and M.E.E. External: adjustable panel support on concrete and steel structures

During the erection of precast concrete panels, the support configuration must be defined in relation to the load-bearing structure on which the panel will be installed.

Where the structure is prepared during casting, the bearing point can be integrated directly into the concrete. In other cases, the bracket must be externally attached to an existing structure by means of anchor fixings, bolting or welding.

This difference affects the design of the panel, the preparation of the structure, the geometry of the recess and the operations to be carried out on site. Selection therefore concerns not only the load capacity of the bracket, but also the way in which the support is integrated into the complete joint.

The M.E. Hercules Bracket and M.E.E. External address these two conditions through different configurations. The former uses a Tube Box embedded in the concrete structure, while the latter is externally fixed to concrete or steel structures. In both cases, the panel is prepared with the Screw Box required to bear on the bracket.

Browse the sections dedicated to the M.E. Hercules Bracket and M.E.E. External.

The technical issue: integrating the support into the structure or applying it externally
M.E.: support integrated into concrete structures
The Tube Box as the interface between the structure and the bracket
M.E.E. External: fixing to existing structures
Concrete and steel require different fixing methods
The panel recess must be defined during design
Millimetric adjustment: the same objective with different configurations
From design to erection: how the operating sequence changes
Load capacity and adjustment do not replace joint verification
M.E. or M.E.E. External: integration with the structure is the selection criterion
Frequently asked questions about M.E. and M.E.E. External

The technical issue: integrating the support into the structure or applying it externally

The choice between M.E. and M.E.E. External must be made during coordination between the load-bearing structure and the precast panel.

With the internal M.E. Hercules Bracket, the support forms part of the configuration established before casting. The Tube Box is embedded in the load-bearing structure and remains available for insertion of the bracket during erection.

With M.E.E. External, no Tube Box is integrated into the structure. The bracket is attached to the surface of the structure using a fixing system compatible with the material present.

The two solutions are not simply different ways of installing the same component. The interface with the structure, the preparation of the panel and the sequence used to complete the joint on site all change.

M.E.: support integrated into concrete structures

The M.E. Hercules Bracket consists of three coordinated components: the Tube Box, bracket and Screw Box.

The Tube Box forms the load-bearing component embedded in the concrete structure. The bracket is the free, removable and adjustable component inserted into the Tube Box during erection. The Screw Box is instead embedded in the panel and creates the point through which the vertical load is transferred to the bracket.

The configuration can be used to support panels from columns, load-bearing walls, beams or slabs, provided that the structure has been prepared to receive the Tube Box.

The design advantage lies in the continuity between production and erection. The position of the support is defined before casting and coordinated with the reinforcement, the geometry of the structure and the specified panel level.

The standard M.E. is intended for panels with a thickness starting from 10 cm and is available in versions with rated capacities ranging from 2 to 15 tonnes. The variant must be selected according to the vertical load, the joint geometry and the insert configuration.

The Tube Box as the interface between the structure and the bracket

The Tube Box does not merely provide a housing. It is the component through which the bracket is integrated into the load-bearing structure.

Its position must be coordinated with the structural axes, erection tolerances and local reinforcement. Reinforced and semi-reinforced versions are available for use according to the space available and the configuration of the structure.

During casting, a foam insert protects the internal space against the ingress of concrete. During erection, the protection is removed and the bracket can be inserted dry.

This configuration avoids projecting components during production and transport. The bracket is added only when it is required, while the space needed for engagement remains prepared within the structure.

Final accuracy nevertheless depends on the correct positioning of the Tube Box. Bracket adjustment accommodates the specified tolerances, but does not replace correct insert design and positioning.

M.E.E. External: fixing to existing structures

M.E.E. External addresses a different condition: the support is attached to the surface of the load-bearing structure without embedding a Tube Box in the concrete.

M.E.E. External provides two principal fixing methods:

M.E.E. for welding or bolting, intended for steel structures;
M.E.E. for anchor fixing, intended for concrete structures.

The use of an external bracket therefore allows the panel to be supported where the geometry or material of the structure points towards a surface-mounted fixing.

M.E.E. is available in nominal 0.5 and 10-tonne versions and is intended for panels with a thickness starting from 6 cm. The panel configuration must, however, be specifically prepared for this solution.

Concrete and steel require different fixing methods

For steel structures, the external bracket can be connected by welding or bolting. Its position must be checked against the geometry of the section and the actual panel level before the fixing is completed.

For concrete structures, M.E.E. is fixed with anchors. The configuration must comply with the requirements concerning distances, concrete strength and fixing positions.

M.E.E. should therefore not be regarded as a component that can be applied in the same way to any support. The plate and bracket geometry change according to the intended fixing method, as do the checks required on the structure.

The material of the load-bearing structure therefore becomes one of the first selection criteria, together with the possibility of preparing the support during casting.

The panel recess must be defined during design

The panel must also be prepared with the Screw Box that receives the bracket support screw in the external configuration.

M.E.E. nevertheless requires a larger housing recess than the one used for M.E. The forms used to create the recess in the panel are specific to this configuration and must be included during production.

This means that M.E.E. cannot be regarded as a solution that can be added without modifying the panel design.

Although the bracket is externally fixed to the structure, the relationship between the bracket and panel remains defined by:

the position of the Screw Box;
the dimensions of the recess;
the thickness of the panel;
the level of the bearing point;
the available adjustment range.

The possibility of externally attaching the bracket therefore does not eliminate the need to coordinate the joint before panel production.

Millimetric adjustment: the same objective with different configurations

The Ercole system is designed to provide precise control of the panel position during erection.

In the M.E. configuration, the bracket allows adjustment of the bearing level, projection and centre-to-centre position of the element, accommodating residual tolerances between the panel and the structure.

M.E.E. External instead has a specific adjustment geometry. M.E.E. External differs from the Welded M.E. because it allows in/out adjustment, but its adjustment ranges and methods must not automatically be treated as equivalent to those of the internal M.E.

Adjustment must be assessed for the actual variant being used, taking account of the initial bracket position, the Screw Box and the method used to fix the bracket to the structure.

The positioning dimensions must be checked on site before M.E.E. is welded, bolted or anchor-fixed. This check is essential because, once the bracket has been fixed to the structure, the position of the plate becomes the reference for panel adjustment.

From design to erection: how the operating sequence changes

With M.E., the sequence begins by preparing the Tube Box in the structure and the Screw Box in the panel. On site, the bracket is inserted into the structure and adjusted to the level required to receive the panel.

With M.E.E., the critical stage is instead the verification of the actual position on the structure. The bracket is positioned temporarily, the dimensions are checked and only then is it welded, bolted or fixed with anchors.

The panel can then be installed on the bracket and adjusted according to the specified configuration.

The main difference can be summarised as follows:

M.E.: the support is prepared internally within the structure during casting;
M.E.E. External: the support is externally fixed to the structure during erection.

The objective remains the same: to create an adjustable and controlled bearing point. What changes is the stage at which the interface with the structure is established.

Load capacity and adjustment do not replace joint verification

The availability of a bracket with adequate load capacity is not sufficient to define the system.

Selection must coordinate:

the vertical load transferred by the panel;
the material and geometry of the load-bearing structure;
panel thickness;
the fixing method;
the Screw Box and housing recess;
reinforcement and concrete strength;
the actual dimensions measured on site.

Ercole brackets are designed to support vertical loads. They must therefore not be used to apply horizontal actions.

The joint must be designed by considering the vertical support and the other expected actions separately, without assigning the bracket functions for which it was not designed.

M.E. or M.E.E. External: integration with the structure is the selection criterion

The M.E. Hercules Bracket is suitable for concrete structures in which the support can be prepared using a Tube Box embedded during casting.

M.E.E. External instead allows the bracket to be attached to the surface of concrete or steel structures using anchors, bolts or welds according to the material present.

There is therefore no universally preferable solution. Selection depends on how the support must be integrated into the structure and on the level of preparation possible before erection.

In both cases, adjustment must be considered part of joint design: insert positions, recess geometry, support level and fixing to the structure must all be coordinated before installation.

Explore the supporting systems for precast elements developed by B.S. Italia for different load-bearing structures and erection conditions.

Frequently asked questions about M.E. and M.E.E. External

What is the main difference between M.E. and M.E.E. External?

M.E. uses a Tube Box embedded in the concrete structure during casting. M.E.E. is instead externally fixed to the structure by welding, bolting or anchor fixing.