West Chester, Ohio - October 27, 2025 – ClarkDietrich, North America’s largest manufacturer of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing and accessories, has launched its new ProSTUD® Motion Frame Connector, designed to accommodate omnidirectional displacement and mitigate noise associated with the movement of steel framing members. The product was first introduced at BUILD25 earlier this year and is expected to be a game-changer for high-rise buildings.
“High-rise buildings can be prone to swaying during high wind events, which can produce unwanted noise from steel-to-steel contact. This product significantly reduces that noise, creating a quieter and more comfortable environment for the building’s occupants,” said Ryan Reed, category manager for ClarkDietrich.
ProSTUD Motion Frame Connector was developed in tandem with a group of researchers at the University of Exeter who replicated the force of wind on a building and studied the impact it has on non-structural wall systems. The team found that non-structural wall systems fall victim to stiction, which results in the notorious creaking noise often heard in high-rise buildings, especially during high-wind events. ProSTUD Motion Frame Connector helps to eliminate this noise by eradicating the effects of stiction on the steel members in the wall assembly.
The injection-molded soft body component easily twist-locks into the stud and is retained within the C-head track for easy installation. The ProSTUD Motion Frame Connector is designed to work with ClarkDietrich’s ProSTUD Drywall Framing System and can be used in both new construction and retrofit applications. It is UL-rated for a two-hour fire-rated non-load bearing CFS stud wall.
Currently, ProSTUD Motion Frame Connector is available in 2 ½" and 3 5/8" depths; 4" and 6" profiles are expected to launch in early 2026.
To learn more, visit clarkdietrich.com/products/motion-frame-connector.