Understanding the Processes behind Structural Steel Fabrication

26 March 2021

One type of metal that is often used in a lot of industries is structural steel. Industries such as construction, mining, manufacturing, energy, transport, automotive, and shipbuilding all utilise structural steel due to the material’s accompanying benefits and features. With the right processes, this specific material can be used to create items like beams, girders, plates, ladders, platforms, stairs, rods, pipes, fittings, transmission towers, wind turbines, and pipelines.

Structural Steel Fabrication Processes

Before fabricating structural steel into different products, it is first formed out of raw iron ore.

This specific material is often crushed and sorted first so that the manufacturer can maximise the best types and grades of iron. Once the first step is done, the iron ore will then be loaded into a furnace and heated. This process helps in eradicating impurities and other similar elements. Ultimately, the molten ore is removed from the furnace and heated again to integrate other elements. These elements help in improving the overall qualities and characteristics of the material.

As for the fabrication of structural steel, there are numerous steps that are being done. The first step is cutting. Cutting can be done by utilising laser cutters, plasma torches, and water jets. During the cutting process, structural steel may undergo sawing, shearing, chiselling out of the mentioned materials. The next step would be bending, which is intended to give structural steel a specific form. This process can be done through press brakes, tube benders, or other hammering tools.

The final step of the structural steel fabrication is assembling. Assembling involves the gathering of fabricated structural steel sections to form a complete structure. Welding, riveting, threaded fasteners, and other similar activities can all be done to finish the assembly of structural steel.

Significant Benefits of Structural Steel

Structural steel boasts tons of benefits to different industries and their accompanying applications. For one, this material is durable and long-lasting. Structural steel can effectively resist corrosion and elements that can be damaging to other materials. Even fire cannot easily destroy the properties of structural steel, making the material safe throughout its service life

This material likewise has a high strength to weight ratio, which makes it easy for industries to utilise it for numerous applications. This great feature allows the material to be adaptable and flexible, enabling it to be fabricated into any shape, size, and form. It is also lightweight, making it perfect for applications that can be sensitive to weight specifications.

Another benefit of structural steel is that it is cost-effective. Compared to copper, silver, aluminium, and other common metal materials, structural steel is much more affordable given that its whole formation and fabrication process does not require a lot of time and money. Even the energy used in creating the structural steel parts and materials is minimised significantly. And as its service life ends, it can be recycled again. This benefit alone makes parts and products out of structural steel to be eco-friendly.

To know more about structural steel fabrication, feel free to contact us at Sharp Welding and Crane Hire.