Are you a contractor who's curious about the process of structural steel fabrication? If so, you are in the right place! This blog post walks you through what goes into fabricating structural steel from start to finish. By the end of it, you should have a good understanding of how it all works. Keep reading to find out more.
Step One: Drawings and Design Specifications
The first step in the structural steel fabrication process is creating drawings and design specifications. These documents will provide your fabricator with all the information they need to create your project — including dimensions, materials used, welding requirements, finishing processes, etc. This step is incredibly important because it ensures that everyone involved in the fabrication process has a good understanding of the aims of the project.
Step Two: Cutting and Shaping Steel
Once design specifications are finalised, the fabricator can begin cutting and shaping the steel according to those specifications. Depending on the complexity and size of your project, this may involve using machines such as saws or lasers for precise cuts, more manual methods such as grinding or bending, or a combination of both. The goal here is to create parts that meet your exact requirements — so accuracy is key.
Step Three: Welding
Once all the parts have been cut and shaped according to design specifications, they must be welded together in order for them to form a cohesive structure. This is typically done using either an arc welder or a MIG welder (depending on which type of welding best suits your project). The fabricator will make sure that every joint is properly welded together before moving on to the next step.
Step Four: Finishing Processes
Finally, once all the pieces are welded together into one structure, it's time for finishing processes such as painting or galvanising (which helps protect metal surfaces from corrosion). This step helps ensure that your structural steel looks great when completed and provides protection against rusting or other damage over time. Once these processes are completed, your structural steel is ready for delivery.
Conclusion
Structural steel fabrication may seem intimidating at first — but it doesn't have to be. Hopefully, you now have an understanding of how this complex process works from start to finish so that you can confidently take on any projects that come your way. For more info, contact a company that produces structural steel today.