Steel is vital to modern construction, from multi-story buildings to public transportation infrastructure. The material can be 100% recycled repeatedly without losing its beneficial properties, contributing to resource conservation and global sustainability. Structural steel fabricators are responsible for transforming various structural steel profiles, each of which has unique applications.
Learn more about the main stages of the structural steel fabrication process, the different fabrication techniques, and their common applications.
Key Stages of Steel Fabrication
A structural steel fabricator is a company that specializes in turning raw steel into finished structural steel parts. Starting with raw steel beams, plates, or columns, fabricators transform them into specific sizes and shapes using various processing methods, such as welding, bending, cutting, and assembling. The required processing techniques depend on the construction project’s engineering specifications and drawings. Fabricators also ensure that all steel components meet strict safety and quality standards.
Here is an overview of the six key steps to structural steel fabrication:
- Design and planning. The first stage is to develop engineering specifications and drawings outlining the exact dimensions and requirements of the structural steel parts. A bill of materials (BOM) is also created, listing all the steel components needed to complete the project. At the same time, the project plan budgets, schedules, and determines the required resources and equipment.
- Material acquisition. Fabricators procure the necessary steel plates, columns, beams, and other raw materials from various suppliers.
- Fabrication. Fabrication most commonly comprises cutting, drilling, bending, and welding. Using plasma cutters, circular saws, or other cutting equipment, structural steel fabricators cut the steel to specific sizes and shapes. Holes are drilled if the drawings call for bolts or other fasteners. Fabricators use plate bending and roll bending to bend steel to design specifications. Joining components together to create the final assembly, fabricators utilize robotic welding and assembly machinery.
- Quality control. Verifying that the steel components meet the necessary specifications, fabricators perform visual inspections, dimensional inspections, and non-destructive testing (NDT) to identify hidden defects.
- Finishing. The steel components are sandblasted to remove any surface impurities and prepare the parts for future processing. These finishing processes include painting or corrosion-resistant coating application.
- Delivery and installation. Structural steel fabricators transport finished steel products for customers to use on various construction sites. There, the components are typically assembled using rivets or bolts.
The main factors that contribute to a successful fabrication project include:
- Experienced, certified fabricators
- Using advanced technology and equipment
- Accurately interpreting engineering drawings
- Strictly complying with quality standards
Advanced Steel Fabrication Techniques
Structural steel fabrication consists of many different forming techniques to create intricate three-dimensional products for virtually any application. These advanced techniques can add more value and long-term performance to structural steel components.
Cutting
Cutting tools cut steel sections, plates, and channels based on the thickness of the metal. Cutters can cut raw metal stock into the right dimensions for different projects. Some common types of cutting equipment are band saws, plasma cutters, and oxy-fuel cutters.
Welding
Welding processes—such as MIG, TIG, and tungsten arc welding—can permanently join multiple steel pieces into a single unit.
Bending
Fabricators bend flat structural steel stock via roll bending, plate bending, section bending, or tube bending. These processes create angles or curves according to the component’s design specifications.
Forming
Similar to bending, forming uses press brakes and other machinery to change two-dimensional pieces of metal into three-dimensional forms without removing or adding material. Structural steel fabricators can use forming and welding together to create oversized steel sheets.
Machining
Machining processes are subtractive—they cut away or remove excess material to create a new shape. Examples of machining processes include drilling and grinding, which can be done with portable tools or at stationary CNC machining centers.
Coating
Structural steel fabrications benefit from protective coatings like primers or zinc galvanization to prevent corrosion. Fabricators can also apply specialty paints for aesthetics and protection from moisture.
Quality Check
This final process includes thorough inspections to guarantee product quality before the components go out to customers.
Applications of Steel Fabrication
Structural steel fabricators play a vital role in construction, supplying the frameworks and foundations for a variety of applications:
- Infrastructure and road construction, including bridges and overpasses
- Architectural facades
- Energy and mining applications
- Transportation, including trains and vehicles
- Industrial and civil projects
- Utilities
- Distribution warehouses
Learn More About Steel Fabrication From Delta Steel
Structural steel fabrication is essential for everything from breaking ground on new infrastructure projects to creating structural components for cars and appliances. Partnering with a high-quality structural steel fabricator can make all the difference in your next industrial or construction project.
At Delta Steel, we’re committed to providing comprehensive structural steel fabrication products and services across the United States through our network of distribution centers. We have over 60 years of experience as a one-stop supplier, serving multiple major industries with innovative steel fabrication capabilities. Request a quote to get started on your project.