Is Steel Fabrication Useful to the Construction Industry?

Steel fabrication plays a big role in the construction industry. When prefabricated steel components are used in a structure, assembly becomes speedier on site. Steel fabrication can be carried out at your local fabrication shop to ensure precision and high quality. Keep in mind, on site fabrication does not necessarily mean poor quality. As long as the proper methods of steel fabrication are closely followed with knowledge and expertise, on site work can be accomplished with a high degree of success. In most instances, on site fabrication is quite common because it reduces the costs of handling and transport.

The structural steel fabrication process

In the course of fabrication, structural steel must pass through a series of operations. From cutting to machining, there are several steps steel goes through to reach final assembly. When structural steel fabrication is carried out in the fabrication shop, the surface area is cleaned properly to remove mill scale and rust. Following surface preparation, steel is cut to required lengths and widths. Various cutting technologies may be undertaken; the fabricator uses his or her better judgment to determine which among the cutting technologies would be the best option for the job on hand.

• Plasma cutting is a cutting technology that is used on electrically conductive surfaces. Cutting energy is produced electrically in an arc between the work piece and the tungsten electrode. Ionized gas enables the conduction of an electric current while a high velocity of plasma jet melts the metal work piece to produce a very clean cut.
• Cold sawing for structural steel applications involves mechanical tools with some degree of computer control. Mechanical saws can either be circular, band or hack and are usually driven by an electric motor.
• Punching and drilling are steel fabrication processes that require a range of machines to form holes that will be used to connect to the structural framework. The traditional equipment used is the drilling machine, however it is not always the best option for large scale production.