Steel fabrication is one of the basic methods in building and machine construction. Steel products can be prefabricated, cast, or custom fabricated. Custom steel fabrication is a specialized skill that requires years of long training and trial and error to master. Thru experience and knowledge, one will be able to do custom steel fabrication.
Most commercial building fabrication prefer custom fabricated steel to get exact measurements and avoid cutting and wasting small pieces of metal. Since custom steel fabrication involves exact measurements of the construction plan, you are less likely to produce scrap metal and maximize every material that you purchase.
The following are only some of the uses of commercially fabricated steel:
- Structural foundations and designs
- Steel pipe fabrication
- Fencing and gates for homes and buildings
- Metal artworks
- Mechanical Parts
- Furnitures
- Ornamental decors
As stated above, there are more uses for fabricated steel than just construction. It can also be used for car parts, ornamental decorations, furniture and more. If you are a custom steel fabricator, you should also try to venture the latter. Most people who own automobiles find OEM replacement parts way out of budget. If you can fabricate custom aftermarket parts at cheaper prices, you will likely be sought by these people and improve your market scope.
People are often overwhelmed with designing steel products, thinking that it is a hard job. Though it requires a lot of time and effort, it is not as hard as you think and it is actually a lucrative industry.
For construction, here are the basic concepts to remember to fabricate high quality steel beams, keeping the quality and durability in mind:
- Dead loads (D) are those which are always present. Think of a concrete slab, or the weight of a wall. Those loads are always present and do not change.
- Live Loads (L) are typically occupancy type loads. You are a type of Live Load in the structure you are in right now. American Society of Civil Engineers publishes a book (ASCE 7) with guidance for the amount of live load that should be used for different structures.
- Roof Live Loads (Lr) are similar to Live Loads, but are specific to the roof and are typically related to construction or maintenance activities.
- Snow Loads (S) are exactly want they sound like, loads cause by snow. Local building codes often dictate the appropriate ground or design snow loads to use. These are typically basic loads. Drift and unbalanced conditions should be accounted for as needed.
- Other Loads are less common in beam design but can include Wind (W), Seimic or Earthquake (E), Rain (R), Lateral Earth (H), etc.
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