Steel fabrication is a complex and precise process requiring a high degree of skill and experience. The steel industry relies on steel fabricators to produce quality products that meet the demands of their customers.
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Steel fabricators are an essential part of Australian industry and play a vital role in its success.
Steel fabrication is building structures by cutting, bending, and assembling steel. It is a fundamental process in constructing buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure. Steel fabrication is also used in the manufacturing of equipment and machinery.
As one of Perth&#;s leading steel fabrication companies, we&#;ve put together this guide to steel fabrication, including the variety of different processes used. Each has its own advantages and applications that are important to understand.
Read on to learn more about steel fabrication.
What Is Steel Fabrication?Steel fabrication is a process used to create steel structures and products from steel sheets and plates. Steel fabrication involves cutting, bending, and welding the steel into desired shapes and sizes.
The steel industry is one of the most important in the world, and steel fabrication plays a key role in its success. Steel fabricators use a variety of machines and tools to fabricate steel, including laser cutting equipment, plasma cutters, oxy-acetylene torches, and welding machines.
On an industrial level, most metal fabrication is now carried out using CNC machines &#; computer-controlled machines &#; that can create precise shapes. Structural steel fabrication is one of the biggest applications of steel, used to construct buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure. It is also used in the manufacturing of equipment and machinery.
What Is the Difference Between Fabrication and Manufacturing?The primary difference lies in the end user. Manufacturing processes use raw materials or prefabricated components to create complete products to sell, while fabrication is about building a product that manufacturers can use.
Manufacturing includes five general categories: Repetitive, Job shop, Discrete, Continuous, and Batch. Meanwhile, fabrication entails a range of metal processes, including cutting, punching, welding, folding, machining, shearing, and stamping. It also encompasses the design process that precedes the physical processing.
Custom fabrication also stands in contrast to manufacturing, as custom steel fabrication focuses on creating metal components to specifications, rather than mass production.
What Is Custom Steel Fabrication?Custom steel fabrication is the process of creating steel pieces designed with exact specifications. These pieces are used anywhere from steel construction beams to delicate steel decorations.
Custom steel fabrication utilises a wide array of industrial tools and equipment to cut, bend, roll, or join steel into intricate shapes and complex constructions. Steels such as carbon steel and stainless steel are most commonly used.
During the process, steel is cut into desired sizes and formed into shapes by manipulating it in specific ways, such as bending or joining pieces together. Next is forming the steel through rolling or press braking, using the mechanical force of specialised equipment.
Last is the assembly and finishing of the product. After the steel pieces are moulded and cut into their intended shapes, the parts of multi-element steel products are assembled and joined. Depending on the design, the finished product may have nuts, bolts, rivets or fasteners, or rely entirely on welding to assemble.
What Are the Advantages of Using Steel for Fabrication?Steel fabrication allows manufacturers to create strong and durable products, and steel fabricators produce products essential for industries like construction, transportation, and aerospace.
The main advantages of using steel for fabrication are:
The primary materials used in steel fabrication include:
The steel fabrication process involves three primary steps: design, fabrication, and assembly. These are usually done within the confines of one fabrication shop as a holistic service.
A range of metal processes are used in steel fabrication, and these can generally be sorted into four categories: reduction, cutting, welding, and shaping. Each of these processes may be achieved using a variety of techniques: for instance, cutting includes traditional oxy-acetylene cutting as well as plasma cutting and laser cutting.
Learn more about common steel fabrication processes below.
Reduction ProcessesReduction processes involve taking parts of the material away through specific methods, like cutting pieces away or punching them out using a machine. There are four main types of reduction process used in steel fabrication: shearing, punching, blanking and notching.
ShearingShearing is a process that involves trimming and removing excess material from the steel. It can be done using a high-end machine or tools like a bench shear to cut through steel with high precision.
Since steel is generally sheared at room temperature or while it is still cold, no heat is produced, which means there aren&#;t any waste materials in the form of chipped materials.
PunchingPunching is the process of punching a hole through steel, done by placing the steel sheet between the punch and the die. When materials are in place, the punch moves down onto the die, which causes the steel underneath to be &#;punched.&#;
There is another process that falls under punching called &#;nibbling,&#; which is used to achieve custom hole shapes. This method makes a series of tiny holes one at a time.
BlankingBlanking is similar to punching and is the process of punching specific shapes or strips of material away from the steel. The pieces punched out are referred to as the &#;blanks,&#; from which the name of the process comes. This process is usually necessary for hardened steel, carbon steel, or stainless steel.
Although blanking is a quick and cost-effective method of producing many identical pieces of steel, these pieces may have deformities such as burrs or cracks at the edges. Using quality tools and post-processing can mitigate this.
NotchingNotching is a steel fabrication process closely related to shearing that uses a punch press to cut unwanted material from the outer edges of a steel workpiece.
There are a couple of notching processes, each using different mechanisms to remove material from the edges. An example is &#;Tube Notching,&#; which is done on hollow steel workpieces to remove excess material. Another is &#;End Notching,&#; which removes material from the ends of a hollow steel workpiece.
Metal Cutting ProcessesMetal cutting processes focus on separating pieces of steel from each other. These methods usually require heavy and precise machinery to create complex shapes and compositions.
The most common and effective steel cutting technique used today is laser cutting. In the past, results were more contentious when choosing between laser cutting vs plasma cutting. However, the power and speed of today&#;s laser cutting machinery make it the stand-out metal cutting method.
Laser CuttingLaser cutting is a process that uses a laser to cut steel. Laser cutting is fast, precise, and can be used to cut materials of many thicknesses. Laser cutting has revolutionised how we do many things. It can be used for many materials, providing high-quality work quickly with very little waste.
Laser cutters use a laser in combination with various compressed gases to generate a laser that will burn or melt a material to cut it. There are two main types of laser cutters: CO2 laser cutters and fibre laser cutters.
The most common type of laser cutting is CO2 (carbon dioxide) laser cutting. However, CO2 laser machines aren&#;t suited for cutting or etching reflective metals, meaning that their applications are limited.
The other type of laser cutting is fibre laser cutting, which is the superior choice for steel cutting applications. The other advantage of fibre laser cutting is how fast and accurate it is. When it comes to fabrication, accuracy is one of the most critical aspects, and this is where laser cutting far outperforms other steel cutting methods.
Plasma CuttingPlasma cutting uses a plasma torch to cut steel. Plasma cutting is faster when cutting through very thick pieces, but lacks precision and accuracy, and causes heat damage to steel.
Plasma cutting is best for cutting very thick steel plate where precision and accuracy isn&#;t a priority. The main applications for plasma cutting are in the automotive and construction industries, where rapidly breaking down heavy metal pieces is the goal.
However, plasma torch cutting is becoming less and less popular for fabrication and manufacturing applications, since it is far less precise and causes more damage to the metal itself.
Oxy-acetylene CuttingOxy-acetylene cutting is a traditional metal cutting process only suitable for certain types of steel. Oxy-fuel torch cutting can cut very thick metal using less fuel than a plasma cutter, which makes it cost-effective, but it lacks precision.
Oxy cutting is typically reserved for cutting mild steel since this cutting method can only be successfully done with metals containing oxides with lower melting points than the base metal it&#;s contained within. While mild steel is the most common candidate for oxy-fuel cutting, several other metal alloys can be successfully and efficiently cut with this method.
Because this type of cutting is not held back by the amperage of the cutter itself, you have a wider range of metal thicknesses you can cut, from as little as 25mm up to 300mm, although thicker metals will require slower passes with the cutter to ensure smooth and complete cuts. To help accommodate this, there are various torch tip sizes to help maximise cutting efficiency across different metal thicknesses.
Oxy-fuel is known for being cheap and cost-effective. A plasma torch would need unrealistic amounts of power and energy to cut a 300mm piece of metal, a feat much more achievable with an oxy-fuel cutter.
Waterjet CuttingWaterjet cutting uses high-pressure water to cut steel. Waterjet cutting is slower than plasma or laser cutting but produces no heat, which makes it ideal for sensitive materials. Waterjet cutting is also very precise.
However, waterjet cutting is expensive and requires extremely special equipment. The most significant applications of waterjet cutting are in the aerospace and electronics industries. In most industries, laser cutting is a more cost-effective and appropriate choice.
Metal ShearingMetal shearing is a steel fabrication method that uses cutting blades to slice, shave, and shear strips from the steel workpiece until it is the desired size or shape. Metal shearing equipment is much cheaper than laser or plasma cutters, and it doesn&#;t involve heat, making it more accessible for less high-tech workshops.
Unlike other fabrication processes, metal shearing is done at room temperature and doesn&#;t require the metal to be heated. This increases the different types of metals that can be worked with and make the fabrication process more accessible to entry-level workshops and DIYers.
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Band Saw CuttingA band saw is a cutting machine that uses a round metal band with a cutting edge to rotate around a circuit, providing a continuous cutting force. Band saws are common in metal fabrication as they are simple to use, portable machines, which produce fast and consistent cuts.
Unlike reciprocating saws, which push a sharp edge back and forth to create a cutting force, band saws use a continuously rotating blade edge to cut metal. Because this motion is continuous, band saw cuts are faster and cleaner than reciprocating blades, which can cause overheating issues and sharp, damaged edges.
Band saw cutting for metal is most common for low-tech and DIY applications rather than in professional steel fabrication settings.
WeldingSteel welding is a process that joins two pieces of steel together using heat and pressure. Welding is strong and permanent, creating joints in steel by melting the steel and then cooling it to make a strong bond. This process is typically used for creating large steel structures.
There are four primary types of welding: MIG &#; Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), TIG &#; Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Stick &#; Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), and Flux -Cored Arc Welding (FCAW).
Steel shaping processes modify, add or remove steel from the workpiece to mould, temper, and form the workpiece into specific shapes.
Steel Folding & BendingSteel folding is a process that bends steel to create shapes. Steel folding is fast and precise and can be used to create complex shapes. However, steel folding is expensive outside a professional workshop as it requires special equipment such as a press brake.
The main applications of steel folding are in the automotive and construction industries. It allows the metal to be formed into specific shapes that cannot be easily achieved with something like welding.
Compared to two pieces of metal welded into the same form, folded steel is stronger because it is still one solid piece without the weaknesses associated with a seam welded in place.
Other uses of steel folding include creating steel artwork. Since steel artwork is rarely made of a single flat sheet of metal, folding allows artists to create metal artwork and sculptures with natural folds and bends, which are more aesthetically pleasing than multiple welded joints.
MachiningMachining is a process where steel is shaped into a desired shape or size by removing unwanted material, achieved by turning, drilling, and milling.
In the Turning method, a lathe is used to rotate the metal while a cutting tool moves in a linear motion to remove material along the diameter. Drilling uses a rotary tool with a drill bit to cut a hole in the workpiece. Lastly, milling uses a rotating multi-point tool to remove material from the workpiece progressively.
Finishing ProcessesFinishing processes are the final stage of metal fabrication, where the workpiece is finished or treated in a way that protects it from external wear, damage, or erosion while in use.
How a piece of fabricated steel is finished depends on the application of the workpiece.
Heat TreatmentHeat treatment is a thermal finishing process to reduce residual stress, enhance corrosion resistance, and improve mechanical properties.
This process starts with heating the steel to the desired temperature before cooling it in a controlled environment. The alternating heating and cooling process &#;locks in&#; the desired microstructure of the steel workpiece, which improves the strength and corrosion resistance of the piece of steel.
AnnealingAnnealing is a heat treatment that brings the steel&#;s temperature beyond its recrystallisation temperature, then cooling it after a prolonged period, changing the steel&#;s physical and chemical composition.
During the heating portion, atoms migrate in the crystal lattice, which reduces the number of dislocations, altering its flexibility and hardness. Annealing must be done in a controlled atmosphere to avoid oxidation and scaling.
Applications of Steel FabricationSteel fabrication and fabricated pieces of steel are most commonly found in these industries:
Four primary types of steel are used for fabrication: Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, Alloy Steel, and Tool Steel. Although there is a range of other steels available in the market, these are the most widely and commonly used in all industries.
Small-scale steel fabrication is quite affordable, but the larger the piece that needs to be fabricated, the more it will cost. However, steel fabrication is more cost-effective long-term than fabricating other, weaker metals like copper or bronze.
Is Steel Fabrication Sustainable?Steel fabrication creates products that can be recycled and reused multiple times, making steel one of the most sustainable materials for construction and manufacturing. Steel can be recycled repeatedly without losing its strength or durability.
In fact, steel is the most recycled material in the world. According to the World Steel Association, over 68% of all steel produced is recycled.
How Do I Choose a Steel Fabrication Company?The things to consider when choosing a steel fabrication company are:
Technically yes, every type of metal can be fabricated in some way. Nevertheless, it can be difficult and costly to fabricate certain types of metal, which is why steel is more commonly found to be fabricated.
What Machinery Is Used for Steel Fabrication?Many machines are used in steel fabrication, such as CNC machines, press brakes, laser cutters, plate rolls, shears, welders, and punches. The steel fabrication tools used depend on the type and application of the steel being fabricated.
Graham Dawe is the Managing Director and Works Manager of Kanyana Engineering. With decades of experience in the metal fabrication industry, he is dedicated to keeping Kanyana at the forefront of the sector&#;s technological growth. Looking beyond the process itself to holistic, integrated CAD, CAM and MRP solutions, Graham believes Australian manufacturing has an enduring place on the global stage. In Kanyana Engineering&#;s state-of-the-art workshop in Mandurah, WA, Graham delivers an exceptional standard of work for commercial, industrial and government clients alike.
Steel fabrication is a complex process requiring a refined combination of skill, industry knowledge, and seasoned experience. From erecting monumental bridges and skyscrapers, to assembling components for machinery and equipment utilised across a selection of different industries, steel fabrication plays a crucial role in wider society.
If you&#;re planning to embark on a new project, our specialists at KNS Metals have compiled eight expert tips and a guide to steel fabrication that you should know before you get started.
Steel fabrication is the process of manipulating raw steel into a final product. This process can involve cutting, welding, bending and assembling the steel to create products such as structural frames, tanks, stairways, handrails, security grills and other items.
Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the field, the steel fabrication process requires precision and skill to produce high-quality results since it involves elevated temperatures and heavy equipment.
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, and its properties vary depending on the amount of carbon and other materials it contains. Knowing the properties of the specific type of steel you are working with will help you choose the right tools and techniques for the job.
For example, structural steel is solid and durable, making it ideal for building construction, while stainless steel is corrosion-resistant, making it suitable for food processing equipment. Pay attention to factors like hardness, ductility, and tensile strength to determine which type of steel will work best for your application. To find out this information, you can speak with specialist structural steel fabricators.
Fabricating steel requires a range of specialised tools and equipment, such as saws, shears, presses, and welding machines. Choosing the right tools will ensure that you can cut, bend, and assemble steel accurately and efficiently. If these aren&#;t available to you, then it helps to enlist the services of professional structural steel fabricators.
The size and weight of the steel you utilise will affect the cost and feasibility of your project. For example, large, heavy steel components may require specific equipment and transportation methods, which can add to the cost of your project.
Steel fabrication involves cutting and shaping steel into the desired shape and size, making it difficult to transport and install. Before starting your project, plan for the transportation and installation phases of your steel components.
Have you heard the expression, &#;measure twice, cut once?&#; Before you start fabricating steel, it is important to have a clear plan in place to avoid any waste or delays. This includes creating detailed drawings, calculating the amount of steel you need, and determining the sequence of steps required to complete the project. Proper planning will help you avoid mistakes and complete the job on time and within budget.
There are several different methods for cutting steel to derive the desired result, including sawing, shearing, torch cutting, and laser cutting. The right technique will depend on the type of steel you are working with, the thickness of the material, and the planned project outcome. Applying the correct technique will help you achieve clean, accurate cuts.
Steel fabrication can be a dangerous task if proper safety precautions are not taken. Always wear protective gear, such as gloves, goggles, and earplugs, and make sure to keep your work area clean and organised. Follow safety guidelines and use common sense to avoid accidents and injuries.
Steel fabrication is a skilled trade that requires not only a range of specialised tools and facilities, but also experience to ensure a high-quality finished product. Rather than risking the project on your own, working with qualified, structural steel fabricators with a wealth of industry experience can make a big difference in the quality and success of your results.
At KNS Metals, we provide a full suite of steel fabrication services. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, we have completed all manner of projects for clients in various sectors. If you would like to learn more about how we can assist with your next project, please do not hesitate to contact us today.
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