STEEL FABRICATING

> What is? : Process of creating steel products through secondary metal manufacturing processes

Ex: These processes are cutting, bending, and joining. Additional processes such as finishing
and heat treatment are made to impart additional characteristics to the metal product.

> Metal Manufactoring Process

1. PRIMARY manufacturing processes:

Create simple, semi-finished metal products such as plates, sheets, tubes, and bars. These metal
products are created by casting, forging, rolling, extrusion, wire drawing, and sintering. All of these
processes transform raw metal ingots or billets into metal products that will be used for secondary
manufacturing processes. Primary manufacturing processes are done in foundries and steel mills.
2. SECONDARY manufacturing processes, or fabrication:

a fabricator takes a semi-finished metal product and reshapes it. Their goal is to take the products
and modify them to suit customer specifications and requirements. Examples of steel fabrication
products are steel trusses, storage tanks, automotive chassis, and metal enclosures. Fabricators work
in machine shops, “fab shops,” or on site, depending on the type of fabrication required and the needs
of customers.

> Preliminary Process of Steel Fabrication

Before proceeding with the actual fabrication processes, it is important to know the preliminary
steps. This involves conceptualizing and planning the design and features of the final product. The
workpiece must be prepared before working to prevent any errors and material wastage.

DESIGN & DRAFTING

 Determining the dimensions and physical features of the final product.

 Calculating design properties and attributes such as structural strength, deflection, surface
hardness, fatigue life, etc.
 Estimating the type and quantity of raw material.
 Planning the work methods, operations, and necessary precautions involved in producing the
parts.
 Creating construction and assembly drawings.

Today, most designs are carried using computer software. Software such as AutoCAD,
SolidWorks, and Tekla Structures are popular examples that perform both designing and drafting.
Advanced calculations and modelling can be done which can streamline the process through quick
design iterations.
> Cutting
Cutting is one of the three main steps of metal fabrication. Cutting involves the removal or
separation of unwanted material from the main workpiece or product. These unwanted materials are
in the form of metal chips and scraps that are collected and recycled.
Cutting can be divided into several main categories. These are:
1. Shear cutting (pengguntingan): blanking & Piercing, parting, lancing, notcing, trimming

2. Wedge-action cutting (pembubutan): Turning, Boring, Drilling, Trepanning, Reaming,

Countersinking, Milling, Planing, Sawing
3. Abrasion (pengamplasan/penghalusan): Grinding, Honing, Lapping
4. Non-traditional methods: waterjet cutting, laser cutting, Electrochemical Machining (ECM)

> Bending
Bending is a fabrication process where the metal is formed according to its final shape by
supporting the stock on at least two points and applying pressure in between. The metal stock is
deformed according to the profile of the press or punch and the configuration of the supports or dies.
Bending is commonly used to form metal sheets, plates, strips, rods, and bars.
Bending processes can be further classified according to how the bending load is applied:
1. Air Bending
2. Bottom Bending
3. Coining
4. Roll Banding

> Assembly & Joining

This stage of the metal fabrication process involves combining and integrating all the cut and
shaped parts to form a single, larger structure. The parts are first assembled piece by piece to get a
general view of the structure to be made. Initial assembly is done using non-permanent joints such as
temporary tack welds or bolted connections. This process is important to ensure that every part mates
with the other parts properly.

Once the metal parts are properly aligned and put in place, permanent joints are created.
Examples of permanent joints are final or full welds and adhesive-bonded surfaces. In most metal
fabrications, welding is the most commonly used joining method followed by bolting, screwing, and
riveting
1. Welding
2. Soldering & Brazing
3. Bolting & Screwing
4. Riveting

> Steel Fabricator Process

Steel fabricators add features to steel products by refining and modifying external and inherent
characteristics. The types for fabricator processes that are used depend on a product’s original design
and intended application.
1. Heat Treatment
2. Coating
3. Galvanizing
4. Anodizing
5. Deburring

CONCLUSION
1. Steel fabricating is the process of creating steel products through secondary metal manufacturing
processes. Examples of these processes are cutting, bending, and joining.
2. Cutting involves the removal or separation of unwanted material from the main workpiece or
product.
3. Bending is a fabrication process where the metal is formed according to its final shape by
supporting the stock on at least two points and applying pressure between them.
4. Joining is the stage of the metal fabrication process that involves combining and integrating all
the cut and shaped parts to form a single, larger structure.
5. The shaping, bending, and cutting for steel fabrication is completed by highly trained professionals
referred to as fabricators.