Structural Steel Fabrication Using Plasma Cutting Technology

Blog | October 12th, 2020

Metal fabrication has been very helpful in a lot of industries. It is basically the act of creating metal structures and components through different processes such as cutting, bending, and welding. Numerous machines and structures are created through metal fabrication.

One product that is created from metal fabrication is structural steel. It is a type of steel that is typically used as construction materials and comes in different shapes. Most structural steel materials take the form of an elongated beam so that they can provide the needed structural support for buildings.

Importance and Uses of Structural Steels

As mentioned, structural steel is normally used for building and construction works. They serve as the skeleton of buildings and infrastructures as they provide the needed support for the floor, wall, exterior cladding systems, and so on. They also counter the low tensile strength and ductility of concrete.

The primary composition of structural steels is typically monitored and checked by industry associations and regulatory agencies. Most materials that are approved to be used for making structural steels include carbon steels, high-strength low alloy steels, quenched and tempered alloy steels, and forged steels.

Most materials that are used for structural steels are known for their durability. Since they will be supporting the whole building, structural steels are made to withstand external pressure from earthquakes and extreme weather conditions. Rot and decay are also prevented thanks to the solid overall composition of structural steels. Aside from durability, structural steels are also lightweight, allowing them to be used in any type of structure without the risk of crumbling down to pieces.

Principles of Plasma Cutting Technology

One metal fabrication process that is now carried out to produce high-quality structural steels is known as plasma cutting. Plasma cutting is a process that uses an accelerated jet of hot plasma to cut through metal materials. Most metals that can be processed by this cutting technology are steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, and copper.

Plasma cutting technology has been the go-to cutting process for structural steel for over 40 years as it produces metal materials without the disadvantages brought by traditional cutting processes. Additionally, the integration of computer numerical control (CNC) technology to plasma cutting machines has improved the quality of the materials being cut.

The combination of these two has allowed them to produce plenty of diverse shapes in a very short time. Plasma cutting technology, however, still has limitations. It can only produce parts and patterns in flat sheets of steel. Tolerances of this method are likewise not as precise as other modes of cutting.

Benefits of Plasma Cutting Structural Steel

Plasma cutting technology can bring a lot of benefits when used in processing structural steel. For one, this technology can cut a wide variety of metals. It can also cut materials that are stacked on top of one another, which can make the cutting speed faster. The operability of this technology is likewise easy, allowing workers to quickly understand the principles behind plasma cutting.

Aside from faster cutting speed, plasma cutting technology can also produce structural steels with precise and clean cuts. Having quality structural steel can hugely help structures and buildings obtain a stable, durable, and long-lasting framework and structural support.

To know more about plasma cutting technology, just give us a call at McKean’s Sheetmetal Fabricators.

 

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