3 Steel Fabrication Techniques Every Apprentice Should Understand

Steel products are a functional and beautiful addition in most contemporary buildings designs. From simple suburban houses to massive skyscrapers in the cities, steel is a key raw material in the construction process based on the requirements of a builder. While modification of steel has become indispensable due to the material's flexibility, apprentice builders might be unaware of the different steel fabrication procedures. This article offers insight on various steel fabrication techniques.

1. Punching

During construction, you'll witness a lot of harnessing done to join different components of a building. In such cases, metal is either punched for holes or blanked. Based on the dimensions of a structure, a builder might request for punched steel sheets to harness specific areas in a premise. For instance, if a builder wants to adjoin several pipes, punching provides an effective and safe way to harness the detached elements. However, punching is mostly used when a skeletal steel support structure is being developed and installed in a building. Most importantly, punching can work with both light and heavy metallic components. Besides, it is suitable for the mass production of building elements.

2. Welding

No building project can be completed without the installation of windows and doors. In most premises, windows are made of steel since the material is sturdy and easy to manipulate into different shapes. With welding, various forms can be attained since two sheets of metal are joined using heat and pressure. The most common technique entails the use of inert tungsten gas to weld metallic works. Newbies builders are advised to consult an in-house welder to establish the most appropriate welding technique for fast-tracking the delivery of a construction project and for compliance with industry standards.

3. Forging

Considering that plumbing works must be implemented in a building project, the ability to design complementary steel parts is crucial to the successful completion of a construction project. Although most plumbing components are obtained in the market, some parts are unique and must be forged or customised for functionality. For example, if a piping joint is not synchronised with the corresponding component, then a builder might take the dimensions and instruct a welder to forge the joint. Typically, forging is done under room temperature where a hammer is used to strike a steel piece into the desired shape. The technique is useful for implementation plumbing works that require customised inputs that cannot be sourced from the market.