Vital Structural Steel Cutting Techniques You Should Know

Those who are involved in some aspects of production know that steel cutting is very essential. It isn’t enough to be aware of the need for steel cutting in many industrial processes but it is equally vital to note that it needs to be done by professionals for proficiency and accuracy. There are several ways and techniques that are usually employed while cutting steel but the method chosen in any particular structural cutting depends on the type of steel and the desired end product.

There are lots of handheld devices that are used in steel cutting but it is important to quickly mention that many people presently use many computerized applications while cutting steel. Some of the major steel cutting techniques includes but not limited to the following:

Laser Steel Cutting

Laser steel cutting is mostly used in some major industrial processes. This entails using very high-powered laser beam to cut or pierce the steel structure in question. Using laser beam to cut steel helps to produce very neat melting at the exact point it is needed without warping the steel. This usually leaves very clean edge in the steel structure. Fusion steel cutting, which is also known as melt and blow is a laser beam steel cutting technique that uses high-pressure gas to blow molten steel away from the cutting point. Another laser steel cutting technique that is quite popular is the reactive cutting. This is when the high-power laser beam is used as oxygen torch to cut or design desired shapes out of steel materials. The fact remains that laser steel cutting techniques are usually more precise than the average mechanical steel cutting technique.

Another prominent steel cutting technique that is used to cut steel while working in occupied buildings such as office buildings, hospitals or hotels is the abrasive high-pressure water jets. This is mostly used in such premises because the water gas doesn’t cause any form of vibrations that might adversely alter the equipments in the building while work is in progress. It also doesn’t have slag, dust or gas as left over. This steel cutting technique is also used in occupied building because it is quite noiseless unlike laser and plasma steel cutting techniques. Abrasives such as silica sand are mostly used to create the needed cut in the steel but not before high-pressure plunger pump are employed to push up the water and the tiny abrasive particles. It is quite easy to adjust or control the abrasive water high-pressure water jet steel cutting process to effectively cut any required shapes or angles in the steel material or structure.

Quality Pre-Galvanised Steel Offers Protection Against Corrosion

Galvanising is a highly effective and economical way of protecting a variety of steel articles, both industrial and commercial, from corrosion.  In this process, zinc is deposited onto a steel surface, which creates a layer to protect against corrosion of the steel base that is being coated. Before this zinc deposition, the steel sheets are cleaned with sulphuric acid and fluxed with ammonium chloride.  Pre-galvanised steel is a process where steel is galvanised as a sheet, before it is formed into a product and not after the product is created.

Pre-galvanised steel fulfils several commercial and industrial needs.  This can be anything from galvanised roofing, siding roofing nails and other fasteners, beams, sidings, utility poles, fencing and a whole lot of general agricultural and industrial components.

Use of pre-galvanised steel is not a new happening, as this process dates back to the mid 19^th century, but it has come to become important in construction ever since the 1950s.  However, initially, these steel sheets used to be passed through a coating pot, and dipped into molten zinc by hand.  But with the huge advances in technology, easier and more efficient techniques are being used today, to facilitate mass production of high-quality pre-galvanised steel.

There is an outstanding history of using pre-galvanised steel for protection from damage caused by atmospheric, soil and water environments. Decades of using steel products created through this process shows us that the pre-galvanisation treatment is a very effective means of preventing damage.

There are many reasons it is found to be desirable in construction:

• Provides corrosion resistance
• Prevents coating degradation
• Helps with colour retention
• Offers better formability
• Costs less

Pre-galvanised steel is used by construction companies as panels in roofing and siding.  It is used in utility poles in the electricity lines and also as automobile body panels.  In fact, this form of steel can be used by any application that needs galvanic protection because of mechanical damage.

Today, pre-galvanised materials are considered to be the industry benchmark. Everyone from contractors to engineers to architects use this form of steel to design a variety of structures; including buildings, parking lots, sports stadiums, shopping malls, parks and everything else that uses steel.

There are many manufacturers of pre-galvanised steel in the market, but using one that gives importance to quality-control goes a long way in ensuring the structures you create using this steel last long and do what they are supposed to – protect from damage.  Everything from the aluminium content to the quality of the galvanising zinc bath makes a difference on the appearance, thickness and protection from rust formation of the steel sheets.  Good companies ensure they follow international standards.