tools
Image source: Reliance Foundry

Steel fabricators use a wide variety of tools to turn steel into all sorts of shapes for your construction needs. Tools are used to cut, bend, weld and mould steel into pieces needed for the job accurately and efficiently.

So, what are the essential tools required by steel fabricators? Take a took below.

Arc welding

Welding tools are essential for steel fabricators. There are various types of arc welders used commonly in steel fabrication. Two common types are:

Stick welding: a process that employs electrical currents to weld steel parts. It is a type of manual ‘arc welding’ and equipment can range from small units purchased at a hardware store to larger industrial pieces.

MIG: stands for ‘metal, inert gas’, and differs as it is semi-automatic or automatic and lays an arc between a wire-feeding ‘gun’ to the metal to melt and join pieces. It also employs an inert or semi-inert shielding gas that flows around the wire and shields the site from contamination.

Beam drill line

Beam Drill lines are complex drill tools that incorporate computer technology to accurately notch holes in steel beams. These complex drills are a much faster and more accurate solution than other manual techniques.

Gas axe

A Gas Axe is the slang term for ‘Oxy-Fuel Cutting Torch’, which is a tool that uses fuel gases and oxygen to weld or cut metals. Fuels can vary and can include gasoline, propylene and hydrogen, although acetylene is most common, especially for welding purposes.

Guillotine

The guillotine is very useful in steel fabrication, maybe even more so than it was during the middle ages. Also known as a ‘cropper’ or ‘punch and sears’ this tool can be either mechanically or hydraulically powered and its main use is to cut through steel plates. The plates are first clamped with a ‘ram’ before being cut with a shear.

Quickie

A quickie is a moving plate-gas machine which uses oxy-fuel to cut steel. The system employs three components, a motorised carriage, a plate track and a torch unit and is very versatile as it can use different types of oxy-fuel for different materials.

Overhead crane

Cranes are important in steel fabrication for holding materials in place. Overhead cranes use two beam ‘runways’ sitting in parallel and a moving ‘bridge’ covering the length between. A hoist lifts the bridge and transports steel parts over the runways.

Contact us today!

If you have any questions about stainless steel or would like to order quality steel that is fabricated to suit your unique needs, contact Steel Fabrication Services today. Our team of expert structural steel fabricators have the experience and knowledge to answer any of your questions and will ensure that you find the best solution to suit your needs. To contact us today, simply call, fax, email for information or a steel fabrication quote, or drop by our Brookvale location.

Want to learn more? Check out some of our other great articles about steel!

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