Steel Detailing

By Author: Joyce Clark
Total Articles: 7
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Steel detailing is an important part of the steel fabrication process. It involves creating a detailed drawing of each steel piece that will be fabricated, and it plays a key role in ensuring that the finished product is accurate and meets all requirements. If you're looking for someone to detail your steel project, here are some tips on how to choose the right company.

Choose a steel detailing company that has experience working with your type of project. Many fabrication projects follow the same general workflow, but some have unique design requirements. The more familiar a company is with your specific type of work, the less likely you are to run into any problems from an inaccurate drawing.

The level of detail in a finished drawing depends largely on the requirements of your project. If you need to meet extremely specific or stringent design criteria, it's best to work with someone who offers high-fidelity detailing. On the other hand, if accuracy is not nearly as important and your budget is limited, you can probably get by with a simple 2D drawing (blueprints).

Types of Steel Detailing:

Detail ...
... shop drawings are made to be used as a guide for the mill to make your parts. They tend to be more complex than Blueprint Detailing, and sometimes require surface finish schedules. They can also take longer because they need to account for all manufacturing processes such as shearing, plating, drilling, and welding.

The first step to take when detailing your project is to decide whether you need a complete set of shop drawings or just a blueprint. Shop drawings will be used by the mill as a guide for making your parts, while a blueprint is just a 2D drawing of your design.

If you need to meet extremely specific or stringent design criteria, it's best to work with someone who offers high-fidelity detailing. On the other hand, if accuracy is not nearly as important and your budget is limited, you can probably get by with a simple 2D drawing (blueprints).

Complete shop drawings tend to be more complex and sometimes require a surface finish schedule. They can also take longer because they need to account for all manufacturing processes such as shearing, plating, drilling, and welding. Because of these reasons complete shop drawings are used most often by large companies who produce products in high volume.

Blueprint/Interior shop drawings are simple, 2D drawings that are used to show how the product will look on the inside. They are generally made after parts have been manufactured and include notes for fabricators who need to know what notches, holes, or slots should be left in specific places. Blueprint drawings are commonly used for medium-sized companies, start-ups, and by fabricators who create products in low volume.

If you're looking for a company to detail your project steel, consider using an independent fabricator with both mill capabilities and CAD/CAM design software. These are the most affordable options because they can handle all steps of the fabrication process in-house (no third party fees).

Conclusion:

When it comes to steel fabrication and detailing, experience plays a major role because every job is different. Someone who works exclusively in steel detailing knows the latest standards and has an up-to-date knowledge of the industry, while someone who only does mill work lacks this critical understanding.