Industrial Steel Buildings

Savings in industrial buildings come from matching structure to the process layout rather than imposing a uniform grid. We test bay spacing, stepped or laced crane columns and truss versus portal roofs against tonnage and foundation cost. Runway girders are sized for the actual crane class instead of a conservative default, and roof bracing is arranged to share load paths with crane longitudinal bracing. Provision for future extension is built into gable frames so expansion does not require removing primary steel.

Typical members include built-up or rolled crane columns, welded runway girders with full-penetration top flange welds, cap channels, surge girders, roof trusses and portal rafters. Crane girders receive particular attention to camber, flange flatness and web-to-flange weld quality under the AWS D1.1, AS/NZS 1554.1 or EN 1090 execution class specified. Bearing surfaces and bracket seats are machined or carefully fitted where required.

Roof trusses and crane columns too large to ship whole are trial-assembled where specified to confirm geometry, then split into transport sections with bolted splices. Crane brackets are positioned from a common datum so that rail elevations stay consistent along the runway. Each girder, bracket and truss section carries an erection mark and orientation arrow, reducing the risk of a member being installed reversed on site.

Our inspection and test plan places hold points on crane girder fabrication, including flange welds, stiffener fit-up and camber. Materials are traced through mill certificates to piece marks, with notch toughness verified where fatigue or low service temperatures apply. Ultrasonic testing covers full-penetration welds on runway girders and brackets, supported by magnetic particle testing at stiffener ends. Dimensional checks confirm girder straightness, bracket elevations and base plate hole patterns, and all records are compiled into a project quality dossier.

Process areas vary widely, from dry assembly halls to humid or chemically aggressive environments. We assess each zone and select an ISO 12944 coating system for the relevant corrosivity category, typically C2 to C4, with higher categories for washdown or chemical areas. Hot-dip galvanizing to ISO 1461 suits secondary steel and external structures. Coating is kept off crane rail seats where it would affect load transfer, and fire protection is applied only where the building code requires it.

We sequence delivery so that columns, crane girders and roof steel for each bay arrive in the order the contractor intends to erect. Long crane girders and roof trusses are typically shipped break-bulk or on flat racks, while purlins, girts, bracing and bolts are bundled and containerized. Bundles carry tags matching erection drawings, and each consignment is accompanied by packing lists, commercial invoices and certificates of origin for customs and site receipt.

Our erection drawings show column setting, girder placement, bracing installation and rail alignment requirements for each bay. We provide input to method statements on lifting heavy crane girders, temporary stability of portal frames before roof bracing is complete, and survey checks before rail fixing. When agreed, our engineers attend site or support remotely during critical stages such as crane girder installation. Site erection is performed by the contractor appointed by the client.