Steel construction is becoming increasingly popular all over the world with many of the top architectural wonders consisting of steel, whether it’s structural, carbon or rebar. Many industries rely on steel products and structural steel fabrication services as its more eco-friendly and offers faster construction, among many other benefits.

In the construction world, steel is commonly used for structural support in buildings, bridges and other large-scale projects. These designs are often complex and demanding as they require the highest integrity and capable of withstanding all sorts of conditions. In this article, you’ll learn more about what structural steel fabrication is and why it’s imperative to choose the right engineering company.

What Is Structural Steel Fabrication?

Structural steel fabrication is a specialised process that requires expert knowledge, skills and resources. It involves converting steel into structures or parts through a variety of fabrication processes. To meet customer specifications and stringent quality criteria, engineering companies use a variety of techniques to fabricate parts exactly as intended, including:

  • Machining
  • Forging
  • Casting
  • Stamping
  • Steel Extrusion

PRV fabricates products in all materials from the very basic mild steels to the more exotic ones such as Monel, Inconel, Hastelloy and Titanium. Stainless steel, for example, is a trusted material across various industries for its durability and affordability, including aircraft components, railways, wind turbines and other large parts.

Types Of Structural Steel In The Construction Sector

Many believe that structural steel fabrication will play an even bigger part in construction considering its versatility. Just have a look at these different types of structural steel.

  • Flat Sections are the most versatile as they need to be attached to another section
  • Tapered Flange Beams are used as cross-sections for girders
  • Universal Beams (I-beams or H-beams) are usually made of structural steel and used in construction and civil engineering
  • Universal Columns are similar to beams but all three sections are the same length and have tremendous load-bearing capabilities
  • Angled Sections are used in residential construction, infrastructure, mining and transport
  • Parallel Flange Channels offer a high strength to weight ratio with similar uses to angled sections
  • Circular Hollow Sections have a much higher torsion resistance
  • Rectangular Hollow Sections are popular in many mechanical and construction steel applications
  • Square Hollow Sections are used within smaller applications such as columns or posts

Structural Steel Fabrication At PRV Engineering

For more than 20 years, PRV Engineering has delivered superior structural steel fabrication services, site work and precision engineering across various sectors. We regularly work with companies in oil and gas, defence, aerospace and aviation, maritime, rail and construction to produce a range of custom fabrication solutions.

We cater for one-off’s, large batch production, Rapid Prototyping and supply a stocking service to some of our customers. This helps them reduce their stock, and call off items as and when required in line with KanBan, VMI, Consignment and JIT philosophies.

Whether it’s an extension, a new building, building support or roofing steelwork, we have the necessary skills and experience in the structural steel fabrication industry to deliver the highest quality service. Here are some of the projects we’ve undertaken with great success.

Gloucester Royal Hospital

PRV Engineering provided structural and architectural steelwork which included feature stairs, balustrades, edge protections and structural steelwork to parts of the building and x-ray departments.

Horfield Leisure Centre

Our team provided some structural steelwork in the boiler house, over-pool walkway, access walkways and ladders.

Factory Extension

Some time ago, we added a 10,000 sqft extension to our premises as part of our development and expansion plan. We took care of all works including groundwork, heating electrical and a 10 ton overhead crane.

Site Work And Maintenance Services

We offer an installation and maintenance service of very high standards, installing our own equipment and those of third parties. Our team has mechanically installed large plants for various companies providing transport, handling, lifting, welding and many other specialist disciplines.

We provide the relevant qualifications for Site Instructions, Method Statements and Risk Assessments among others for all work undertaken. Everything we do is under the latest CDM regulations which are foremost in our approach to ensure the safety and efficiency of our services.

As a specialist engineering and structural steel fabrication company, PRV offers a true “One-Stop-Shop” solution. This means our team can provide a higher level of efficiency and accuracy than our competitors. We have provided mechanical installation, structural steel fabrication, site work and maintenance services to various companies. Some of these include Du Pont and Astra Zeneca Pharmaceuticals among others.

Finding The Right Engineering Company For Your Project

Working with a quality manufacturer means having the necessary knowledge, skills and experience at their disposal to get your design from concept and prototype to final product. With the complexity of structural steel fabrication, finding the right engineering company is paramount.

This involves more than simply choosing a service provider; it’s about finding a partner. You need someone who can design and manufacture most efficiently and cost-effectively while minimising risk. One way to achieve this is by thinking outside the box and looking beyond the product-based aspects of manufacturing.

Read this article to find out some of the key factors to consider and questions to ask your engineering partner. You’ll thank us later!

Why Choose PRV Engineering For Structural Steel Fabrication?

Our team can manufacture from own design, specific drawings and specifications or OEM samples depending on your requirements. And if requested, we will provide complete drawings and stress analysis calculations.

PRV Engineering work with all types of metals offering a range of architectural and structural steel fabrication, including gates, handrails, staircases, canopies, balustrades and balconies. We believe that functional steelwork can and should look stylish and complement its environment.

We can install products at various locations including factories, warehouses, offices, schools, medical and sport facilities, retail and residential units. If you have any questions about our range of products and service or need a quote for a specific project, please contact us via the website.