Structural steel
Numerous types – infinite possibilities
Structural steel is a generic term used for various steels that are processed in the steel and machine engineering industries. The steel is available as rods, profiles, pipes and sheet metal in a number of thicknesses and dimensions. Structural steel is usually easy to weld, durable when handled and suitable for all conventional welding procedures.
Low-carbon steel for daily use
Generally, structural steel with a carbon level below 0.2 % is classified as low-carbon. It is also usually low-alloy or unalloyed and rarely heat-treated. This is what gives it its good welding properties that are significantly better in very strong fine-grained structural steel.
Depending on requirements, structural steel is used and welded in various industries and areas, for instance when building vehicles, railway vehicles, ships, steel constructions, pipelines, apparatus and tanks.
MAG, TIG, Manual metal arc, Plasma and laser welding
Most structural steels can be welded with all conventional welding procedures. The most commonly used procedure is the efficient MAG procedure that allows simple and safe handling combined with a high welding speed.
If it is important to produce very strong, clean or precise welds, TIG welding is the better option. TIG or plasma welding procedures are frequently applied to weld thin sheets. Manual metal arc welding is always a good alternative when welding structural steel outdoors. Also, structural steel can be connected reliably using laser welding. The processing speed is high and laser welding can be easily automated.