Quality assurance should be the most important part of any structural steel fabrication project. As such, it’s the responsibility of the steel fabrication company to make sure that each practice and process goes through a detailed quality assurance programme.
Why Quality Control Inspections Are Important
Although steel is a durable and powerful material, only high standard processes during fabrication can ensure its sustainability. Even the smallest details have to be accounted for and everything must be checked twice to ensure the highest quality results.
Quality control protocols and dimension measurement routines are put in place to ensure that the quality of the steel and the other materials used is high, while determining that each process is executed with attention to detail. Although steel is not a material that’ll succumb to adverse conditions easily, many natural benefits of steel can be rendered useless if the process of fabrication goes wrong. Additionally, a CMM inspection process is necessary to ensure the fabrication itself matches up to the specifications agreed in the project.
Quality Control Checklist
To assess the quality of any structural steel fabrication project, it’s safer to start with the contractor first. After all, they are going to be your partners for the duration of the project and you would want someone reliable on your team. Here is a four-point quality control checklist that can be used to determine the suitability of structural steel fabrications.
1) Check For The Contractor’s Experience & Qualifications
All steel fabrication in Cambridge must be carried out by a qualified and experienced structural steel fabricator. The contractor should have the appropriate level of certification and a detailed quality control plan in place. Use of inexperienced fabricaaaural steel. It is always worth investing in quality workmanship, rather than chasing upfroant savings that turn out to be more of a liability than a benefit.
2) Consider The Material Being Used
The type of steel you use can make all the difference between a durable structure and an unreliable project. That’s why it’s important to use the correct grade of steel for your purposes. This holds true for all the material being used.
All fabrication companies are required to comply to the leg quality and safety standards, set out in the European Construction Products Regulation (CPR). The regulation legally binds both the manufacturer and clients. They share joint responsibility for ensuring that structural steel products meet the relevant technical specifications.
You can ensure compliance by looking for the CE marking. This demonstrates that the project meets the requirements of CPR.
Since different types of steels have different levels of carbon, this will have an effect on how easily the material can be handled. The steel’s strength depends on this factor. Depending on the strength of the steel, the contractor then decides on the appropriate equipment to be used.
3) Make Sure The Equipment Meets The Required Specifications
Defective and improperly calibrated equipment also has a negative impact on the quality of the structure. So it’s also important to ensure that all equipment is in working order and meeting meets the required specifications.
4) Calculate The Measurements Of Steel Parts
Structural steel fabrications are designed exactly down to the last millimetre. Any differences in the measurements can negatively impact the lifespan and durability of the structure. The measurements given in the design plan must meet the precise size of the structural steel fabrication itself. Dimension measurement is normally carried out with the assistance of a Coordinate Measurement Machine (CMM), a handheld or static device that maps out the dimension points of a component and compares it to its blueprint to rule out deviation.
At GLW Engineering, we serve construction and engineering businesses in all sectors operating in and around Cambridge, Peterborough and East Anglia. We provide high quality steel fabrication for both structural and architectural components – a service that comes with full quality assurance guarantees.
Our Guide To Outsourced Steel Fabrication
To find out more about our services or to discuss your project, please contact us on 01945 464637. You can also download a copy of How To Ensure Quality, Compliance & Lead Times When Working With Steel Fabrication Companies, a free e-book that covers topics such as materials, CPR compliance, working with subcontractors and more. Click here to claim your copy.
