Production of I-beams

Steel I-beams are primarily manufactured by hot rolling on section rolling mills at steelworks. The production process for H-shaped sections involves the plastic deformation of blooms and slabs – steel billets in the form of squares and rectangles, respectively – which have been preheated to the required temperature, through the rolls of the rolling mill.

As it moves along the production line of the rolling mill, the steel billet is compressed between calibrated rolls, causing it to elongate and acquire an H-shaped cross-section.

Hot-rolled I-beams offer the following advantages:

• a single, monolithic piece with no welded joints;
• a highly efficient, well-established production process;
• The product offers high rigidity and excellent resistance to bending and torsion.

Hot-rolled I-beams also have their drawbacks, including:

• traces of the rolling mill rolls and scale remain on the surface of the metal product;
• Hot-rolled steel beams are produced in a limited range, as complex rolling mills cannot be reconfigured for custom production;
• it is not possible to reduce the production cost by combining different grades of steel (the price of rolled steel is quite high due to the high energy intensity of production).

In addition to hot-rolled steel, you can purchase welded I-beams in bulk. To produce these, a steel strip of a specific thickness and steel grade is cut from sheet metal using a guillotine, and the ends are then welded together into an H-shaped configuration on specialised welding equipment.

After production, the welded I-beams undergo non-destructive testing of the welds using ultrasound. At the final stage of production, the I-beams are ground and coated with a protective finish.

Welded I-beams are preferable to hot-rolled ones in cases where:

• buy rolled steel with a perfectly clean and smooth surface (the price of welded rolled steel depends on the metal content);
• use different metals to give the product specific properties, reduce the weight of the structure or lower the cost of the rolled steel.

Scope of Application

The steel I-beam is designed to withstand high bending and alternating loads, therefore rolled products with an H-shaped profile are generally used in construction. Welded and hot-rolled metal products are used to manufacture load-bearing and supporting structural elements of:

• buildings and structures;
• bridges and overpasses;
• metro systems;
• pipelines and overpasses;
• hydraulic structures and other infrastructure facilities.

The steel I-beam used in construction helps prevent shrinkage, cracks, and displacement of structural elements of buildings and structures during operation.

Range of I-Beams

For construction and industrial applications, steel I-beams are produced by metallurgical plants in a wide range. Standard sizes, permissible geometric deviations, and product markings are regulated by the relevant standards.

What types of I-beams can be purchased:

1. Hot-rolled I-beam with inclined flanges (from 6% to 12%). It is used for the construction of various structures subjected to significant bending loads, such as suspended tracks for crane beams, metro shafts, and mine shafts. According to rolling quality, hot-rolled beams are produced with normal and increased precision (marked “B” and “A” respectively).
2. Standard I-beam. A classic steel beam in which the profile height is twice the flange width. These rolled metal products are used in construction (supports, parts of columns), mechanical engineering (frames of machines and railcars), industry (crane rails), etc.
3. Wide-flange I-beam. This beam has a flange almost twice as wide as that of a standard I-beam, which provides increased strength and rigidity. A wide-flange steel beam is used for the construction of stair spans, floor slabs, and reinforced foundations. It is also used to produce frames for cranes, machine tools, railcars, trucks, trailers, and more.
4. Column I-beam. This product range is characterized by thick flanges and webs, which makes the material resistant to static and dynamic loads, temperature fluctuations, and corrosion. Column I-beams are commonly used in the construction of bridges, dams, and other hydraulic structures in challenging climatic conditions.

Main Characteristics and Properties of Steel Beams

The physical and mechanical properties of rolled metal products are largely determined by the grade of steel from which they are made:

• A beam made of structural steel is resistant to temperature fluctuations, retains its original properties for a long time, and welds well. The higher the number in the marking, the higher the yield strength and load resistance of products made from this grade of structural steel.
• Low-alloy structural steel contains about 0.2% carbon and up to 2.5% alloying additives (vanadium, titanium, niobium), which improves the operational properties of the material. The price of products made from low-alloy steel is relatively high.

How to Choose the Right One?

When selecting rolled metal products for construction or mechanical engineering, it is necessary to consider a number of important factors:

1. Manufacturing method;
2. Product range;
3. Steel composition;
4. Geometric dimensions and permissible deviations;
5. Cross-sectional area;
6. Moment of inertia;
7. Weight and price.

Buy I-beams in bulk in Dnipro at an affordable price from LEART

The international company LEART offers I-beams in standard and non-standard sizes for purchase in bulk from its warehouse, whether for large or small orders. To place an order, please contact us on one of the telephone numbers listed on the website to receive comprehensive information regarding product range, prices and delivery.