How Are Wide Flange Beams Manufactured?

Wide flange beams are named due to their shape. The parallel sides of the beam are known as flanges, and these are manufactured so that they’re wider than I-beams, hence the name wide flange. Wide flange beams have excellent weight bearing capacity and are resistant to bending and twisting. Because wide flange beams can bear excessive amounts of pressure, they ensure a building’s structural integrity and stability. Wide flange beams are commonly used as structural support materials in buildings, columns, beams and bridges.

Process of Manufacturing and Rolling Wide Flange Beams

Wide flange beams are produced through a process called rolling or caliber rolling. Caliber rolling is conducted in the roughing stage of beam formation. First, steel is rolled by caliber rolls in order to create the same cross-sectional shape as that of the rolls. This process is called “rolling” because the beam blank (the unformed length of steel) is heated and then “rolled out,” similar to how dough is rolled with a rolling pin.

After caliber rolling, the beam will look roughly H-shaped and is ready for fine tuning. To do this, the beam is fed through a universal mill. Within the universal mill, there are rollers called H-rolls and V-rolls that are rolled horizontally and vertically along the beam, ensuring that the beam stays in place while continuing to form the steel into the H-shape. The H-shaped cross-section is fully formed when the material passes through the universal mill. The beam can also be fed through an edging mill to adjust the flange widths.

Materials Used in Wide Flange Beams

Steel is the most common material used to make wide flange beams. Specifically, carbon structural steel and high-strength, low-alloy structural steel are used. Steel is favored because it’s highly customizable, durable, easy to work with and long lasting.

Wide Flange Beam Sizes

Wide flange beams range in weight bearing capacity from nine pounds per foot all the way up to and exceeding 350 pounds per foot. They also come available in a variety of web and flange thicknesses. The length and thickness of a wide flange beam is best determined on a job-by-job basis. When looking at the best beam size for any project, it’s important to consider the force that will be applied to be beam, the weight the beam will carry, and the tension and compression the beam will undergo. Smaller beams work well when the pressure and weight is minimal, while larger, thicker beams should be used to support structures that bear large amounts of weight.

Buying Custom Rolled vs. Stock Wide Flange Beams

Whether you buy custom rolled or stock wide flange beams will depend on the project at hand. For many projects, standard stock sizes will be sufficient, as these cover the need of most projects. However, for unique projects, custom rolled beams might be necessary. Typically, it is more expensive to buy custom rolled beams.

If adjustments for size need to be made, this is done during the manufacturing process with the universal mill (as variations on the flange thickness and web thickness can be made by adjusting the gap between the H-rolls and V-rolls). However, when beams with different web heights and flange widths are to be rolled, rolls made exclusively for these sizes will be employed instead.

By combining caliber rolling with universal rolling, steel products of non-H shape can also be created, such as sheet piles and rails.

BUY AND SELL WITH EIFFEL TRADING

Eiffel Trading is now offering brand new wide flange beams at a low cost! Coast-to-coast shipping is available for both stock options and custom rollings. Contact 800-541-7998 or email sales@eiffeltrading.com for more information.