Steel Fabrication in the US - Designed and Drawn in Europe.

[Ussuri]

In this thread UcfSE is US based and was looking to specify a steel grade in Europe.

thread404-381450

I am now in the reverse situation. I need to specify a material grade for some steel to be fabricated in Houston. At home this would simply be called out as S355J2+N to BS EN 10025. In the US, is it as straightforward as calling up an ASTM number? Or do I need to give toughness conditions, delivery conditions etc separately?

In addition, I assume all the dimensions need to be in inches? Are decimalized inches ok or does it need to be fractional?

Fabrication would be in accordance with AWS D1.1, which we use here anyway from time to time, but is there a specific code for symbolic representation of welding. We use BS EN ISO 2553 for instance.

 

[canwesteng]

Pretty sure you can spec metric shapes in the US, although it's just a conversion from the imperial shapes. Make sure you use an available shape though, generally in north America shapes are hot rolled so you don't just fab whatever you fancy. Typically calling out the ASTM spec and grade is sufficient, depending on your project requirements. W shapes are generally available as 50 ksi and other shapes as 36 ksi.

 

[JStephen]

I thought this article was pretty good:

http://msc.aisc.org/globalassets/modern-steel/archives/2015/02/steelwise.pdf

For run-of-the-mill stuff, A36 and A992 will cover it.
If the fabricator will make up shop drawings anyway, then you'd have more leeway in how you do things; ie, metric or not, decimal inches or not.

 

[wannabeSE]

If you give a general description of the what is being fabricated, a better response might be provided. I have seen some frames and support for mechanical equipment use inches with decimals (but I don't know if this is the right way), architectural or structural steel for buildings use feet-inch w/ fraction (12'-4 1/4").

For US weld symbols, see AWS D2.4

https://pubs.aws.org/p/1040/a242012...lding-brazing-and-nondestructive-examination.

The following links will provide most everything needed even though they are from older versions of A2.4 (not much changes):

https://app.aws.org/mwf/attachments/64/225364/AWSWeldSymbolchart.pdf

and

https://app.aws.org/technical/errata/A2.4errata.pdf

For information on specifications, you might want to look at AISC 303, Code of Standard Practice for Buildings and Bridges. It is a free download at

https://www.aisc.org/content.aspx?id=2884#code

 

[Ussuri]

WannabeSE, I am not talking about large items here. Specifically it will be temporary support frames for mounting installation equipment on a offshore construction vessel. The vessel mobilises in Houston.

At home in the UK this is typically designed using AISC (at little odd but it is common to use US specs as the US dominates the Oil and Gas Industry), so this will be no different.

I assume 50ksi plate is readily available? 12mm plate being 1/2", 15mm plate being 10/16"?

 

[Ussuri]

WannabeSE, Just looking at your weld symbol attachments. Very useful thank you. Is it normal practice to specify fillet welds based on leg length (same a UK practice) or throat length (same as European practice). Your tables suggest leg length.

 

[canwesteng]

Leg length, and 36 ksi plate is more common but 50 ksi plate is available. Always use the smallest fraction (10/16 becomes 5/8)