Archive for category: news

Seismic design of steel structures is based on several key principles aimed at ensuring life safety, minimizing damage, and maintaining functionality during and after an earthquake. These principles leverage the inherent properties of steel, such as its strength and ductility.

Seismic Design Principles for Steel Structures

Ductility and Energy Dissipation (Inelastic Behavior):

It’s generally not economical to design structures to remain purely elastic during a major earthquake. Instead, the design philosophy allows for controlled inelastic deformation (yielding) in specific, pre-determined locations within the structure.

Steel is an excellent material for this due to its high ductility, meaning it can deform significantly beyond its elastic limit without fracturing.

This inelastic deformation dissipates seismic energy, reducing the forces transmitted to the rest of the structure and the building’s contents.

This is often achieved through the formation of “plastic hinges” in beams or other designated “fuse” elements.

Capacity Design:

This is a crucial principle that ensures a hierarchy of strength within the structural system. The idea is to force inelastic action (energy dissipation) to occur in ductile elements (e.g., beams, special connections) while ensuring that brittle elements (e.g., columns, foundations, critical connections) remain elastic and retain their strength.

This prevents a sudden and catastrophic collapse. For instance, in moment-resisting frames, the “strong column-weak beam” concept is applied, where columns are designed to be stronger than the beams framing into them, ensuring that plastic hinges form in the beams rather than the columns.

Redundancy:

A redundant structural system provides multiple load paths, meaning if one element or path fails, the loads can be redistributed to other elements, preventing progressive collapse. This enhances the overall robustness of the structure under seismic loading.

…

For more detailed information on the principles of seismic design for steel structures, please click here:https://www.meichensteel.com/a/news/seismic-design-principles-for-steel-structures.html

The cost per square meter for a steel structure workshop can vary significantly, ranging from as low as $10 to $25 per square foot (approx. $107-$269 per square meter) for basic kits, to $20 to $50 per square foot (approx. $215-$538 per square meter) for fully installed prefab buildings, and even $50 to $200+ per square foot (approx. $538-$2150+ per square meter) for custom-built or industrial-grade structures.

Factors affecting the price of steel structure workshop

1. Material Prices:

Steel market fluctuations: Global demand, tariffs, and local availability directly impact the price of steel.

Type and quality of steel: Higher-grade steel offers better durability and strength but comes at a higher cost.

Auxiliary materials: Costs for bolts, welding materials, coatings, insulation, roofing, and foundation materials also add up.

2. Design Complexity and Customization:

Standard vs. custom designs: Simple, standard structures are generally less expensive than custom designs with unique features, layouts, or aesthetics.

Building dimensions: Larger buildings require more materials, but often benefit from economies of scale, leading to a lower cost per square foot for very large structures. However, buildings above a certain width (e.g., 32 feet) may require additional structural support (webbed trussing), increasing costs.

Features and accessories: The number of doors, windows, internal walls, mezzanines, skylights, specialized wall panels, and roof styles (e.g., vertical siding vs. horizontal) all add to the material and labor costs.

Load requirements: Designs that need to withstand specific snow loads, wind loads, or seismic loads will affect the structural design and materials used, increasing costs.

3. Labor Costs:

Regional labor rates: These can vary significantly by location.

Skilled labor availability: Shortages in skilled labor can drive up wages.

Construction difficulty: Complex designs or challenging site conditions can increase labor hours.

Pre-engineered metal buildings (PEMBs): These often speed up assembly and can help lower labor costs compared to traditional construction.

DIY construction: For smaller buildings, this can save on labor but requires expertise.

4. Location and Site Preparation:

Geographical location: Material prices, labor costs, and tax policies differ by region. Remote locations may also incur higher transportation costs.

Site accessibility: Difficult-to-access sites can increase delivery and construction costs.

…

More about steel structure factory building price comparisons: What affects the cost per square meter? For detailed information, please click to visit:https://www.meichensteel.com/a/news/factors-affecting-the-price-of-steel-structure-workshop.html

Welding positioners are crucial pieces of equipment in fabrication and welding shops, designed to hold and manipulate workpieces, allowing welders to achieve optimal positions for welding. Understanding their load capacity is essential for safe and efficient operation.

Welding positioners are crucial pieces of equipment in fabrication and welding shops, designed to hold and manipulate workpieces, allowing welders to achieve optimal positions for welding. Understanding their load capacity is essential for safe and efficient operation.

What is Welding Positioner Load Capacity?

Welding positioner load capacity refers to the maximum weight and associated forces a positioner can safely handle while rotating and tilting a workpiece. It’s not just about the raw weight; it’s a combination of the workpiece’s weight and its center of gravity (CG).Manufacturers typically specify load capacity on a “capacity plate” or in the equipment’s documentation. This often includes:

Maximum Weight Capacity: The absolute maximum weight the positioner can hold.

Tilt Torque Load: The maximum rotational force the positioner can handle when tilting the workpiece.

Rotation Torque Load: The maximum rotational force the positioner can handle when rotating the workpiece.

Center of Gravity (CG) Distance: This is critical. The further the workpiece’s CG is from the positioner’s table surface (for tilt) or the center of the table (for rotation), the greater the torque applied to the positioner, even with the same weight.

How is Welding Positioner Load Capacity Calculated?

The load capacity is heavily influenced by the torque exerted by the workpiece on the positioner’s mechanisms (motor, gears, bearings). Torque is a twisting force, calculated as:

Torque = Weight × Distance

Here’s how this applies to positioners:

Determine the total weight of the weldment: This includes the workpiece itself, any fixtures, chucks, or tooling attached to it.

Calculate the Center of Gravity (CG) of the work:

Distance from the face of the table (for tilt torque): This is the perpendicular distance from the table surface to the workpiece’s CG.

Distance from the rotational center of the table (for rotation torque, also known as eccentricity): This is the parallel distance from the center of the table to the workpiece’s CG. For asymmetrical workpieces, this is crucial.

…

For more detailed information about the load capacity of welding positioners, please click here:https://www.bota-weld.com/en/a/news/welding-positioner-load-capacity.html

Choosing the correct size and stroke for a welding column and boom manipulator is crucial for maximizing efficiency, quality, and safety in your welding operations. It essentially comes down to understanding the dimensions of your workpieces and the required welding processes.

How to choose welding column boom size and stroke

1. Understand the Terminology:

Column (Vertical Travel/Lift): This refers to the vertical height the boom can extend up and down. It’s often expressed as the “vertical reach” or “column stroke.”

Boom (Horizontal Travel/Reach): This refers to the horizontal distance the welding head can extend outwards from the column. It’s often expressed as the “boom reach” or “horizontal stroke.”

Load Capacity: The maximum weight the end of the boom can safely support, including the welding head, wire feeder, flux recovery unit, camera systems, and any other accessories. This is critical for safety and operational stability.

2. Key Factors to Consider for Sizing and Stroke:

Workpiece Dimensions (Length, Diameter, Height):

Maximum Length of Longitudinal Welds: The boom’s horizontal stroke needs to be at least as long as the longest longitudinal weld you’ll be performing. If you’re welding very long components, you might consider a column and boom mounted on a travel car or even a gantry system for extended reach.

Maximum Diameter/Height of Circumferential Welds: The column’s vertical stroke needs to accommodate the height of your largest workpiece when mounted on a positioner or turning rolls. The boom also needs to be able to reach the top and bottom of the circumference. Consider the “minimum height under boom” and “maximum height under boom” specifications.

Minimum Diameter/Height of Workpieces: Ensure the column and boom can retract sufficiently to work on smaller pieces without interference.

Welding Process and Equipment:

Weight of Welding Head and Accessories: Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) heads with flux hoppers and recovery systems are typically heavier than MIG or TIG setups. Factor in the weight of all attachments when considering the boom’s load capacity.

Additional Equipment: If you’re adding cross-slides, seam trackers, laser pointers, or operator platforms, these will add weight and potentially affect the required reach.

Shop Layout and Space Constraints:

Overhead Clearance: Ensure there’s enough vertical space in your facility for the column to extend to its full height.

Floor Space: Consider the footprint of the column and boom, especially if it’s a movable unit on rails.

…

For more detailed information on how to choose the welding column arm size and stroke, please click here: https://www.bota-weld.com/en/a/news/how-to-choose-welding-column-boom-size-and-stroke.html

The process of briquetting agricultural waste involves compacting loose biomass materials into dense, solid blocks called briquettes. This not only helps in waste management but also converts the waste into a valuable fuel source. The type of agricultural waste significantly influences the briquetting process and the quality of the resulting briquettes.

The Ultimate Guide to Briquetting Different Agricultural Wastes

I. Introduction to Briquetting Agricultural Wastes

Agricultural waste, a byproduct of farming activities, includes a vast array of materials such as crop residues (straw, stalks, husks), animal manure, and processing byproducts (sawdust, bagasse). While often considered waste, these materials are rich in organic matter and possess significant energy potential. Briquetting offers a sustainable solution by:

Reducing Waste Volume: Compacting waste significantly reduces its bulk, making storage and transportation more efficient.

Creating a Renewable Fuel: Briquettes serve as an excellent alternative to fossil fuels, offering a cleaner and more efficient energy source for heating, cooking, and industrial applications.

Economic Benefits: Briquetting can create new income streams for farmers and rural communities.

Environmental Advantages: Utilizing agricultural waste reduces the need for open burning, minimizing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

II. Key Factors Influencing Briquetting

Several critical factors determine the success and efficiency of the briquetting process:

Moisture Content: This is perhaps the most crucial factor. Generally, an optimal moisture content range of 10-15% is recommended for most agricultural wastes. Too high moisture leads to weak, crumbly briquettes, while too low can result in difficulty in binding and excessive wear on the briquetting machine.

Particle Size: Uniform and appropriate particle size is essential for good compaction and interlocking. Materials should be ground or shredded to a size typically ranging from 5-20 mm, depending on the material and briquetting machine.

Binding Agents (Optional): While many agricultural wastes can be briquetted without binders due to their natural lignin content, some materials may benefit from the addition of binding agents like starch, molasses, or clay to improve briquette strength and durability. However, adding binders can increase costs and potentially reduce the energy content.

…

More detailed information on the ultimate guide to different agricultural waste groups can be found at: https://www.zymining.com/en/a/news/agricultural-waste-briquetting-guide.html