The process behind steel detailing

Steel detailing is a long and interesting process that starts with the design of a steel structure and ends with the presentation of the final drawings. This process is necessary for the precise design of any construction or manufacturing regarding steel. Read more about the steel detailing process below:

Conception

The first step in the steel detailing process is the seed of the idea. An architect or structural engineer will have an idea about a steel structure and will bring it to life with simple drawings. These simple drawings may go into slight detail about certain mechanical structures needed for the steel structure, but often the detail is left to the detailer.

Diagramming

The next step is diagramming. This step is completed by the steel detailer, rather than the architect or structural engineer. The drawing made at this stage are referred to as erection drawings. These focus on the detail of every component within the structure and determine installation procedures and positioning requirements.

Shop drawings

The final step in the steel detailing process, before the presentation of the plans, is the shop drawings. The shop drawings are also completed by the steel detailer. This is the stage within the steel detailing process where the exact dimensions of each beam, truss, column, and more, are determined. Other specifications regarding paint, surfaces and welding are also determined in this step of the steel detailing process. These drawings have information that will be relayed on to the rest of the project team in order to create the structure.