What Does a Steel Fabricator Do?

A steel fabricator plays a crucial role in crafting and assembling metal components. These are used in the construction of diverse structures, including buildings, bridges, automobiles, ships, and aircraft. As such, precision is crucial to ensure seamless fitting of metal parts that adhere to specific sizes and thickness. The following blog addresses the question – ‘what does a steel fabricator do?’ in the best possible way.

The responsibilities associated with this profession include a spectrum of tasks. Some fabricators concentrate on producing small metal components vital for electronic equipment. In comparison, others specialise in the fabrication of big metal panels, connected through fasteners or welding.

If you are wondering about a steel fabricator job’s description, here’s a brief overview. A fabricator is expected to perform the following basic tasks:

  • Operates machines like shears, flame cutters and drill presses

  • Shape metal through bending, straightening, and grinding

  • Use hand torches or furnace to pre-heat workpieces

  • Fit and weld metal parts

  • Design or create templates for precise fabrication

  • Inspect workpieces for specified dimensions

  • Fabricate and assemble sheet metal products

  • Set up and operate machines like a radial drill press and edge planer

The above tasks are expected of a steel fabricator. It highlights the skill set required of a steel fabricator in various situations. An experienced fabricator can merge technical proficiency and metal craftsmanship with creative problem-solving ideas.

Click here to learn more about the steel fabrication process.

Structural Steel Fabricator – Duties and Responsibilities

A steel fabricator’s duties and responsibilities typically include, but are not limited to:

  • Steel Fabrication: Shaping steel and other metal components as per the provided blueprints.

  • Welding: Utilising heat to liquefy a metal surface and affix it to another material.

  • Metal Cutting: Precision cutting and shaping along specified lines.

  • Building Templates: Creating foundational templates or guides as needed.

  • Machinery Setup: Installing and configuring metalworking machinery, including rollers, drill presses, flame cutters, brakes and shears.

  • Equipment Maintenance: Regular maintenance of tools and equipment for optimal performance.

  • Workplace Safety: Upholding a safe and secure working environment at all times.

  • Product Quality Assurance: Verifying the condition of fabricated steel products for installation before dispatch from the site.

Types of Steel Fabricators

You may still have lingering doubts in your mind, wondering what are steel fabricators. Do they have different roles? Yes, there are different types of steel fabricators, each specialising in a particular role. The work varies and we have briefly mentioned them to help you understand better.

  • Metal Fabricator: A metal fabricator generally works with all kinds of metal. They cut, bend, shape and put metal pieces together to make specific designs. Various tools and plans made by engineers are used to achieve this. Metal fabrication covers a wide range of things. A fabricator usually creates items like architectural pieces or metal parts for industrial use.

  • Machinist: A machinist operates different machines, like milling machines or lathes, to cut and shape metal. They use the drawings provided by engineers to program the machine and make the product. The process often involves computer-controlled machines (CNC), which are part of computer-aided design and manufacturing. Efficient machinists understand how to program CNC machines to maximise productivity. At Gunceler Industries, we also use state-of-the-art CAD technology for complex detailing and documentation.

  • Welder: Welding is a well-known process in metal fabrication where two pieces of metal are joined using heat, electricity, or another metal component. A successful welding job requires precision, attention to detail and knowledge of different metals. It also involves metal preparation before welding before cleaning the finished product and work area afterwards.

    There are different types of welding:

    • MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding: Used to join two thin metal pieces using bare wire or FCAW (Flux Core Arc Welding).
    • TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding: Joins metals with a TIG torch. The process is versatile but quite challenging.
    • Stick welding: A traditional method using a stick electrode welding rod which provides better mechanical properties.

If you still ask yourself ‘What is steel fabrication work?’ or require professional steel fabricators, don’t hesitate to reach out. Gunceler Industries is a leading metal fabricator in Australia. We have the experience and the tools to deliver excellent fabricated products of all kinds. For more information, you can call us on 0411 032 421 or drop us an email at guncelerIndustries@hotmail.com.