When selecting the right grating material for your project, understanding the differences between fiberglass grating and steel grating is crucial. Each material has unique advantages and disadvantages, making them suitable for various applications. This comprehensive comparison will help you decide which grating option best meets your needs.
Choosing between fiberglass grating and steel grating involves considering factors such as durability, cost, maintenance, and application. Both materials have their unique strengths and potential drawbacks. This comparison will explore these aspects to help you make an informed decision.
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Advantages of Fiberglass Grating
Disadvantages of Fiberglass Grating
Advantages of Steel Grating
Disadvantages of Steel Grating
Industrial Applications
Commercial Applications
Initial Investment
Fiberglass grating typically has a higher initial cost compared to steel grating. However, its low maintenance requirements and long lifespan can offset the upfront expense over time.
Maintenance and Lifespan
Steel grating requires regular maintenance to prevent rust and corrosion, which can add to the long-term costs. Fiberglass grating, with its low maintenance needs, can be more cost-effective in the long run.
6. Conclusion
In the battle of fiberglass grating vs. steel grating, the best choice depends on your specific needs and application. Fiberglass grating offers superior corrosion resistance, lightweight properties, and low maintenance, making it ideal for corrosive environments and applications where safety is a priority. Steel grating provides unmatched strength, cost-effectiveness, and versatility, making it perfect for heavy-duty applications and high-traffic areas.
Evaluate the requirements of your project, including environmental conditions, load-bearing needs, and budget constraints, to determine the most suitable grating material. Both fiberglass and steel grating have their unique advantages, ensuring you can find the right solution for any application.
We custom-produce highly improved steel metal grate to better perform in complex scenarios of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Our improvements transform steel grate panels with high resistance to static loads to resist also extreme dynamic loads. The dynamic loads suit the vehicular traffic better. Therefore the improved panels fits exactly to the spots of damaged panels and lasts much, much longer in heavy impact conditions. Our improvements of steel grate for pedestrian traffic include sophisticated shapes and “drop in” models. These improvements has been developed through the last 10 years of steel metal grate repairs of bent, and broken panels, as well as damaged brand new ones. JW Investrade Inc. is the mother company of JW Portable Welding & Repairs.
On this page, I will describe our improvements of steel metal grate in two distinct categories, vehicular and pedestrian traffics. In the description of each type of steel grate I will visit specific industry’s terminology. At this moment, you should open Bar Grating Concepts for quick referral of grating terminology.
The steel metal grate industry is highly regulated as ANSI and NAAMM (National Associations of Architectural Metal Manufacturers) provides leadership and guidance to manufactures. The innovations in metal grate industry improve manufacturing processes to provide superior quality products that resist great static loads. Additionally, obligatory proper engineering in Canada and US with professionals engineers approving drawings ensures high standards. More importantly, the fatigue requirements should be considered at the discretion of the Design Engineer. Therefore the resistance to dynamic loads is left to the discretion of the engineer in charge of project’s specifics.
Positioning the span of the steel metal grate along the shortest distance between supports increases the maximum static load and impact resistance of panels. This is an official golden engineering rule of steel metal grate panels for vehicular traffic. Additionally, positioning bearing bars perpendicular to the incoming traffic spreads the concentrated load of wheels to as many load-bearing bars as possible. Engineers additionally do that in order to increase maximum load and resistance to impact.
One visit to client facilities every few years is a standard in repair of steel metal grate businesses. However, occasionally, we have performed repairs to same clients on same panels 3 or 4 times a year. Although, it was good for our bottom line, we knew that we must implements some improvements. Our visits must become less frequent. And, many times we even have worked on the same spot on the same panel a few times a year. Such situations have prompt us to improve these panels even more.
The repairs and improvements to used steel metal grate panels have led us in development of new improved panels. These repairs focused on temporary and/or long-term improvements taught us lessons that laid the foundation for the more customized improvements. Moreover, these repairs have also formed a testing ground for our improved and brand new steel metal grate.
In meantime, we have realized during this process that many improvements must be highly customized to bring the desired effects. The customization degree depends on parameters of the steel grate, original manufacturing technology, and amplitudes of dynamic loads. Additionally, parameters of structural support and physical conditions such as vibration, impact and static load influence our improvements. The road to extended live span of panels seemed long.
Observations of traffic from different angles were especially beneficial in this process and watching videos in slow motion was priceless. Additionally, analysis of structural damages of different steel metal grate elements in variety of spots were confirming our suspicions.
With so many regulations and technological improvements, why do our clients operating in secondary market must replace damaged panels after just 7 to 8 years? Some last longer to about 12 – 15 years. But others on ramps and in some trenches in very specific places become severely damaged after 4 – 6 – 8 months. Why do these grating require require replacement after so short period of time?
Well, with proper engineering utilized in the industry, and strict regulations and guidance of NAAMM the questions are still valid. Why do these panels fail prematurely? …..And more importantly. What can we do to extend the utilization time of these panels? Perhaps we can ask some follow up questions too. What the expected utilization time should be for these steel metal grate panels? May be they should not last longer. Is it worth it to extend the utilization time of these panels? Perhaps it is not worth it. Or, maybe it is worth it, just we must look at this problem from a client’s point of view.
Our clients form a secondary market for steel metal grate, whereas large infrastructure projects form primary market. Our clients usually run their businesses in facilities for at least for 10 years. Then usually face replacement of some damaged steel grate panels. Many clients have already replaced steel metal grate panels after 5 to 7 years already. Now, they are looking forward to another replacement at about 12 years.
The damaged steel grate metal panels have concaved severely and have severe longitudinal and traverse bows. Most have crossbars broken off completely and then bent up which wrecks tires. Some of bearing bars have broken off from banding and are now are twisted. And, often panels have holes covered with 1″ plywood as a temporary fix. Not to mention, microfractures in bearing bars and cracks in welds, lack of rigidity of pressure locked panels, and severe rust.
Most of these panels cover narrow trenches to provide drainage during washing floors from heavy dirt. Some of these panels cover wider trenches for trucks or cars being washed. Additionally, these steel metal grate panels cover stationary loading ramps or movable loading ramps.
There are many reasons for steel metal grate failures. Some of these reasons relate perhaps to the steel grate manufacturing issues. But, majority of reasons relate rather to human factor, and specifics of car industry, or heavy truck industry. Here is a short and perhaps not full list of factors causing premature grate panel failures
Lack of preventative maintenance plans for grating panels not only causes lack of repairs but also forces managers to chose substandard grating. Unrepair damages spread within structure of steel metal grate and decrease significantly utilization time. Simple repairs of cross bars prolongs useful live of steel grating. The reoccurring damages to these cross bars can prompt managers in selection of stronger steel grating.
Owners and manages most often are not aware of severe deterioration of their grating panels. In presence of fatigue factor being the responsibility of engineer, the absence of preventative maintenance plan is the perfect recipe for unexpected and unpleasant surprises. Often the manages/owners replace the old grating with wrong type of grating since they cannot wait too long.
Tell me what you want and I will make it for you, approach of dealers and distributors contributes to wrong decision. If I do not know what I want, you will sell me a wrong kind of metal grate, won’t you?
The market of steel metal grate panels consist of manufacturers and steel suppliers/distributors. The suppliers/distributors sell also foreign made grate panels among other structural steel. These companies maintain good relationship with contractors and owners/managers operating variety of businesses. Manufacturers usually approach selling steel metal grate panels in more consultative way guiding clients in their decision making. However, the steel suppliers/distributors ask client what they want. They are not ready to guide the client in decision making.
Since majority of clients do not know what they want, they are getting wrong type of steel grate panel. And, then cheap steel metal grate becomes very expensive due to multiple repairs or necessary replacement.
Wrong steel metal grate type in wrong location and lack of customization is the next source of steel grate failure. Most steel grating panels for the project is made uniformly for the better look and more convenient manufacturing. Therefore, producers cut to size the same type of steel metal grate. Then maintenance workers place them in variety of places in the facility.
As a result, some steel metal grate panels face more significant dynamic loads and fatigue in some locations than other panels in different locations. Then steel grating panels facing most significant loads and/or fatigue in your facility fail prematurely. Whereas, steel metal grate panels in other locations last longer.
Presence of foreign made steel metal grates manufactured according to unknown testing standards is gaining popularity due to lower prices. It is a well known fact. As most Canadian and American manufacturers exceed NAAMM standards, the foreign products just meet them. Additionally, the foreign manufacturers manufacture their steel grates from steel elements produced in their local steel mills. The quality of steel used in production of grates could be insufficient to produce good quality steel metal grates.
Similar concept applies to stainless steel. As there are many kinds of stainless steel, the less expensive ones are preferable for stainless steel grates due to price advantage. Unfortunately, cheap grates from stainless steel not only rust but also bend since they can not sustain higher loads. But, still these type of stainless grates are promoted by distributors.
Ever increasing size of cars and its weight. With EVs weighting on average 30% more than the same gas models, we expect more failures of steel metal grate. The existing steel metal grate panels for vehicular traffic are designed to absorb about 30% impact in comparison to the weight of vehicles. Therefore, EVs must create no impact at all for the panel to be in good shape. This assumption is simply unreasonable especially that EVs are famous for great acceleration.
Taking chances with excessive static loads is very risky and hazardous and same rule applies to dynamic loads. Assuming that grating should take even greater dynamic load is simply negligent. Many drivers unintentionally damage steel metal grate due to:
Additionally, negligent forklift drivers damage steel grates in large numbers in busy factories and warehouses. Here is an uncomplete list of negligent behavior’s contributing to steel grate damage:
Our improvements to steel metal grate for vehicular traffic includes standard improvements and custom improvements. Obviously, all our improvements increase the static loads of the grating but their main purpose is to increase the resistance of dynamic loads. The vehicles case dynamic loads but other factors also can cause dynamic loads.
The presence of our standard improvements increase resistance to broadly spread dynamic loads. Only some panels also receive more customized improvements to increase their resistance to more concentrated dynamic loads or impact. In these specific panels you will notice synergy between standard and custom improvements to resist dynamic loads to even grater extend.
Our standard improvements into steel metal grate for vehicular traffic consist of :
The squarish shape of panels used for vehicular traffic in secondary market has made the banding bar more important. It has definitely extrapolated the effectiveness of our improved banding bars. As the crossbars provide rather insufficient structural enforcement for vehicular traffic. Therefore the 2 thick banding bars improve significantly resistance to bowing.
Anti-vibration welds minimize the risk of bearing bars breaking off from banding bar at high amplitude and low frequency vibration. Additionally, they provide sufficient resistance to impact of vehicular traffic moving in both directions.
The size and length of our antivibration welds exceeds NAAMM guidance and recommendations
The 2 side rims improvement for small panels relates to 2 bearing bars replacement forming the rim of the smaller panel’s. In this way we ensure the proper fit of the the of small panels to steel angle support in small tranches
Our customized improvements relate to improvement of one or more elements within the structure of the panel due to more concentrated dynamic load characteristic in specific location on the panel.
Replacement of 2 bearing bars forming the rim at the width of the panel increases the dynamic load resistance. We can observe this increase at the edge of panels adjacent to each other.
Strengthening specific bearing bars within the panel provides remedy to highly localized impact damages in specific panels.
The cross bars at the bottom of the panel allows partial transition of concentrated impact into more bearing bars. Additionally, it reduces the leverage acting on the bearing bars’ depth.
Strengthening of rim bearing bars along with spacers introduces slightly greater depth steel metal grate on the ramp. This increases depth by 1/4″ to 3/8″.
The stabilization of bearing bars on ramp’s slopes prohibits twisting of bearing bars. Placement of spacers allows for stabilization of bearing bar spacing.
Also, stabilization of bearing bars to ramp’s structure provides support in the middle of the span. As most of the ramps provide such support this improvement helps reduce twisting of bearing bars on the slopes.
Many of these panels in secondary market are of rectangular shape with the length of the panel being much smaller than its width. Still there are some of these panels that look squarish from the first look. Their length is a bit longer from the panel’s width by not as much. Very rarely panels in secondary market take shape of the rectangular where length of the panel is 3 times longer than its width. In trenches, the span of these panels goes along the width of the trench. The trench’s width is the smallest distance between supports. The panels span (length) is sometimes 4 – 6 times smaller than its width.
About 90%, of squarish panels and these with length of the panel up to twice longer than its width faces upcoming traffic perpendicularly. These squarish panels are placed on wider pits or trenches and on ramps. These squarish looking panels installed on ramps are usually damaged more often by heavy trucks or forklifts.
The direction of traffic in primary market for steel metal grate always comes in one direction. It is also perpendicular to bearing bars. However, the situation in secondary market is completely different. The bearing bars often face bidirectional or multidirectional traffic that does not approach bearing bars perpendicularly.
The vehicular traffic consisting of forklifts, cars, trucks and heavy trucks that drive on trenches, pits and ramps. Most often, the traffic usually comes from both directions perpendicularly to bearing bars. The vehicles are driving up the rump and then drive down the ramp. Similar situation happens on pits, vehicles drive on pit or wide trench and then back off from there. The bidirectional vehicular traffic has prompted us first to use antivibration welds. The antivibration welds support traffic coming from two opposite directions instead of one direction.
However, many narrow trenches faces not only bidirectional but multidirectional traffic. And, the bearing bars there do no face perpendicular traffic at all. Therefore, presence of multidirectional dynamic loads impacts the bearing bars of these panels. Additionally, to make things even worse, many drivers turn wheels left and right while standing on the narrow trench.
Clients inquiring about our improvements have usually severely damaged steel metal grate. Their grating face more significant dynamic loads and impact than the panels can handle. Your business operation is significantly impacted by frequent replacements of panels and you are looking for significant improvements and resolutions. We deliver both.
The rectangular or squarish shape of panels for vehicular traffic has led us into the first improvement. The strong and thick banding bar. The thick banding bar provides a significant improvement to overall rigidity of the panel. As the panel’s span declines and the width increases the importance of strong 2 banding bars on both sides of the widths increases too. Majority of our banding bars are load caring bandings and are positioned according to the industry standard.
Strong two bandings obviously minimize longitudinal bowing but also minimizes traverse bowing by resisting twisting to greater degree.
Majority of our projects include bearing bars 3/16″ and 1/4″ with occasional panels with bearing bars of 3/8″. In improvements we use 3/8 load bandings for bearing bars of 3/16″ and 1/2″ for bearing bar of 1/4″. Majority of steel angle supports accommodate these thicknesses of banding.
The only minor disadvantage to this improvement is relatively insignificant increase of weight.
We presently work on solutions to implement composite structures into our banding. This improvement will affect panels with bearing bars depth above 2 1/2″
All our fillet welds between bearing bars and banding have antivibration characteristic. We position them on both sides of every bearing bar. These welds not only resist cracks due to large dynamic load caused by acceleration or deceleration of vehicles. These welds also resist vibration and impact caused by traffic coming perpendicularly from two directions.
This is especially beneficial for steel metal grate panels on ramps since forklifts move loads in two directions on ramp. Many times going up or down the ramp the driver accelerates or decelerates for more safe or efficient travel.
Very similar situation happens on wider trenches. The driver drives onto the trench then decelerates and stops. Later the drivers starts the engine, accelerates and drives off or backs off from the trench. Therefore , again the bearing bars face bidirectional traffic coming perpendicularly from two opposite directions.
The presence of antivibration welds along with much stronger banding bar increases resistance to dynamic loads of vehicular traffic coming from multiple directions.
We grind our welds flush along the edge of banding. Therefore, they form a typical triangles at the top of and the bottom of the bearing bars. We also unsure a compete weld penetration on these spots. In this way, these welds prohibit initial cracking between top of the bearing bar and banding. The good penetration in these places is crucial for large static loads
Our antivibration weld cover the whole depth of bearing bar disregarding its size. We do it even for bearing bars exceeding 2 1/2″ depth.
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Chuangdi.
The present industry standard recommended by NAAMM involves placing only one fillet weld on one side of the bearing bar. Obviously, such fillet weld does not meet anti-vibration standard. It does not provide same resistance to dynamic loads coming from bidirectional vehicular traffic. The direction facing the welds will have good resistance. However, the vehicular traffic coming from opposite direction will not face as good resistance. The resistance of welds to crashing force is much smaller than their resistance to elongation force.
In my opinion, the traditional panels with one weld on bearing bar should face vehicular from only one direction. This is the direction facing the welds. Crew should never rotate these panels as they do during the cleaning process. The maintenance crew usually cleans these panels at least 2 – 3 times a year. More importantly, these panels should never face bidirectional or multidirectional vehicular traffic since they will retire prematurely.
However, the great majority of panels in secondary market face bidirectional traffic and some face multidirectional traffic. Additionally, workers rotate panel due to maintenance and cleaning, that changes the welds’ position towards the traffic direction. Therefore this panel could face traffic coming from the other direction too. The one weld on one side of bearing bar does not provide a good resistance against dynamic load or impact coming from two directions. The two welds located on both sides of bearing bar provide much better resistance. This is an undisputed fact.
Lets compare our antivibration welds to industry standards.
The proprietary information covers all welding procedure of antivibration welds in steel metal grates.
Both size of the weld and their length along the bearing bar’s depth exceed industry standard. Simply put, our welds are bigger and longer. The length of these welds always covers the whole depth of the bearing bar on both sides disregarding the size of the depth.
Therefore, we do not rotate welds on top and bottom of the bar for bearing bars exceeding depth of 2 1/2″. We also do not follow another standard of welding for steel metal grate that states that welds should only exceed one-half depth on one side. In my humble opinion our standards suite the secondary market of the steel metal grate for vehicular traffic better.
We are able to provide anti – vibration welds for panels with bearing bar spacing of grater or equal to 17/16. Presently, we are testing the procedures for welding even smaller bearing bar spacing. Bar spacing along with thickness of bearing bar determines the gap between bearing bar. The gap between the bearing bar forms the first technological challenge for us. We are responding in continues modification of our welding equipment and improvements of welding procedures
We are focused on small trenches or pits in secondary market. Our panels must have exactly 1/4″ gap between support and the outside edge of the panel. Therefore sometimes we face difficulties with some type of panels. Simply put, the width of these type the panels simply would become too small creating too big gap. Therefore we replace 2 rim bearing bars with thicker material to main the 1/4″ gap.
The custom improvements relate to some elements of steel metal grate in specific panel located within grated area or separate location. These improvements target concentrated dynamic loads and impacts affecting rather smaller areas of the panel.
The 2 side rims improvement replaces the bearing bars in the rim of the width with much stronger elements. We often replace these rim bearing bars with 2 times or even 2.5 times thicker flat bars. We weld these replacement flat bars to cross bars and to banding bars with extra large welds.
The replaced flat bars resist better dynamic load of traffic coming on top of the panel. Especially, if there are significant large gaps between neighboring panels. Unfortunately, many managers like to keep the panels loose to simplify replacement and/or cleanup processes. The traffic going on top of some of these panels can cause widening of gaps between some panels. The wider than necessary gaps increase shared load of side rim bearing bars.
Strengthening specific bearing bars of steel metal grate increases utilization time of the whole panel. The strengthening minimizes longitudinal bowing of these specific bars. Strengthening of specific bearing bars minimize damages occurring in very specific location on the panel. These specific and highly localized damages are consistent with your production, service and operation processes. Therefore, probably you cannot do anything about them.
Frequent stopping, starting, unloading and loading cause excessive vibration and fatigue of steel metal grates in specific locations. These activities on ramps with slopes become more detrimental for grates. These damages affect the bearing bars along the axle. They are usually bigger at the front of the car or truck due to the engine weight.
The strengthening involves welding a flat bar(s) to one or both sides of affected bearing bars. These flat-bars are then welded to bandings. We recommend to avoid rotation of these improved panels. We recommend also marking the locations of strengthened bearing bars on the panel’s support.
The proprietary information covers all welding procedure related to strengthening of bearing bars.
Strengthening of rim bearing bars is very important for larger depth panels. This larger depth panels accommodate bigger maximum load than rest of the panels. The gradient introduction of bigger depth bearing bars in proximity to thicker grating panels removes the need to replace the all old steel metal grate. This procedure will create a small step out of about 1/4″ to 1/2″. Additionally, these strengthening must cover at least the wheel’s width distribution.
First we we must find a grating with slightly larger depth and much larger maximum load . By gradient strengthening rim bars and close to them wheel width bearing bars we slowly increase the panel thickness. At the maximum panel thickness the top surface of old panel will align with the top surface of the new panel with much higher maximum load.
The strengthening of rim bearing bars follows the same procedure as strengthening of bearing bars in other locations. However, strengthening of rim bearing bars must be followed by placement of spacers.
Proprietary information covers all strengthening of rim bearing bars
Square cross bars at the bottom of the grate act in the same way as cross bars at the top of steel metal grate. They stabilize the structure by enforcing the bearing bar spacing. The top cross bars enforce the bearing bar spacing at the top of the grate. The square bars enforce the same spacing at the bottom.
The improved grating with square bars resists excessive dynamic load and horizontal vibration much better. The square bars prohibit twists of bearing bars. In fact, we use variety of these bars from square to rectangular and in variety of thicknesses. Most of these bars are grooved prior installation to accommodate bearing bars.
We use variety of spacers spread in regular intervals along the bearing bar so stabilize bearing bar spacing. The spacers prohibit bearing bar twists. We consider type of spacers and their pattern placement a proprietary information.
Yes. We do. Sometimes we run into load, impact, or dimensions restrictive barriers. Sometimes, there are only two of these factors that create restrictive barriers. If this is the case, one of these restrictive factors is the depth of bearing bar for sure. We cannot find the steel metal grate that will sustain your dynamic load and impact at your restricted depth. Manufacturers simply tell us that in order to tolerate such large dynamic loads or impact the panel must be thicker. That is this it mast contain bearing bars with larger depth. If we cannot use the larger depth steel grate panel to accommodate your high load and impact then we resort to grating weldments.
Our clients form a group of small and medium size Canadian businesses whose managers try to replace damaged steel metal grate with a same or stronger type of grating. Majority of these managers must make rather difficult decisions based on our consultative approach and with limited financial resources. Additionally, many of them face time constrains. The failure of steel metal grate can cause major operational disruption and they are looking for rather quick resolution.
Our clients consist of :
We are rarely involve in first priority new infrastructure projects. The majority of clients operate in facilities 10 years or older.
To receive the quote for your grate project with standard improvements go to contact us and click new grating. The contact page accommodates to novice buyer and seasoned engineer as they take separate paths in quoting. Novice buyers should become familiar with information we need in order to provide a quote for you. This information you will find on Grating steel measurements to receive the quote.
We ship our improved steel metal grate panels Canada wide and we are ready to ship them to US. If you are located within or service area that is 150km radius from London, Ontario, than we will deliver and install your improved grate panels ourselves.
Our engineering methodology involves secondary data provided by NAAMM and manufacturers of standard steel grate supported by our empirical methodology. Our empirical methodology involves:
Primary research also has involved measurements of impact and vibration. We have used slow motion videos to confirm our findings.
We always start with secondary data provided by NAAMM and manufacturer. Therefore we start with NAAMM guidance related to static load and impact of 30% of static load. Then we modify their data according to our proprietary formulas. Then we arrive with more realistic dynamic load and perhaps more excessive impact. Finally, we reduce the suitable span for maximum dynamic load of particular type of steel metal grate.
Next, we receive primary research data from client regarding deflections, crack distribution, and twist. Our clients also must provide suitable information regarding steel support for their grating. We also identify the client’s old steel metal grate to find out the Maximum Clear Span for the old panel. Then we put their data into our formulas.
Then we find out from our manufacturer the type of grating panel that will suit the client the most. Certainly, we only deal with manufacturers that produce quality panels in types we require. We call at least 4 manufacturers. Then we compare the Maximum Clear Span of proposed type of panels for particular bearing bar size.
The secondary data provided by manufacturer looks similar to image below. The 15HW4 is the portion of steel bar grating telling us the bearing bar spacing and cross bar spacing.
When you look at bearing bar size column, you will notice 1 1/2 x 3/8 and 1 1/2 x 1/4. Then look at auto traffic for these bearing bars you will find 38″span and 27″span respectively. We would chose the bearing bar with longer span in our analysis.
Now, lets compare the same data for 30HW4 grating. When you look at bearing bar size column, you will notice 1 1/2 x 3/8 and 1 1/2 x 1/4. Then look at auto traffic for these bearing bars you will find 24″span and 18″span respectively.
Obviously, the 15HW4 grating provides longer Maximum Clear Spans with bearing bar 1 1/2″ x 3/8″ . This grate is superior to all of them.
We usually continue to the next step with 3 proposals of best grating types. These 3 grating offer the longer Maximum Clear Spans
In final step we select the winning type of grating in particular bearing bar size. And, we establish the second the grating type on second place. These gratings have reduced Maximum Clear Spans based on our empirical formulas. We assign them JW Maximum Clear Spans which are much shorter spans than Maximum Clear Spans provided by Manufacturer. The JW Maximum Clear Spans are usually longer than the real client spans. Naturally, we include these gratings in our proposal. If JW Maximum Clear Spans do not exceed real client’s spans then we clearly communicate this fact to our client. Next, we add our grating weldments into our proposal
Our clients usually receive at least 2 proposals of our improved grating. Sometimes however, they receive only 1 proposal of improved grating and 1 proposal of grating weldment.
Our involvement in pedestrian market differs very significantly. Obviously, metal grates for pedestrian market do not have to resist intense dynamic loads and impact. However, there are some exceptions to the rule. The pedestrian’s grate must resist static loads and rather low impact. Sporadically, the same grates must support light vehicle traffic and pedestrian traffic. The steel grates for walkways would serve as an example that should be able to carry load of half axel.
Please note, we treat steel metal grate panels for heavy industry and for mining the same as for vehicular traffic. The same rule applies to steel grates for walkways with allowable half axle traffic.
Again, ANSI and NAAMM (National Associations of Architectural Metal Manufacturers) provide leadership and guide manufactures of steel metal grate for pedestrians. Manufacturers develop more dense grate panels with bearing bars spacing getting smaller and smaller. Many manufacturers not only produce aluminum grating but also stainless steel grating. Additionally, some manufacturers produce grating consisting of T’s instead of flat bars as bearing bars. These unique bearing bars attempt to increase the working surface of each bearing bar in the presence of pedestrian load. Production innovations make metal grating lighter and stronger. Presence of engineered drawings on every construction project in Canada and US determines the kind of metal grating utilized.
Positioning the span of the steel metal grate along the shortest distance between supports is not as popular for pedestrian traffic. Pedestrian traffic generates smaller loads and therefore spans are longer, much longer. The golden engineering rule of steel metal grate panels for vehicular traffic is more flexible for pedestrian traffic. Surely, we see many intermediate supports along the span of these long panels for pedestrian traffic. Generally speaking, this is more for panel stabilization and load caring of the panel itself. The pedestrian traffic simply creates mush smaller loads and impacts than vehicular traffic and we all notice different design consequences.
As these panels do not sustain extraordinary dynamic loads, impact or vibration they do last long time. We have seen panels 20 and 25 years old in perfect or almost perfect conditions. More often support for these panels fails first prior any damages occur to the panel itself. Definitely, the increased density of bearing bars provides additional resistance to occasional impact, vibration and load.
In our climate, rust plays the most damaging role in steel metal grate deterioration. Therefore steel grates exposed to natural environment should be hot deep galvanized. As aluminum grating is gaining popularity for pedestrian traffic, it also is subjected to oxidation causing severe damages.
As the steel grates for pedestrian traffic last much longer, we provide:
Some panels require radical shape modification while maintaining structural integrity with load bearing banding.
Additionally, we provide drop in steel grating for pedestrian traffic. These drop in models cover variety of trenches and pits without steel grate’s support.
The shape modification and in place precise cuts play major role in minimizing of space between support’s vertical toe and the steel grating. More importantly, we reduce the opening distance between obstacle and steel grate while maintaining a full structural support with banding.
Please note, the 7″ diameter circle banding that is fully welded with our anti -vibration welds is a load bearing banding. Such structural assembly increases the maximum static load close to the posts or lamps. As a results workers are able to approach the obstacle much closer without any fear of panel’s bowing with traverse bow.
Moreover, such assembly allows for placement of supports at greater distance from obstacle while maintaining structural rigidity. In this way, engineer is able to avoid uncomfortable and sometimes complex placement of panel’s support close to the obstacle.
Our tooling allows to bend even 1/2″ banding along the precise cuts of the panel. Please take a look at our example of wavy line banding. Once again, with such pattern workers are able to approach machinery or equipment very close without fear of traverse bowing. In pedestrian application where the support must conform to wavy shape, we will also supply the structural support. And, we will install both the panel and the support if you will insist.
We require templates of needed shapes prior quoting. To receive the quote please contact us and click grate improvements and then follow the instructions.
Majority of pits and trenches have traditional grate’s support in form of steel angles. Such support provides the static load support for the steel metal grate. It also stabilizes the horizontal movement of the grate. The support’s depth establishes the elevation of the steel metal grate panel..
Problems appear when we face old infrastructure with pits and trenches without traditional steel angle support. Additionally, these pits and trenches usually do not have perfectly finished vertical concrete close to the top edge. Also, they are rather small and therefore manual installation is preferable due to cost saving.
For such pits and trenches we custom fabricate steel metal grate with banding in form of reversable structural angles. The resulting steel grate decking provides sufficient support for pedestrian traffic load. It also provides horizontal stabilization. Unfortunately, it increases top panel surface elevation by 3/8″. The leg’s thickness creates step out from surrounding concrete’s level. Most importantly, however, such sectional steel metal grate decking allows for manual partial removal of steel metal grate for occasional maintenance. To receive the quote please contact us and click new grating and then follow the instructions.
Catwalks allow for directed pedestrian traffic between mezzanines or between mezzanines and concrete flooring. These narrow “bridges”, for better visualization, consist of hangers, steel grate’s support and long steel grate panels. Engineers designing this panels face significant dilemmas with stabilization of catwalk especially when catwalk’s hanger is very long.
Workers waking on unstable catwalk experience swinging to the left and right that makes walking very uncomfortable in any situations. Safety of pedestrians is at stake when flimsy catwalk leads to emergency exits. Workers are not able to leave the plant in organized fashion in emergency situations.
Our efforts of catwalk improvement focuses on stabilization of hangers and attachment improvement at entrance and exit.
As the steel metal grate panels length increases and their support degrades then there is grater possibility for panel twists. The twisting steel grate is common in industrial settings and in urban settings. These settings feature grate panels boxed within its steel angle support.
These twists make pedestrian walk rather uncomfortable since people notice twists of 3/8″. In most instances we eliminate twists through shimming or through proper attachment of panels to their supports. The shimming would indicate the problem with deterioration of grates’ support. From other side, the proper attachment relates to leveling issue or rust issue.
Modification and/or improvement of existing grating’s support is very common in the industry. These modifications involve mezzanines and stair cases with deficient support for steel metal grate. Most often these deficiencies have involved some previous modifications or improvements focused on temporary production resolutions or shipment resolutions.
Bouncy grading due to lack of support is very uncomfortable for workers and must be corrected. Such grating does not provide sufficient support for our feet and working on such mezzanines is very tiring.
Modification of stair cases usually involves some addition to the stair case. These addition take shape of deck extension, additional exit from the stair case or additional access. Occasionally, we also have participated in modification of external stair cases due to building improvements.
Our clients form a group of small and medium size Canadian businesses in warehousing and manufacturing. The managers try to repair or modify mezzanines, catwalks and stair cases. However, in condominium market, we install our removable and custom steel metal grate covering variety of pits and trenches.
Majority of these managers must make rather difficult decisions based on our guidance and with limited financial resources. Additionally, in real estate sector many managers must receive approval from variety of committees for these improvements. Therefore, most of these modifications are not done in emergency fashion.
We ship modified shape panels and steel metal grate panels with reversable angle rim through the whole Ontario. We also have started shipping them to other provinces. Contact us for quote and click panel improvement.
The catwalk improvement, modification of support, and elimination of panel twist are available locally within 150km radius from London, Ontario.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Steel Bar Grating.