Home / Products / H-Beams & Plate Girders

Primary Steel

Welded H-beams and plate girders, sized for the load instead of the catalogue

Rolled sections stop at fixed sizes. A welded section lets the engineer choose flange and web separately, taper the depth and put steel only where the moment is. The price of that freedom is welding, and the welds are where the checks go.

200–2,000 mm

Web depth

6–80 mm

Plate thickness

Tapered

Portal rafters and columns

SAW

Automatic flange welds

Selection

Rolled section or welded H?

ConditionRolled H / IWelded H / plate girder
Standard sizes, short lead timeBetterLonger lead time
Deep beams over about 900 mmNot availableStandard
Tapered portal raftersNot possibleStandard
Heavy transfer and crane girdersLimitedBetter
Unit cost per ton, small sizesLowerHigher
Weight on long spansFixedSteel only where needed
Flange-to-web welds

Fillet or full penetration?

Your engineer decides. These are the usual reasons for each choice.

WeldWhen usedTesting
Double fillet by SAWMost beams, columns and raftersVisual 100%; MT on sample per ITP
Partial penetrationThick webs with moderate shearVisual; UT where specified
Full penetration (CJP)Crane runway girders, fatigue-loaded members, high shearUT 100% for grade 1 welds per GB 50205; AWS D1.1 / EN 1090-2 as specified
Crane girders: the top flange-to-web weld carries every wheel pass. Specify CJP or a fatigue-rated fillet, and tell us the crane class.
Capabilities

What we fabricate

ParameterRangeNotes
Web depth200–2,000 mmConstant or tapered
Flange width150–800 mmUnequal flanges possible
Plate thickness6–80 mmZ15/Z25/Z35 where loaded through thickness
Length per pieceUp to 18 m11.8 m for 40HQ shipping
Web openingsRound, rectangular, castellatedReinforced per design
CamberCut into the web profileChecked on the floor
GradesQ235B, Q355B–D, Q390, Q420; S355; A572 Gr50EN 10204 3.1 certificates
From our engineers

Four details to settle on the drawings

Stiffeners. Slender webs need bearing stiffeners at supports and point loads. Missing stiffeners are the most common query we raise.
Camber. State the camber and the load it is for. Camber is cut into the web, not forced in afterwards.
Web openings. Holes for ducts weaken the web. Positions should be fixed before cutting; late holes need reinforcement and approval.
Splices. Long girders are split for shipping. Splice at low moment; bolted splices avoid site welding.
Process

How a welded beam is made

01

Cut plates

CNC flame or plasma; web profile cut for taper or camber.

02

Assemble H

Flanges and web tacked on an assembly line.

03

SAW welding

Submerged arc, balanced to limit distortion.

04

Straighten

Flange tilt corrected by roller straightener.

05

Fit-up

End plates, stiffeners and cleats welded.

06

Inspect

Dimensions and NDT per the ITP.

Tolerances

Typical limits

Per GB 50205 or EN 1090-2, whichever your specification names. Tighter limits on request, priced as such.

ItemTypical limit
Depth±3 mm
Flange tiltb/100, max 3 mm
Web out-of-flatnessd/150
SweepL/1000, max 10 mm
Length±3 mm
FAQ

Beam and girder questions

Not answered here? Ask an engineer.

Can you match a rolled section with a welded one?

Yes, but it usually costs more. Welded sections pay off where rolled sizes do not fit the load.

Yes, by cutting and re-welding rolled or welded sections; your engineer checks the web posts.

Fillet is standard. CJP where your design or fatigue requires it.

Typically 2–4 weeks after shop drawing approval for a few hundred tons.

Next steps

Related pages

Welded Box Columns

Product

Crane buildings

Product

H vs I vs box

Blog

Weld testing

Service
Beam schedule

Send the schedule and we price per mark

Sections, lengths, quantities, connections, grade and any crane loads.