Steel Angles
Steel angles are shapes formed by a bend in a single piece of steel or the intersection of two pieces of steel. An aluminum angle can measure anywhere between 0 and 180 degrees, though in practice, most steel angles measure near 90 degrees. Angled metal shapes are widely used in many industrial, commercial, and consumer contexts. For lighter-duty, less demanding applications, aluminum angles are less expensive than steel and can be just as effective.
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Applications of Steel Angles
For demanding applications, steel is a suitable angle construction material. Residential, commercial, and industrial construction projects all make use of steel angles in varying configurations and sizes. They are used to support shelving, they can be used as floor and doorway trim, and they can be used in weatherproofing. Trailers used to transport recreational vehicles like boats and off-road vehicles often make use of steel angles. In less conspicuous contexts, steel angles can be key parts of many kinds of machinery and equipment. Desks, workbenches, table saws, bleachers, carts, and many other commercial, industrial, and consumer utilities have steel angles built-in.
Steel Angle Manufacturing Process
The uses of steel angles may vary widely, but all steel angles resemble each other in terms of their construction. A steel angle can be formed by bending one piece of steel or joining two steel pieces at an angle. There are many processes by which a steel angle can be produced. In the case of the conjunction of two steel pieces, an angle can be formed by welding the two parts or by connecting them with fasteners. In the case of bending single steel pieces to form an angle, roll forming is a common production method. Roll forming of steel angles is a fairly simple process; a roll former, which is a long machine that consists of a series of precisely positioned rollers, can produce dozens of feet of angled steel every minute. The process begins with a supply of steel strip material (the material is usually coiled together to allow for easy feeding into the roll former) which is fed into the first rollers in the series. These rollers fit tightly around the contours of the strip. As the series progresses, the rollers’ configurations change, which causes the shape of the strip to change. By the end of the process, the steel takes its angled shape, at which point it can be cut and made ready for shipping.