Steel section - folded steel? Advice on a project

[Stickmaister]

Hi Everyone!
I've got some work to do on a conveyor and we need the sides of the conveyor raised by around 300mm,
We're thinking of making some sides and bolting them onto the conveyor structure..

Like this ... (if this following photo makes sense to anyone?)

So would need sections of steel like this drawing..

I know one option is to use 60x60 angle and weld 300 x 6mm flat bar to it but are there any other better solutions, such as getting thinner steel folded?
Would that be strong enough without gussets?
Thanks for your time,

 

[Agroshield]

Would that be strong enough without gussets?

In addition will the thing you are bolting it to be strong enough to withstand the lever arm of something 300mm tall on top of it? You may need to down-gusset as well as up-gusset.

 

[bricol]

Also depends on what that conveyor is conveying.

300mm tall 3mm thick that long will be wavy at the top even bolted down to something solid.

I'd be at least folding the top over 20mm, to stiffen lengthwise, with a rib 1/3 & 2/3 along, same sort of width, tacked/stitched in to link top and bottom folds.

Make it out of thinner, 2mm or even 1.6, with return folds tip and bottom, ribs/gussets every little way along, stitched top, bottom and couple of places up the vertical.

Or weld the f*** out of it, then spend a day trying to get it flat and straight again - my colleagues who have never seen a welder, never mind talked to one, love to put"fully welded" on drawings!

 

[wyn]

That tail end looks to be a bit M&K green.

Bolt it to the green bit as well, should help stop the top bending straight over.

Another problem you might get there is if the green bit of steel leans outward and the new bit is vertical, all the rubbish will catch on it. It needs to lean outwards like the green bit (if it does) and maybe transition into vertical at the end.

 

[Erie Fred]

What would be wrong with welding some gussets every 2' or so ?
or would it cause a clearance problem ?

 

[Stickmaister]

The conveyor is around 10 meters long.
I was thinking of making them out of 2 meter sections, bolting them to the conveyor structure (its quite solid) and then bolting the sections together via a plate and hole at the ends of the sections.
Gussets every 2’ wouldn’t be an issue .
A netting will be put over the top of the conveyor then to stop the rubbish blowing away in the wind.

I’m thinking then by your replys that im better off getting these folded and include a extra fold out and back down at the top? Would 3 or 4 mm be sufficient?
With gussets every 2 foot ish?

Thanks everyone for your replies very much appreciated

 

[Stickmaister]

Also depends on what that conveyor is conveying.

300mm tall 3mm thick that long will be wavy at the top even bolted down to something solid.

I'd be at least folding the top over 20mm, to stiffen lengthwise, with a rib 1/3 & 2/3 along, same sort of width, tacked/stitched in to link top and bottom folds.

Make it out of thinner, 2mm or even 1.6, with return folds tip and bottom, ribs/gussets every little way along, stitched top, bottom and couple of places up the vertical.

Or weld the f*** out of it, then spend a day trying to get it flat and straight again - my colleagues who have never seen a welder, never mind talked to one, love to put"fully welded" on drawings!

thanks for the help!
Yes thats the issue with welding the long sections!

Do you think 1.6mm sheet folded over would be strong enough with the gussets then?

I’m just thinking how expensive is getting steel folded these days?

Many thanks

 

[Munkul]

Is it a crushed stone conveyor? 3mm should be enough though.

I'd be laser or plasma cutting profiles with predrilled, maybe even slotted holes.
Design up a 2m or 2.5m length with return top fold.
For one part it can vary, but for 20 folds probably pay 3 to 5 quid a fold. Its around 3 quid up here.
Saves you some installation labour though.

 

[Agroshield]

Design up a 2m or 2.5m length with return top fold.

What is a standard sheet size?

If it is 2.5m, that might be a good length.

Similarly, with the width, 300 + 60 + 40 = 400 which is 1/3 of a 1200 sheet.

If the dimensions are nominal or not critical (particularly the 300 one - maybe 280 is OK), designing for minimal material waste could help with cost.

 

[8ob]

thanks for the help!
Yes thats the issue with welding the long sections!

Do you think 1.6mm sheet folded over would be strong enough with the gussets then?

I’m just thinking how expensive is getting steel folded these days?

Many thanks

Folding is the way to go, a 2mtr long fold is far cheaper than a 2mtr long weld. As the conveyor is having a net puled over it you could add a few side to side cross braces to the tops of the retainers, that would be worth more than a gusset and would help keep the net out of the bloodnguts.

Bob

 

[sako243]

I’m just thinking how expensive is getting steel folded these days?

My local trailer place charges £40+VAT/h for odd jobs like random press brake bending. Cutting and putting a simple bend into a sheet like at would take 5 to 10 minutes so they'd probably call it a fiver or a pack of biscuits.

 

[Gareth J]

In a manufacturing environment, you'd probably design something to be folded and punched out of as thin a sheet as you can get away with, with strengthening ribs to add enough stiffness without raising stress around mounting points.

In a one off/fabrication setting, a frame of angle, drilled mounting holes, with tin pop riveted to it would probably represent the lowest outlay for something reliable.

 

[Stickmaister]

In a manufacturing environment, you'd probably design something to be folded and punched out of as thin a sheet as you can get away with, with strengthening ribs to add enough stiffness without raising stress around mounting points.

In a one off/fabrication setting, a frame of angle, drilled mounting holes, with tin pop riveted to it would probably represent the lowest outlay for something reliable.

Thanks Gareth!

 

[Stickmaister]

Folding is the way to go, a 2mtr long fold is far cheaper than a 2mtr long weld. As the conveyor is having a net puled over it you could add a few side to side cross braces to the tops of the retainers, that would be worth more than a gusset and would help keep the net out of the bloodnguts.

Bob

Yes that's a good idea thank you!

 

[bricol]

In a manufacturing environment, you'd probably design something to be folded and punched out of as thin a sheet as you can get away with, with strengthening ribs to add enough stiffness without raising stress around mounting points.

In a one off/fabrication setting, a frame of angle, drilled mounting holes, with tin pop riveted to it would probably represent the lowest outlay for something reliable.

If you are making it yourself, with no folding capability, with angle iron laying around, then maybe.

But if you are buying it in, I'd go folded every time - laser cut sheet, all holes put in at cutting, marked for folds, straight into brake, job done.

Similar sort of thing - buying in electrical trunking, drilling grommet holes, new holes for lid clips, end joiners etc - cheaper to have all that done in the flat, then fold up bespoke trunking.

 

[Stickmaister]

If you are making it yourself, with no folding capability, with angle iron laying around, then maybe.

But if you are buying it in, I'd go folded every time - laser cut sheet, all holes put in at cutting, marked for folds, straight into brake, job done.

Similar sort of thing - buying in electrical trunking, drilling grommet holes, new holes for lid clips, end joiners etc - cheaper to have all that done in the flat, then fold up bespoke trunking.

Yes makes sense!!
I'll have a look who can do this for me locally.
Failing that, dose any one have any suggestions for someone who could price this up for me?

Many thanks

 

[Hitch]

If theres a heap all the same length and hole centres I'd look at laser and fold...

If they're all random holes i'd have sheared and folded. Take 5 mins to offer up and put a few 10mm holes through a bit of 3mm steel..

Definitely look at a return fold on the top edge to help stiffen it up.

 

[Stickmaister]

If theres a heap all the same length and hole centres I'd look at laser and fold...

If they're all random holes i'd have sheared and folded. Take 5 mins to offer up and put a few 10mm holes through a bit of 3mm steel..

Definitely look at a return fold on the top edge to help stiffen it up.

Yes that sounds good, great stuff thanks

 

[Erie Fred]

The conveyor is around 10 meters long.

With gussets every 2 foot ish?

Thanks everyone for your replies very much appreciated

Careful where you put the gussets.

They will xfer the side load down into the top flange of the existing conveyor, trying to roll it outwards.
Is there existing gussets on the blue sides ? from top flange to bottom ?

If so, align your new gussets directly above them for a continuous load path.

If not, consider adding flange stiffeners to the existing, a simple rectangle that fits in between top & bottom, and get's stitch welded to the web, as well as welded to the underside of the flanges.