There are few challenges in custom metal fabrication more complex than creating industrial stairs that spiral around the outside of a towering steel tank. There’s a right way to do it — and then there are countless wrong ones.
One primary challenge is the correct computation of the compound curvature of the stair stringers — the dual steel structures that hold the stair treads. The inboard stringer, which mounts against the outer wall of the tank, has to be cold-rolled into an exact curvature matching the circumference of the tank’s wall, but it also must be curved “upward,” perpendicular to the first curve, in an arc that takes it to precisely the right height at precisely the right position on the tank.
That’s just for starters.
The outboard stringer has to parallel the curve of the inboard stringer, but because it’s set some distance out away from the wall of the tank — the width of the stair treads — it requires a longer length and a different curve computation. Yet it has to maintain exactly the same relationship to the inboard stringer all the way up the span of the spiral.
A diagram for a 55-foot spiral steel stairway, built by Southern Metal Fabricators for a feed industry client.
Then there is the hand railing and its custom compound curve. Too, regulations and industry standards dictate that there have to be “rest platforms” at certain intervals once a set of stairs exceeds a certain height. This means that the computations all start again at each platform level, spiraling to the next platform, and so on to the top.
Factor in the substructure that has to support it all, plus the meticulous care that goes into ensuring that everything will fit together correctly in the field, plus the need to comply with all relevant regulations, and it’s apparent that a successful set of stairs depends on one crucial ingredient that’s more important than all the rest, no matter what metal you’re working with . . .
We’re Custom Industrial Stair, Handrail, Platform and Ladder Experts
At SMF, we get called on frequently to correct or replace installations of custom industrial spiral staircase, industrial ladders and steel fabricated platforms. Because of our 20-plus years’ experience and track record our reputation precedes us. We fabricate these installations from the ground up — literally — and get them right the first time.
Using state-of-the art engineering software and computer-numeric-controlled manufacturing equipment, we check and double-check every stage of calculations and machining to ensure that every component fits all design specifications — and fits together the way it’s supposed to.
As a standard part of our in-house quality control for any complex industrial product destined for field installation, we mark every part for assembly sequence and fitting, and we even assemble each unit on-site, photographing its stages, to verify without question that it goes together the way it’s expected to. Then we disassemble it and ship it out for field installation.
We also offer clients the convenience of “welded to the fullest extent possible” subassemblies, to reduce the complexities of field assembly, and will fulfill materials test reports (MTR) when required.
Industrial Metal Fabrication for Industrial Facilities
When a large oil sands project in Canada needed stairs, platforms, handrails and ladders for its sprawling operations, its RFP seemed to some companies like an overwhelming nightmare of logistics, materials, subassemblies, international regulations, and utterly daunting metal fabrication.
We said, “We can do that.” And we did. With our six acres of laydown yard and 50,000 square feet of high-bay manufacturing facilities, we had the room and the manufacturing muscle to move every component through a tightly controlled metal fabrication and assembly line, matching every design specification, building every subassembly, and quality testing every full assembly before packing and shipping everything to the field in Canada.
Rest platform subassemblies are welded to the fullest extent possible before shipping. Thirty such trucks made their way from Southern Metal Fabricator’s Alabama headquarters to their final destination in Canada.
There were over a hundred major units of stairs, ladders, platforms and handrails in the project, custom designed and custom fabricated. Getting everything to Canada required over 30 trucks. Everything fit together just like it was supposed to when it arrived.
Any Size Job Is Just Right
Although we don’t shy away from big jobs, we take great pride in working closely with local and regional companies and civic agencies to deliver top-quality industrial access products of all descriptions. From caged and gated industrial ladders for the feed and grain industry to custom aluminum ladders for the Army Corps of Engineers, to handrails for the Birmingham, Alabama, courthouse, to handrails for football stadiums, we’ve taken on jobs of every size and kind.
We bring the same attention to detail and precision to every job we do, however big or small, however simple or complex.
Visit these website pages to learn more about our capabilities with the industrial access products you’re interested in:
Call us today at 1.888.421.9661, and give us a chance to say, “Yes, we can do that,” to your next custom metal fabrication job.
