What Is Structural Steel Cambering, and Why Is It Used?

Camber and sweep are terms used to describe slight or shallow bends in structural steel. Camber refers to a curve on a vertical plane, whereas sweep is on a horizontal plane. While some cambering occurs naturally in steel production, many projects involving architecturally exposed structural steel (AESS) rely on industrially induced cambering methods for product quality and structural stability. Here’s more information on steel cambering.

Steel cambering applications

Steel cambering is helpful for construction designs requiring a slight bend over a long distance of steel beam. For example, cambered beams may offer more support than straight beams for reducing sag from the weight of a concrete floor. Cambered beams also provide increased support in steel bridge projects.

A camber is different from a curve. Camber is a slight bend over a long distance, while the ends of the beam remain straight. On the other hand, a curve is a tight or wide radius bend over a short distance or a parabolic arch.

Natural mill cambering

Any piece of steel will have some natural cambering that results from standard heating and cooling during the manufacturing process. Tolerance standards specify that a maximum natural mill camber is one-eighth of an inch multiplied by the length of the beam, then divided by 10. For example, a 40-foot beam could feasibly have a natural mill camber of up to half an inch.

Induced cambering methods

There are two main methods of induced steel cambering: cold and hot. Cold bending is more often used because it’s a more straightforward process, whereas heat cambering is more labour-intensive.

• Cold cambering in a cambering machine is the most common method. A steel beam is fixed at two points, and then hydraulic cylinders apply pressure to the beam between the two points to achieve the desired bend. Cold cambering can also be performed using a beam bender or angle roller. The machine runs the beam through a series of rollers and creates precise curves.

• Heat cambering is an intricate, time-consuming process. It involves applying torch heat in triangular patterns to the flange and web of a beam. Using heat can produce inconsistent results without the appropriate equipment and a highly skilled hand.

Structural steel bending in Western Canada

At Advanced Bending Technologies, we offer beam cambering services for applications that require a small amount of offset over a long distance. We’ve earned an excellent reputation for supplying unique, accurate, consistent beam cambering, structural steel bending and metal forming services to numerous industries. Contact us today to learn more about our structural steel bending services.