What are the new developments in steel processing technology?

2025-04-09 11:01:01

Steel Structure has become the core support system for modern buildings, bridges, industrial plants and other fields due to its high strength, fast construction and environmental protection. In recent years, with the deep integration of digitalization and intelligent technology, and the promotion of green manufacturing by the “double carbon” target, steel structure processing technology is experiencing a revolutionary breakthrough. This paper will systematically analyze the latest progress of steel structure processing technology from four dimensions of intelligent equipment, new technology, material innovation and sustainable technology.

I. Digitalization and Intelligence: Reconstructing the Processing Flow

Traditional steel structure processing relies on manual experience, while the introduction of digital technology realizes the precise control of the whole process.

BIM and Digital Twin Technology

The combination of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and digital twin technology enables steel processing to move seamlessly from design to manufacturing. For example, in the Shenzhen International Convention and Exhibition Center project, CSCEC used the BIM model to automatically generate drawings for component processing and simulated welding deformation through the digital twin system, controlling the error to within 2 mm and increasing efficiency by 30% compared with the traditional process.

Intelligent Robot Welding

Welding robots equipped with visual recognition systems have been widely used in complex node processing. The intelligent welding workshop of Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry adopts multi-axis linkage robots, which correct the trajectory of the weld seam in real time through laser scanning, so that the weld qualification rate of thick plates reaches 99.5% and the labor cost is reduced by 60%.

IoT-driven quality monitoring

By embedding sensors in processing equipment, real-time data such as temperature and stress are collected and combined with AI algorithms to predict component defects. The intelligent monitoring platform established by Jiangsu Huning Steel Machine has successfully reduced the rework rate from 8% to 1.2%.

Second, advanced process breakthroughs: double improvement in precision and efficiency

Three-dimensional laser cutting technology

The high-power fiber laser cutting machine can handle steel plates up to 50 mm thick, with a cutting speed of 12 m/min and an accuracy of ±0.1 mm. Wuhan Wushun Heavy Industry adopts this technology to process shaped curved components, and the material utilization rate is increased from 75% to 92%.

Modularized prefabrication technology

Assembled building promotes modularization of steel structure. Hangxiao Steel Structure has developed the “Steel Pipe Concrete Bundle Shear Wall System”, which prefabricates beam and column nodes into standardized modules in the factory, shortens the on-site installation cycle by 40%, and reduces the number of welding seams by 65%.

3D printing assisted molding

Metal additive manufacturing technology began to be applied to the manufacture of complex nodes. In the Chengdu Tianfu International Airport project, CMT adopted arc fusion filament 3D printing technology to make shaped connectors, solving the problem of multi-cavity structure that is difficult to be realized by traditional casting.

Material Innovation: Expanding Performance Boundaries

Application of high-strength steel

The popularization of Q690 and above grade high-strength steel has reduced the cross-section of components by 20%-30%. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge adopts Q690qE bridge steel, which reduces the weight of the main girder by 15% and improves the seismic performance by 25%.

Weathering steel with composite coating

No-paint weathering steel forms a dense oxidized layer by adding copper, chromium and other elements, with a life span of up to 100 years. The B800NQ weathering steel developed by China Baowu has been used in the bridge project of Qinghai-Tibet Railway, reducing the maintenance cost by 80%.

Fiber-reinforced steel components

Carbon fiber - steel composite structure in ultra-high-rise buildings. The damper support system of Shanghai Center Building adopts steel-carbon fiber laminate, and the wind pressure resistance has been increased by 3 times.

Green Manufacturing Technology: Responding to the Dual Carbon Strategy

Non-polluting surface treatment

Nano-ceramic coating replaces the traditional phosphating process, extending the corrosion-resistant life of steel components to 50 years and reducing the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by 90% during the production process.

Waste Heat Recovery System

80% of the waste heat from the welding process can be recovered through heat pipe technology and used for workshop heating or preheating steel plates. The waste heat utilization system of Hunan Jinhai Steel Structure saves 120,000 cubic meters of natural gas per year.

Scrap Steel Recycling

The short process steelmaking technology of electric arc furnace makes the reuse rate of scrap reach 95%, which reduces carbon emission by 60% compared with the traditional blast furnace process. Shagang Group has built the world's largest electric arc furnace production base, with an annual output of 3 million tons of steel for green steel structures.

Future Prospects

With the in-depth integration of 5G, artificial intelligence and industrial internet, steel structure processing will move towards “unmanned black light factory”. At the same time, the breakthrough of hydrogen steelmaking, bio-based coatings and other technologies will further promote the green transformation of the industry. It is foreseeable that technological innovation will not only reshape the steel processing model, but also provide core kinetic energy for global infrastructure and sustainable development.