Metal Grating for Heavy-Duty Industrial Applications

Heavy-duty metal grating is designed to withstand extreme conditions and provide maximum strength, safety, and longevity. This is accomplished through a very specialized product family, where the use of heavy-duty metal Grating is not only limited to a surface use but also serves as an essential part of the infrastructure that protects the operational efficiencies and safety of employees while providing protection to their assets. Not only do heavy-duty metal gratings serve the functionality of providing support for walkways, but they also support the entire weight of an industry.

What is Heavy-Duty Metal Grating?

Heavy-duty metal grating consists of an open grid assembly of load-bearing bars and crossbars. Heavy-duty metal gratings differ from commercial-grade grates in that the design of heavy-duty gratings provides the user structural integrity above all else. Therefore, the use of heavy-duty metal gratings utilizes thicker crossbar materials and more reinforced design methods such as welding and/or forging, and the design of load-bearing bars and crossbar assemblies are specifically designed and engineered to provide maximum load capacity for their intended use. Heavy-duty metal gratings are fabricated using high-strength metals such as carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, with the selection of alloys made based on their intended use, their balance between weight and strength, and their structural integrity.

Different Types of Heavy-Duty Manufacturing

A grating's fundamental qualities and its respective applications depend on how it was manufactured.

• Welded Steel Grating: The most common type of grating used in very heavy-duty applications, welding creates a rigid, very strong panel by joining cross bars and bearing bars with electric resistance welding (ERW) at every splicing edge. It is able to maintain an excellent load-bearing capacity and is built for use in wide-spanned applications, such as industrial mezzanine flooring, heavy machinery platforms, or truck ramps.

• Press-locked Grating: In this manufacturing method, bearing bars are prepared with indentations, and the crossbars are forced into the bar with hydraulic pressure. There is no welding in this process, allowing for a cosmetically smooth surface on one side and an extraordinarily strong connection with the other side. 

• Riveted Grating: The heavy-duty grating of original design consists of solid heavy rivets joining a bearing bar or crossbar. This configuration produces a very strong mechanical connection that will not break under vibration, impact, or shear forces. For this reason, riveted grating is the traditional selection for the most demanding applications, including oil rig platforms, railway track beds, and mining operations. 

Key Design Criteria/Selection Parameters 

Selecting the proper Metal Grating is an engineering decision made by evaluating multiple parameters that work together in a complex manner.

Choice of Material:

• Carbon steel has the highest strength-to-cost ratio. Carbon steel is hot-dip galvanized most of the time after it has been constructed to ensure that it is adequately protected against corrosion in an industrial environment.

• Stainless steel is important in applications where there is excessive corrosion in the manufacturing process, such as in foods & beverages, chemical manufacturing, marine, and pharmaceuticals. 

• Aluminum should be considered where it will eventually be subject to higher loads than under normal use or where aluminum has higher strength than steel. Aluminum is non-sparking, making it suitable for flammable material handling applications.

Advantages in Industrial Settings

Industrial environments use heavy-duty grating not just because of one advantage but because there are numerous benefits when combined.

• Safety/Load Support: The primary function of heavy-duty grating is supporting immense static and dynamic loads safely, as well as offering slip resistance due to its open design. When heavy-duty grating has been specifically specified with serrated edges or abrasive grit surfaces, it provides slip-resistant surfaces that are safe to use for egress in accordance with OSHA and IBC regulations.

• Fire Resistant: Because heavy-duty grating is manufactured from metal, it does not burn, which is a critical characteristic of heavy-duty grating for any plant containing flammable materials or needing to follow very strict fire codes.

• Airflow, Drainage, and Transmission of Light: The open area of heavy-duty grating generally ranges between 60% and 75%, which means that air, water, light, and heat can all pass directly through heavy-duty grating. T

• Long-Term Durability and Value: When heavy-duty grating is specified and installed correctly, it should last many decades with minimal maintenance. The cost of maintenance during a heavy-duty grating's life cycle will be almost zero (in comparison) when compared to concrete. The potential for concrete to crack and spall when subject to heavy loads will be negated using heavy-duty grates, as they can adequately support the weight of an item without damaging the surface beneath them.