Will the cost of the hot rolled trend go down in 2015? Maybe, but don’t bet the ranch.

Regarding anchor bolts, ASTM A449 is not a material that should be specified. Regardless, our steel fabricating customer often see drawings calling out for A-449 anchor bolts or fully threaded studs. This is frequently DOT Highway work, where AASHTO specs are more common.

Regarding anchor bolt manufacturing, S-1 refers to a section in the ASTM F1554 Specification. The current version is F1554-07a. Under the Supplementary Requirements, section S-1 reads;

The askew head bolt is always and only used in connection with the wedge insert. This system is most commonly employed to secure relieving angles although it can be found in many other instances where steel members will be bolts to concrete.

Note: PTFE is the generic name for what people often refer to as Teflon®. Genuine Teflon® is a registered trademark of the DuPont Corporation. Most of the slide bearing assemblies that The Steel Supply Company provides are made with Fluorogold®, which is a PTFE and Fiberglass composite. Fluorogold® is a registered trademark of the Saint-Gobain Corporation.

The term S-1 or S-1 Supplement is taken the ASTM Specification, F1554. In Anchor Bolt manufacturing, the F1554 specification is the rulebook. It spells out all the criteria a manufacturer must follow in order to provide a finished product that will perform as the engineer intended. The current version is F1554-07a.

We have seen an increase in demand for slotted steel shims in 2014, no doubt in conjunction with the increase in construction projects in general. Occasionally the requests are urgent, with the customer hoping for next day delivery. Often, these are fabricators who intended on manufacturing their own shims and realized time was running out.

Most often, slide bearings are employed in locations where all surfaces are 100% flat. In these cases, the slide bearing manufacturing and installation process are basic and straightforward.

For most fabricated structural and miscellaneous steel, hot dip galvanizing is a fairly basic process. The galvanizers follow the applicable specification, usually ASTM A123 / A123M, or the corresponding AASTHO spec. As most steel members or finished assemblies are stationary, excess zinc is not a problem.

Here's a quick note regarding Vent Hole Plugs. The large majority of customer requests are for aluminum Vent Hole Plugs. However, they are also available in zinc. There are several reasons a fabricator will request zinc rather than the less expensive and more malleable aluminum. The foremost reason would be potential corrosion. Mind you, we would be talking about corrosion over a very long period, possibly 20 to 30 years... but some jobs will call for the plug to be zinc.