Having the correct paperwork is a very important part of the steel rolling business. When customers need something rolled or curved, they can call in or e-mail the information to a bender / roller.
This information, which is received most likely by an estimator or project manager, must be communicated very accurately. It is often at this very point of exchanging information that errors occur. Not only are dimensional specifications sometimes recorded wrong, but general expectations are also sometimes not identified clearly. When in doubt, clarify, clarify, clarify. Particularly with tube bending which is increasingly being used in AESS (Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel), the expectations must be managed.
For example, will the curved tube be highly visible or will it be up 50ft in the air with any deformation hidden? Will any shrinkage of the curved tube cause connections problems? If so, the bender/roller can address those issues.
The shared information is then developed into a quotation for the customer. A printed copy is sent to the customer who should once again check that what is being quoted is what the customer wanted.
When an order is placed, an acknowledgement is sent out for another check on the accuracy of the quotation. Customers sign off on the acknowledgement and return it to the bender/roller.
Say the customer wants to order a 12 x 4 x ½ rectangular tube rolled the easyway to a 53’ 6 ½” inside radius with 20’ good arc. The paperwork gets entered into the system and goes to the shop for the machine operators to roll. After the tube bending is completed, the paperwork is sent to the shipping department for shipment to—or pickup by—the customer. The shipping department can serve as a final quality check before the curved steel goes out the plant door.
The conclusion to all of this is that ALL of the information needs to be checked by the estimators and the customers to achieve the correct end result. It is important to check all of the information even if you are in a hurry!
