Code and bundle weight of cold-formed steel
The code and bundle weight of cold-formed steel are important aspects of cold-formed steel product standards and logistics management, and are directly related to product identification, selection, transportation, and storage. Cold-formed steel, a special-shaped steel produced through the cold-bending process, comes in a wide variety of varieties and complex specifications. To facilitate production, circulation, and use, a unified code rule is needed to identify products of different types and specifications. The bundle weight is determined based on the product’s size, material, and transportation requirements. A reasonable bundle weight not only ensures safety and stability during transportation, but also improves loading and unloading efficiency and reduces logistics costs. Therefore, familiarity with the code rules and bundle weight requirements for cold-formed steel is of great significance to manufacturers, distributors, and users.
Cold-formed steel designations typically consist of a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. While standards may vary across countries and regions, they generally follow a consistent coding logic to clearly reflect the product type, cross-sectional shape, dimensions, specifications, and material. For example, in my country’s cold-formed steel standards, capital letters are often used to represent the cross-sectional shape, such as “C” for C-shaped steel, “Z” for Z-shaped steel, “U” for U-shaped steel, and “L” for angle steel. The numbers following the letters typically indicate key cross-sectional dimensions, such as height, leg width, and wall thickness, typically expressed in millimeters. For products with special applications or requirements, corresponding symbols or letters may be added to the designation, such as “G” for high-frequency welding and “H” for thick-walled. Furthermore, the material designation is an important component of cold-formed steel designations, typically using the steel grade, such as “Q235” or “Q355,” to clearly indicate the product’s mechanical properties.
The coding scheme for cold-formed steel not only facilitates product identification and selection but also facilitates production management and quality control. During the production process, workers can quickly access the corresponding forming process parameters based on the product code to ensure that the product meets specification requirements. Quality inspectors can then test the product’s dimensions, mechanical properties, and other aspects according to the standards corresponding to the code to determine if the product meets the requirements. During the distribution process, distributors and users can accurately understand the product’s parameters through the product code, avoiding incorrect selection or misuse due to unclear information. For example, when selecting C-section steel for purlins in a construction project, the code “C160×70×20×2.5-Q235” indicates that the C-section has a cross-sectional height of 160mm, a leg width of 70mm, a hem width of 20mm, a wall thickness of 2.5mm, and is made of Q235 steel, thereby determining whether it meets the project design requirements.
The bundle weight of cold-formed steel is determined based on factors such as product length, cross-sectional dimensions, unit weight, and the carrying capacity of the transport vehicle. The goal is to improve transportation efficiency while ensuring product safety. Generally speaking, the bundle weight of cold-formed steel should not be too heavy, as this can hinder handling during loading and unloading, and prevent product deformation or strapping breakage due to excessive weight. However, it should not be too light, as this increases the number of bundles and transport trips, increasing logistics costs. For example, for lightweight cold-formed steel with a length of 6 meters, such as C- and Z-sections, the bundle weight is typically controlled between 2 and 5 tons. For heavier cold-formed steel, such as large-sized square and rectangular steel pipes and H-sections, the bundle weight can be increased, but generally not exceeding 10 tons. Furthermore, appropriate strapping and bundling methods should be used to ensure each bundle is secure and neatly arranged to prevent loosening or collision during transportation.
With the standardization and regularization of the cold-formed steel industry, its code rules and bundle weight requirements are constantly being refined to meet the needs of market development. To align with the international market, my country’s cold-formed steel standards have drawn on the experience of advanced international standards in terms of code rules, making product codes more concise, easy to understand, and universal. In terms of bundle weight, manufacturers are continuously optimizing bundle plans based on development trends in the logistics industry, using high-strength strapping tape, automated strapping equipment, and other methods to improve bundle efficiency and safety. At the same time, to meet the needs of e-commerce logistics and small-batch transportation, low-weight bundle products have been launched to meet the purchasing needs of different users. In the future, as the application areas of cold-formed steel continue to expand, its code system and bundle standards will be further improved, providing strong support for the healthy development of the industry.
