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Steel Designers' Manual - 6th Edition (2003)
968 Fabrication
standards. While it is not a prerequisite that a manufacturer is registered under a
standard-based scheme for appropriate levels of quality management to prevail, it
does, however, allow specifiers to easily assess the relevance of the system under
review.As far as design and manufacture of structural steelwork are concerned, there
are a number of standards which apply. The most significant of these is the National
Structural Steelwork Specification.These standards are the basis for the formulation
and implementation of appropriate quality management systems. British Standard
5750 provides an excellent basis for a system to be applied in structural steelwork
manufacturing and design.The various parts of the standard give the opportunity for
fabricators to develop quality management systems which cover design, manufacture
and the erection of structural steelwork. The use of systems based on BS 5750 will
allow progression to the International System Standard ISO 9000.
While the use of these standards is commended to those setting up quality management
systems, it does not imply any formal recognition that compliance with
the standard has been met. Formal recognition can be obtained by application for
assessment of the quality management system by an independent body. The British
Standards Institution will perform this assessment and provide registration to those
companies which can successfully demonstrate compliance with the standard. Other
registration schemes in the steelwork industry are run by Lloyd’s and Steelwork
Construction Quality Assurance Ltd. Within the quality management system there
must be written procedures to be followed which will give the basis for adequate
QA and OC.A brief description of some of these relevant to the fabrication of structural
steelwork is given below.
32.7.1 Traceability
It is necessary to demonstrate that both materials and manufacturing processes can
be traced by a clear audit trail. This aspect of quality management allows the specifier
to determine the source of material for the product received and the origin of
workmanship. This is particularly important when a defect is discovered. In terms
of fabrication, the materials should have the support of documentation from the
steelmaker in the form of mill certificates. Suppliers of other materials or consumable
items such as bolts, welding electrodes, etc. will also be required to give details
which show appropriate manufacturing data.The fabrication process involves workmanship,
and evidence should be maintained which traces the source of workmanship
on each item.
32.7.2 Inspection
This is a prime area of quality control. It is important that quality inspectors are
independent of workshop management: that is, they must be made responsible to a
higher level of management in the company which is not concerned with the pro-