High-strength steel can be used in thinner dimensions than mild steel and still make the equipment stronger. Bending and welding the steel into a hollow rectangular beam, for example, will give the component a high strength-to-weight ratio.
Reduced thickness makes structural steel components lighter. By upgrading a crane boom from a 650 MPa steel to a 1300MPa steel, new design opportunities open up. A crane boom’s strength can, for example, be increased by 70% for higher lifting capacity while the amount of material required to build the boom is reduced by 40%.
Upgrading to stronger and thinner steel increases payload and saves fuel in operation. This reduces the equipment’s carbon footprint. When manufacturing, less steel needs to be handled and welding is faster and requires less filler material for more cost- and resource-efficient production.
