Heavy Steel Bridge Fabrication
Steel bridges and overpasses require absolute structural integrity, perfect weld penetration, and strict adherence to international safety codes. Because bridge modules are incredibly large and heavy, very few fabricators possess the floor space and lifting capacity required to manufacture them efficiently.
With a 180-acre manufacturing facility and 55 overhead cranes capable of lifting up to 250 tons, Openex is built for heavy infrastructure. We fabricate massive plate girders, box girders, orthotropic bridge decks, and pedestrian bridge modules. Our capacity allows us to pre-assemble massive bridge sections indoors, ensuring perfect fit-up before the steel ever reaches the construction site.
Bridge Fabrication Specifications
We custom manufacture bridge components to strict architectural and engineering blueprints. Below are our general facility capacities for bridge production:
| Maximum Girder Length | 40+ Meters (Facility allows for exceptionally long weldments) |
|---|---|
| Maximum Module Weight | Up to 250 Tons per module |
| Materials Processed | Structural Steel, High-Strength Low-Alloy (HSLA), Weathering Steel (Corten), ASTM A709, S355, S460. |
| Welding Standards | AWS D1.5 (Bridge Welding Code), AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, EN 1090 (EXC3/EXC4). |
| Surface Treatment | Steel grit blasting (SA 2.5/SA 3.0), Zinc-rich epoxy primers, Polyurethane topcoats, Thermal spray metallizing. |
Our Work: Bridge Components
The Manufacturing Process
We utilize massive CNC plasma, laser, and oxy-fuel cutting tables to process extremely long, heavy plates, ensuring precise edge preparation for high-penetration welding.
To ensure absolute structural integrity, long girder seams are welded using automated Submerged Arc Welding tractors. All welds undergo strict Non-Destructive Testing (UT, RT, MT).
Because resolving fit-up issues in the field is incredibly expensive, we fully pre-assemble bridge spans inside our vast facility, match-marking every connection before disassembly.
Components are moved into our massive blasting and painting booths for marine-grade anti-corrosion coating, then securely loaded onto heavy multi-axle trailers for transport.