Shop drawings vs delivered

[haynewp]

How many times have you seen the actual length or size of steel beams delivered not match what was indicated on the shop drawings? So far I have only seen this happen with steel joists.

 

[Lutfi]

can you give more details?

 

[haynewp]

Just say for instance the length difference in what is delivered is say 1 foot different than what is shown on the shop drawings. Actually this did happen to me not too long ago, the beams were supplied as being too long, and the contractor cut the ends off.

I am concerned in situations where bearing is critical, if the beam is supplied a few inches too short and nobody notices, then that is a problem. It should come back to be the complete responsibility of the fabricator if something happens, (that's if the shop drawings were approved with the correct length, plus we have a disclaimer for those too anyway).

 

[Lutfi]

I do not check shop drawing dimensions unless the contractor asks or I find a mistake on my design plans.

Having joists too short! It happened to me before. I had to accept the lengthening detail from the joist designer/supplier. It all worked out. I was not happy about it. They talked the owner into accepting it to reduce time.

What can I say, we as engineers are always faced with situations in real life that drive us crazy and that truly test us!

Good luck

 

[LPPE]

I've seen new steel structure to be built on an existing 3 bay steel frame, and the new steel for the middle bay was 1 foot short. However, I think someone goofed with the initial field measurements. Sorry, what I just wrote has nothing to do with shop drawings.... need coffee...

 

[CSEllc]

I have had steel beams supplied long and short. The dimensions on the shop drawings were correct. The fabricator mis-read the tape. Beam layout was being done by hand.

When they were long, it really wasn't that much of a problem, the fabricator had the erector cut the beam to the cotrrect length and drilled the bolt holes. Another time, time was not a factor, so the fabricator took the beam back to the shop and cut it there....it was "cheaper" for him to take it back rather than have the erector (a sub to him) do it.

In the case where the beam was short, the fabricator shipped out a short piece of the same beam size and full pen welded it in the field. We insisted on having a CWI on site during the entire welding operation and UT testedf the joint. (Actually, the CWI and the UT tech were the same person.)

So it does happen.....however, as more and more fabricators get automated, we should see less and less of it occurring.

 

[CSEllc]

LPPE.....did you get your coffee?