In the steel structures industry, you’ll often come across terms like steel plate, metal sheet, and flat bar. While these terms may seem interchangeable at first glance, they refer to distinct forms of metal with unique properties, applications, and characteristics. In this blog post, we’ll break down the differences between steel plate, metal sheet, and flat bar to help you choose the right material for your project.
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What is a Steel Plate?
A steel plate is a flat, thick piece of steel, typically over 1/4 inches (6mm) thick, produced through hot rolling or forging processes. Steel plates are known for their durability and strength, making them ideal for heavy-duty applications.
It is used in heavy-duty structural applications like base plates, gusset plates, and load-bearing connections. It’s all about strength and durability.
What is a Metal Sheet?
A metal sheet is a thinner, flat piece of metal, typically less than 1/4 inches (6mm) thick, produced through cold or hot rolling. Sheets are versatile and widely used across industries due to their flexibility and ease of fabrication.
It is used for cladding, ductwork, light fabrication, and sometimes cold-formed sections like purlins.
What is a Flat Bar?
A flat bar is a long, rectangular piece of metal with a uniform thickness, typically ranging from 1/8 inch to 2 inches. Flat bars are narrower than plates or sheets and are often used for structural or decorative purposes.
Typically used for stiffeners, brackets, or support elements. Great for small structural and non-structural components.
In many fabrication shops, flat bars are stocked as standard items, meaning they’re often not cut from plates, but pulled directly from inventory. That’s why, in Tekla modeling and quantity take-offs, we’re often required to model them explicitly as flat bars — to match procurement and fabrication needs.
Standard flat bar sizes commonly range from 3 mm to 50 mm in thickness, and 10 mm to 300 mm in width. Some mills can supply even larger sizes — up to 400 mm wide or 100 mm thick — depending on availability and project requirements.
Flat Bar Advanced Options in Tekla
Tekla Structures uses flat bar designation, which means that it shows plates as the equivalent flat bars for manufacturing.
XS_USE_FLAT_DESIGNATION
Use flat bar designation, means that plates are shown as flat bars in drawings and reports.
TRUE: Flat bar designation is used.
FALSE (default): Flat bar designation is not used.
The flat bars get the prefix that is set as the value for this advanced option.
XS_FLAT_PREFIX
The plate name will consists of the text entered, followed by the Thickness x width. For example, FLT5X100. By default PL and PLT profiles get the prefix FL or FLT if a matching plate is found in the fltprops.inp
The Fltprops.inp file is used to define the materials, thickness, and width of the flat bars available in your stock that are shown for plates in drawings and reports. To know more visit tekla official website link
🛠️ A small modeling detail can make a big impact on fabrication efficiency.
Conclusion
Understanding the differences between steel plate, metal sheet, and flat bar is crucial for selecting the right material for your project. Steel plates excel in heavy-duty, structural applications, while metal sheets offer versatility for lightweight fabrication. Flat bars, on the other hand, are perfect for smaller-scale structural or decorative uses. By evaluating your project’s requirements—strength, size, flexibility, and budget—you can make an informed decision and achieve the best results.
Have a project in mind? Let us know in the comments which material you’re considering and why! For more insights on metalworking and material selection, stay tuned to our blog.
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