Pipe rack fabrication — IS 800 compliant steel structures for process and utility lines
Pipe rack fabrication is the shop fabrication and site erection of the steel frames that carry process piping, cable trays, and instrument lines through a plant. Sun Corporation Fabricators & Engineers fabricates pipe racks from IS 2062 sections and plate at our Jeedimetla, Hyderabad workshop — with WPS/PQR records, weld inspection, and a quality dossier formatted for EPC and PMC review.
What we fabricate
Typical pipe rack packages include portal frames, trestle bents, longitudinal beams, bracing, pipe shoes and guides (where shown on drawings), and connection plates for site bolt-up. We work from the structural engineer’s approved GA and connection design — shop drawings are prepared in-house before cutting starts.
| Parameter | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Material | IS 2062 Grade A/B; IS 8500 where specified |
| Design basis | IS 800:2007; project-specific load combinations |
| Connections | Bolted site splices; shop-welded sub-assemblies |
| Welding | Qualified WPS/PQR (IS 9595); WPQ welders (IS 7307) |
| NDT | UT/MPI per ITP; third-party when contract requires |
| Project size | 50 MT minimum; multi-level racks to 500+ MT |
| Delivery | Hyderabad workshop; pan-India transport and erection |
EPC and PMC documentation
Pipe rack contracts usually need more than fabricated steel at dispatch. We issue MTCs with heat traceability, weld maps, NDT reports, dimensional checks to IS 800 Annex F, coating records, and packing lists with piece marks — aligned to your submittal register. Credentials and sample dossier structure are on our manufacturer credentials page.
Sectors and geography
Pipe racks for thermal power BOP, pharma and chemical plants in Telangana, cement and material-handling sites, and brownfield tie-ins across India. Local fabrication in Hyderabad reduces freight for projects in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; we routinely supply racks to Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and other states with our own transport coordination.
Quick Answer
Pipe rack fabrication is the workshop production and site erection of multi-tier pipe rack structures that support process piping, cable trays and instrument lines across plant corridors — fabricated from IS 2062 steel per IS 800:2007 shop drawings with tier loads developed from pipe rack design and IS 875 load cases on EPC projects in India.
Key Takeaways
- Industrial pipe racks are procured as defined structural steel packages — portal bents, longitudinal beams, bracing and tiers — not piping or equipment supply.
- Structural design uses IS 800:2007 with dead, live and wind loads per IS 875; piping weight and thermal movement come from the piping stress package.
- Suncorporation is a pipe rack fabrication company operating from Jeedimetla, Hyderabad with 50 MT–500+ MT package experience and pan-India dispatch.
- Shop release requires approved GA, tier load summary and interface hold points with piping and civil before cutting starts.
- EPC documentation — MTCs, weld maps, NDT and dimensional records — is formatted for PMC submittal registers on every order.
EPC contractors, PMC consultants and plant engineers sourcing pipe rack fabrication need a sub-vendor who understands multi-tier steel, bent spacing logic, modular dispatch and licensor hold points — without blurring into piping fabrication or turnkey plant supply. Sun Corporation Fabricators & Engineers fabricates process plant pipe racks, utility corridors and equipment support structures from issued-for-fabrication drawings. For flexural member design theory on rack girders, see our Plate Girder Design Guide; below is what procurement teams should verify and what our workshop delivers.
Technical Specifications — Pipe Racks
| Parameter | Typical Range / Standard |
|---|---|
| Structure type | Multi-tier portal frame / trestle bent pipe rack |
| Material | IS 2062 E250 / E350 sections and plate |
| Design code | IS 800:2007; loads per IS 875 Parts 1–3 |
| Tier count | 1–5+ levels per piping layout |
| Bent spacing | 6 m – 12 m typical (per structural GA) |
| Connections | Bolted site splices; shop-welded sub-assemblies |
| Welding | WPS/PQR per IS 816 / IS 9595 |
| NDT | UT / MPI per project ITP; third-party when required |
| Coating | Shot blast, primer, paint or HDG per project spec |
| Package size | 50 MT minimum; large corridor programmes 500+ MT |
Pipe Rack Components
| Component | Function | Fabrication Note |
|---|---|---|
| Portal columns / bent legs | Carry vertical reactions from tiers | Rolled or built-up; base plates to civil anchors |
| Longitudinal beams (rack girders) | Span between bents; support tier loads | Often built-up for long spans — see built-up beam fabrication |
| Transverse beams | Tier framing between longitudinal members | Sized for pipe cluster width per GA |
| Bracing (horizontal / vertical) | Stability and load transfer to bents | X-bracing or portal action per design |
| Pipe shoes & guides | Pipe support interfaces | Where shown on structural/piping drawings |
| Stair access & platforms | Maintenance routes at tier levels | Often bundled in rack scope |
| Splice plates & connections | Site bolt-up between modules | Match erection sequence and crane reach |
Applications — Process and Utility Corridors
- Refinery pipe racks — process and utility tiers linking crude, process and offsite units (refinery steel structures)
- Petrochemical plants — high-tier racks with wind exposure per IS 875 Part 3
- Chemical plants — corrosion-zone coating systems on rack steel per project spec
- Power plants — BOP utility corridors, cable tray tiers and auxiliary piping supports
- Process plants — cross-unit pipe rack structures coordinating piping stress, civil and electrical interfaces
Rack steel is frequently released early in EPC construction programmes — workshop slot and bent module sequencing should align with your site crane and civil anchor readiness schedule at enquiry stage.
Manufacturing Process
- Drawing approval — GA and connection design signed off; shop drawings issued with piece marks
- Material procurement — IS 2062 sections/plate with MTC verification against grade ordered
- Cutting & drilling — CNC processing of members and connection plates
- Shop assembly — bent modules and tier frames where transport permits
- Welding & NDT — coded joints per WPS; hold points per ITP
- Blast, paint & mark — tier and bent IDs for site erection sequence
- Dispatch & erection support — phased delivery matched to site programme
Full industrial steel structures capability is on our Structural Steel Fabrication Guide.
Quality Control
QC covers material traceability (heat number to piece mark), fit-up and weld visual inspection, NDT on joints listed in the ITP, dimensional checks on bent spacing and tier elevations against approved shop drawings, and coating DFT before dispatch release. Non-conforming members are quarantined until rework or documented concession — supporting PMC and licensor review at fabrication hold points without delaying erection windows.
Applicable Standards
| Standard | Role on Pipe Rack Packages |
|---|---|
| IS 2062 | Hot rolled sections and plate material grades; MTC requirements |
| IS 800:2007 | Structural member and connection design basis; fabrication tolerances |
| IS 875 | Dead, live and wind loads on rack frames and tiers |
| IS 816 / IS 9595 | Welding procedure and quality |
| Project / licensor spec | Piping load interfaces, coating, supplemental NDT |
Code references: IS 2062 Steel Grades Guide · IS 800 Guide · IS 875 Structural Design Loads Guide
Pipe Rack vs Conventional Support Structures
| Criteria | Pipe Rack | Conventional Support Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Multi-tier corridor for piping, cables and instruments | Localised support at equipment or valve stations |
| Geometry | Repeated portal bents with longitudinal tiers | Discrete frames at point locations |
| Loading | Piping DL/LL, hydrotest, thermal, wind on pipes | Equipment dead/live loads primarily |
| Coordination | Piping stress, civil, electrical tray layouts | Mechanical vendor interfaces |
| EPC procurement | Corridor tonnage packages with phased release | Area-specific smaller packages |
| Fabrication | Modular bents; standardised tier framing | Custom one-off connections |
People Also Ask
A pipe rack is a multi-level steel frame that carries process and utility piping, cable trays and instruments across a plant — the structural corridor linking process units.
They organise piping above grade, free ground space for equipment and roads, and provide a consistent support route for operations, maintenance and expansion tie-ins.
IS 800:2007 for steel design and fabrication acceptance, IS 2062 for material, IS 875 for imposed and wind loads — plus project piping load data and licensor requirements.
From approved shop drawings: cut and drill members, assemble bent modules, weld per WPS, inspect per ITP, coat and dispatch in erection sequence for site bolt-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in a pipe rack fabrication scope?
Structural steel only — portal columns, longitudinal and transverse beams, bracing, connection plates and pipe shoes where shown on drawings. Piping fabrication, valves, insulation and civil works are outside scope unless explicitly included in contract.
What drawings do you need for a pipe rack RFQ?
Structural GA with tier elevations, bent spacing, load summary or piping interface note, coating specification, and scope boundary for fabrication only vs fabrication and erection. IFC or enquiry GA allows fastest quotation.
Do you fabricate refinery and petrochemical pipe racks?
Yes. We supply refinery pipe racks and petrochemical corridor steel from approved drawings with EPC documentation formatted for PMC review. See refinery steel structures.
What is the minimum project size for pipe rack fabrication?
Typical minimum engagement is 50 MT structural steel per package; multi-corridor programmes to 500+ MT are within normal workshop planning.
How quickly can you respond to a pipe rack enquiry?
Preliminary technical response within 24 working hours; detailed quotation within 48–72 hours when drawings and scope boundaries are available.
Related fabricated products
Workshop credentials and enquiry
Fabrication is carried out at our Jeedimetla, Hyderabad workshop under IS 800:2007 with IS 2062 material, qualified WPS/PQR to IS 9595, and in-house Level II UT/MPI. For EPC prequalification packs, see our manufacturer credentials. For full fabrication scope, see structural steel fabrication and heavy steel fabrication.
Send GA drawings, piping layouts, or a scope note for RFQ: Contact Sun Corporation — preliminary response within 24 hours on working days; detailed quotation within 48–72 hours when IFC or enquiry drawings are available.