Manufacturing

Our manufacturing partners are owned and operated by experienced pole people, also with a minimum of 20 years in steel poles and an extensive export record to Western markets.

Manufacturing Standards

The steel poles IUP supply are largely manufactured to comply with US standards. In so doing, the comparative AS/NZS standard manufacturing requirements are also met, because the international standards we have applied to steel pole manufacturing compare favourably with the comparative AS/NZS standards.

In some circumstances, the AS/NZS standards exceed the requirements of the comparative US standards. We ensure the most stringent of both are applied in order to be able to offer full compliance to all AS/NZS and US standards. This puts IUP in a position to offer utility pole structures to Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island Nation clients with great confidence that we can meet, and usually exceed, the standards of all the countries in our region.

Material Traceability

The main steel materials used in production of our utility poles can be traced back to the mill certificate provided by the steel mill. In addition to a product identification label being welded to our pole shafts, a unique identifying label (unique to each order) is also welded on. This number is the manufacturer’s project number, which leads to the mill certificates that are relevant to the production of the poles for each order.

Welding

The US standard, AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code – Steel, used in pole manufacturing, is highly comparable to the Australasian standard, AS/NZS1554.1 Structural steel welding – Welding of steel structures. It is also the basis of the welding requirements set out in ASCE/SEI 48 Design of Steel Transmission Pole Structures. The US welding code is effectively an international standard and is used by major exporters of steel products across many industries.

Hot Dip Galvanising

The average minimum coating thicknesses required by ASTM A123 for poles and ASTM A153 for foundation bolts, generally exceed the average minimum coating thickness requirements of AS/NZS 4680 and AS/NZS 1214 respectively.

For pole shafts, cross arms and bolted on accessories, ASTM A123 and AS/NZS 4680 are used. In some cases, ASTM A123 specifies less coating than that required by AS/NZS 4680. In these cases, the minimum coating thickness requirement specified by AS/NZS 4680 is used.

For foundation bolts, ASTM A153 is used. For regular Grade 8.8/S bolts and nuts used to fix various steel items to poles; these are galvanised to Chinese standard GB/T 5267.3, which is a copy of ISO 10684.

Inspection & Test Report (ITR)

At IUP, for all utility pole orders, the manufacturing records are summarised and compiled into a report and sent to our clients prior to invoicing. Typically, this includes a copy of the ITP, general arrangement drawings, in-process inspection records, and ultrasonic test report, magnetic particle inspection report, visual weld inspection report, hot dip galvanising inspection report and copies of the steel mill certificates.

Quality Standard

ItemStandardStandard Title
Quality system ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems – Requirements

Our manufacturing partners are certified to ISO 9001.

Manufacturing Standards

Steel

Steel Yield Strength (MPa) Standard Standard Title Comparative Australian Standard
GR65 – Pole shafts, tubular cross arms, base plate gussets, structural plates 450 ASTM A572 Standard Specification for High-Strength Low-Alloy Columbium-Vanadium Structural Steel AS/NZS 3678 Grade 450L15
GR50 – Pole base plates
& flanges with low temperature requirement
345 ASTM A572Standard Specification for High-Strength Low-Alloy Columbium-Vanadium Structural Steel AS/NZS 3678 Grade 350L15
Q345B – Pole base plates, flanges, structural plates, foundation bolt bottom anchorage templates 345 for Thickness<=16
335 for 16< Thickness<=40
325 for 40< Thickness<=63
GB/T 1591 High strength low alloy structural steels AS/NZS 3678 Grade 350
Q235B – Foundation bolt top template, non-structural plates 235 GB/T 700 Carbon structural steels AS/NZS 3678 Grade 250
Q235 & Q345 – Square & rectangular hollow sections 235 & 345 GB/T 6728 Cold formed steel hollow sections for general structure – Dimensions, shapes, weight & permissible deviations AS/NZS 1163 Grade 250
& 350
Q235 – Circular hollow section – through tubes 235 GB/T 13793

Steel Pipes with a longitudinal electric (resistance) weld

AS/NZS 1163 Grade 250
Q235 – Structural sections
 – channels
235 GB/T 706 Hot rolled section steel AS/NZS 3679 Grade 250
Q235 – Structural sections
– equal angles
235 GB/T 706 Hot rolled section steel AS/NZS 3679 Grade 250
Q235 – Structural sections
 – round bar
235 GB/T 699 Quality carbon structural steels AS/NZS 3679 Grade 250
Grade 8.8S – Foundation bolts 660 GB/T 3077
GB/T 3098.1
Alloy structure steels
Mechanical properties of fasteners – bolts, screws & studs
AS 1110.1, AS 1112.1 & AS/NZS 1252 Mechanical properties
Grade 8.8S – Bolts,
screws, studs
660 GB/T 3098.1 Mechanical properties of fasteners – bolts, screws & studs AS 1110.1, AS 1112.1 & AS/NZS 1252 Mechanical properties
Spring washers

GB/T 93 Single coil lock washers – Normal type AS 1968

Welding

WeldingStandardStandard TitleComparative Australian Standard
Pole shafts & multi-sided tubular cross arms & all accessories AWS D1.1 Structural Welding
Code – Steel
AS/NZS 1554.1
Welding wire AWS D1.1 Structural Welding
Code – Steel
AS/NZS ISO 18273

Galvanising

GalvanisingStandardStandard TitleComparative Australian Standard
Pole shafts, cross arms & bolted
on accessories
ASTM A123
AS/NZS 4680
Standard Specification for Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Iron & Steel Products
Hot-dip galvanized (zinc) coatings on fabricated ferrous articles
(For 7.0mm to 16.0mm thick steel)
AS/NZS 4680
Bolts, nuts & washers GB/T 5267.3 Fasteners – Hot-dip galvanized coatings AS/NZS 1214

Foundation bolts (Class C for galvanising)ASTM A153

Standard Specification for Zinc Coating (Hot-Dip) on Iron and Steel Hardware AS/NZS 1214

Painting

PaintingStandardStandard TitleComparative Australian Standard
Adhesion force GB/T 9286
Paints & varnishes – Cross-cut test for filmsAS 1580
Hardness GB/T 6739 Paints & varnishes – Determination of film hardness by pencil test AS 1580
Impact resistance GB/T 1732
Determination of impact resistance of films AS 1580

General

GeneralStandardStandard TitleComparative Australian Standard
Steel utility poles AS/NZS 4677 Steel utility services poles

NA
Pole shafts & multi-sided tubular cross arms & all accessories



AS/NZS 5131

Structural steelwork – Fabrication and erection

NA