Custom Spreader Bars

Custom steel fabricated spreader bars are specialized lifting devices produced in small shipyard-focused shops to safely distribute loads and maintain balance during crane lifts of heavy, awkward, or oversized marine components like hull sections, engine modules, piping skids, or equipment packages. Built primarily from high-strength structural steel (such as A36, A572, or tubular sections), these bars feature a main beam—often a fabricated box section, wide-flange, or heavy pipe—with precisely welded end fittings or padeyes incorporating machined holes for shackles, hooks, or slings, ensuring proper rigging angles and preventing sling crush or load instability. Fabrication involves plasma/oxy cutting profiles, beveling for full-penetration groove welds, multi-pass welding by certified welders to AWS or ABS standards, and often machining connection points for tight tolerances. Design adheres to ASME B30.20 or BTH-1 codes, factoring in safe working load (SWL), rigging geometry, compressive/bending stresses, and sometimes adjustable lengths via pinned or telescoping sections. Final touches include load-rated markings, non-destructive testing (e.g., UT or mag particle on welds), prime/paint with marine-grade coatings for corrosion resistance, and proof loading if required—making them essential for efficient, damage-free handling in shipyard environments