Ash hoppers are workhorses of industrial combustion systems and must thrive in demanding environments where heat, abrasion, and corrosion are constant facts of life. For this project, a customer needed two types of ¼" plate TAH (Trunnion-Actuated Hopper) ash hoppers fabricated from A36 carbon steel plate and A53 pipe — built as components of a larger final assembly destined for New Bern, North Carolina.
Projects like this run smoother when the communication lines are open. Early in the project, Southern Metal Fabricators' team identified that the customer's AutoCAD drawings didn't include weld symbols — a detail that, left unaddressed, could mean guesswork in the shop and structural inconsistency in the finished product. Southern Metal Fabricators flagged the gap immediately and arrived at a collaborative solution with the customer to keep the project moving forward.
The exterior received a sandblast dark gray primer finish for corrosion protection in demanding industrial environments. With two units of each hopper type to deliver, and only a month to do it, Southern Metal Fabricators completed fabrication and shipping ahead of schedule.
| Project Description | TAH Ash Hopper for use in material handling. |
| Processes Used | CNC Sawing |
| Equipment Used | Not Applicable |
| Part Dimensions | Not Applicable |
| Materials Used | A36 carbon steel angle, plate; A53 pipe |
| Finishes | Sand blast dark gray primer (exterior); interior was not painted |
| Delivery Location | New Bern, NC |
| Standards | Customer provided AutoCAD drawings |
