Laser Fused Trapezoidal Hollow Section for Glass Balustrade in Dublin
For a prestigious shopping mall project in Dublin, the architect specified a custom stainless steel profile to serve as a handrail atop a glazed balustrade. The design required a trapezoidal hollow section with precise sharp-edged geometry and a polished surface finish to grit 320 on all four sides. Stainless steel grade 1.4301 was selected for its corrosion resistance and aesthetic suitability for public indoor architectural applications. The combination of non-standard cross-section geometry, thin wall thickness, and high surface finish requirements made this a technically demanding supply.
Sharp Edges, Thin Walls, and a Mirror-Grade Finish
The trapezoidal cross-section called for sharp, well-defined edges on all faces, a geometry that is inherently difficult to achieve with conventional welding. At a wall thickness of 4 mm, any excess heat input during fabrication risked distorting the plates and compromising both the geometry and the flat surfaces required for polishing. The specification for a grit 320 finish across all four sides added a further constraint: the surface had to be uniform and free of weld-induced irregularities before it reached the polishing stage.
Laser Fusion: Geometry Without Distortion
Montanstahl produced the trapezoidal hollow section using the laser fusion process. The low heat input inherent to laser welding prevented thermal distortion of the 4 mm plates, preserving the sharp-edged geometry throughout. The resulting weld bead was minimal and easily removed, leaving clean, flat surfaces on all sides ready for the polishing operation. External polishing to grit 320 was carried out by a specialist partner, with the well-defined geometry of the laser fused section making the process efficient and consistent across the full length of each bar.
Application Context
This project sits within Montanstahl’s architecture, building and construction segment, where laser fused special hollow sections are specified for architecturally exposed applications requiring both dimensional precision and high surface quality. Glass balustrades in public commercial interiors represent a class of application where the structural profile is permanently visible and the finish is part of the design intent. Montanstahl supplies custom stainless steel profiles of this type to architectural projects worldwide.