Foundry Pit Cover Fabrication Case Study

Industry: Industrial Foundry

Project Value: Seven-Figure Fabrication Project

Total Steel: 425,000 lbs

Pit Covers: 87 Pit Covers, 394 Total Pieces including Support Legs and Chutes

Timeline: 24 Weeks (vs Original Quoted Delivery of 36–44 Weeks)

 Wabash Welding was selected to fabricate and deliver 87 foundry pit covers for a large industrial foundry undergoing active construction. Due to delays in the purchasing process, fabrication began after construction was already in progress, creating schedule pressure and site constraints.

The project required precise coordination, flexible scheduling, and accelerated fabrication to prevent further construction delays.

 When Wabash Welding received the purchase order, open pits inside the facility were already slowing construction progress. Crews were forced to work around uncovered pits, creating inefficiencies and safety concerns.

Additional challenges included:

• Four separate fabrication packages requiring phased delivery
• Drawing errors from an outside engineering firm
• Ongoing design changes throughout fabrication
• A quoted industry lead time of 36–44 weeks, which did not align with the construction schedule
   

The client needed a fabrication partner capable of managing complexity while accelerating delivery.

 Wabash Welding approached the project as a construction-driven fabrication schedule, not a single bulk delivery.

Key elements of our solution included:

• Dividing the scope into four managed fabrication packages
• Holding weekly coordination meetings with the customer and project management firm
• Working through drawing errors and revisions without halting production
• Managing fabrication at the individual line-item level
• Coordinating just-in-time delivery so pit covers arrived exactly when needed on-site
   

This approach allowed construction to continue while fabrication progressed in parallel.

• Total steel fabricated: 425,000 lbs 
• Pit covers fabricated: 87 Pit Covers
• Total line items: 394 Total Pieces including Support Legs and Chutes
• Components included: pit covers, chutes, angles, legs, and structural supports
• Individual pit cover weight: 1,700 lbs to over 10,000 lbs
• Processes used: CNC plasma cutting, beam sawing, structural welding, cleaning, painting
   

•  Completed in 24 weeks, significantly faster than the estimated 36–44 week lead time
• Delivered pit covers just-in-time to support ongoing construction
• Prevented further delays caused by uncovered pits
• Successfully managed design changes without disrupting fabrication flow
• Provided a single accountable fabrication partner for a complex, multi-phase project

This project succeeded because Wabash Welding combined heavy steel fabrication capability with active project management.

By coordinating fabrication, communication, and delivery sequencing, we helped the client regain control of their construction schedule and keep work moving safely and efficiently.

For industrial facilities facing schedule pressure, design changes, or phased construction, Wabash Welding delivers structural steel fabrication solutions that align with real-world site demands.