Steel Profiles for Solar Energy
From pile to purlin, we roll every steel member of a solar structure on our own line with our own tooling — catalogue sections or profiles to your drawing.
- Pile sections
- C · U · Sigma
- Thickness
- 2.0 – 6.0 mm
- Beams
- W6 – W12
- Material
- S250GD – S450GD
Which profile goes where
Piles (foundation): the main member driven into the ground. A lipped C-section gives high bending stiffness for its weight and an open face that simplifies bracket connections; the sigma section's stepped web gives higher moment capacity at the same gauge; the U-section is economical for lighter loads and compact frames. Tracker posts use W6–W12 hot-rolled beams.
Purlins and rails: the horizontal members carrying the modules — C, Z and omega sections, light, stiff and punched in-line. Brackets: sheet parts formed and punched to the platform spec.
Material, coating, tolerance
Coil is selected from S250GD to S450GD; with high-yield S350GD/S420GD you carry the same load at a thinner gauge and lower cost per kilo. Coating is Zn-Al-Mg (recommended) or hot-dip galvanized; formed from pre-coated coil, no post-galvanizing is needed and coverage is uniform across the surface.
Roll forming's strength is repeatability: thousands of metres through the same tooling come out identical. For pre-punched profiles bolted on site that is decisive. Share your section drawing and annual footage and we will agree the tolerance-critical dimensions with you.
C-Piles
Foundation Pile
The primary driven pile for ground-mount arrays. The lipped C-section gives high bending stiffness for its weight and an open face that takes rails and brackets anywhere along its length.
- Section
- Lipped C
- Thickness
- 2.0 – 6.0 mm
- Width
- ≤ 400 mm
- Coating
- Zn-Al-Mg / HDG
U-Piles
Foundation Pile
An open channel pile for lighter loads and compact ground frames. Economical where a full C-section isn't needed, with a clean open face for fast bracket and rail connections.
- Section
- Open U
- Thickness
- 2.0 – 6.0 mm
- Width
- ≤ 400 mm
- Coating
- Zn-Al-Mg / HDG
Sigma Piles
Foundation Pile
A stepped sigma section with a rolled-in stiffening rib — more bending capacity and grip for deeper embedment in softer ground, while staying light enough to drive fast.
- Section
- Stepped sigma
- Thickness
- 2.0 – 6.0 mm
- Width
- ≤ 400 mm
- Coating
- Zn-Al-Mg / HDG
W-Beams
Structural Beam
Wide-flange structural beams for top chords, rafters and main spans where a pile alone won't carry the load. Supplied plain or with custom slotting for fast, adjustable connections.
- Section
- Wide-flange
- Sizes
- W6 · W8 · W10 · W12
- Material
- Grade 50 – 65
- Coating
- Hot-dip galv.
| Profile | Depth | Width | Thickness | Material | Coating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-Pile | 100 – 240 mm | ≤ 400 mm | 2.0 – 6.0 mm | S250 – S450GD | ZM / Z |
| U-Pile | 80 – 200 mm | ≤ 400 mm | 2.0 – 6.0 mm | S250 – S450GD | ZM / Z |
| Sigma | 120 – 240 mm | ≤ 400 mm | 2.0 – 6.0 mm | S250 – S450GD | ZM / Z |
| Size | Nominal depth | Flange | Material | Coating | Fabrication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W6 | 152 mm | 100 – 152 mm | Gr. 50 – 65 / A572 | HDG | Slotted / plain |
| W8 | 203 mm | 102 – 205 mm | Gr. 50 – 65 / A572 | HDG | Slotted / plain |
| W10 | 254 mm | 102 – 260 mm | Gr. 50 – 65 / A572 | HDG | Slotted / plain |
| W12 | 305 mm | 102 – 310 mm | Gr. 50 – 65 / A572 | HDG | Slotted / plain |
Frequently asked questions
What is a solar mounting structure made of?
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Cold-formed (roll-formed) steel: C, U or sigma piles driven into the ground, purlins and rails that carry the modules, and connection brackets. The usual material is S350GD galvanized coil; Zn-Al-Mg (ZM) coating is preferred for outdoor service life. Tracker platforms add W-section beams.
Which steel profiles are used for solar piles and purlins?
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Lipped C, open U and stepped sigma profiles as piles (2–6 mm, up to 400 mm wide); W6–W12 beams for tracker posts; C, Z and omega sections as purlins and rails. All are delivered pre-punched in-line, ready to bolt.
Zn-Al-Mg or hot-dip galvanized for solar steel?
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For 25+ years outdoors we recommend Zn-Al-Mg (ZM / Magnelis-type) coating: it self-heals at sheared and punched edges, lasts markedly longer than galvanizing in salty or humid (C4–C5) environments, and because it is formed from pre-coated coil there is no post-galvanizing bath. Hot-dip galvanized (HDG) is available where specified.
Can you roll a profile to our own drawing (OEM)?
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Yes. Because we design and make the rolls and tooling in-house, we can prototype and series-produce sections specific to your tracker or fixed-tilt platform in short lead times. A DXF or PDF drawing, the material and an estimated footage are enough; we come back with a manufacturability review.
Which standards do your solar profiles meet?
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Steel to EN 10346 (coated coil) and ASTM A653 / A572, fabrication to EN 1090, design to Eurocode 3 or ASCE 7, under an ISO 9001 quality system. Grades run from S250GD to S450GD.