The Wagner Companies - A Through G

As prepared by the Standards Committee of the National Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metals Association, with cooperation of the National Association of Architectural Metal Manufacturers

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W

A

ABRASIVE - Hard granular material of varying fineness, used in grinding and/or polishing, or embedded in metal to provide a nonslip surface
ALUMILITE - A trade name used by the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) for its clear or color-impregnated anodized finishes in aluminum
ANCHOR - Any device used to secure a building component to adjoining construction or a supporting member
ANCHORAGE - Method of tying to adjoining construction or supporting member
ANGLED STAIR - A stair in which successive flights are at an angle other than 180 degrees to each other (often 90 degrees), with an intermediate platform between them
ANNEAL - To heat above the critical or recrystallization temperature and then cool metal, glass or other materials, to eliminate the effects of cold working, relieve internal stresses or improve electrical, magnetic or other properties; to soften.
ANODIC COATING - The surface finish resulting from anodizing. See "Anodize".
ANODIZE- To provide a hard, non-corrosive oxide film on the surface of a metal, particularly aluminum, by electrolytic action in which the metal being treated serves as the anode.
ARC - The curved portion of a bend.
ARC WELDING - A process for the joining of metal parts by fusion, with the necessary heat being produced by an electric arc struck between an electrode and the metal or two electrodes.
AS FABRICATED - a) A term referring to the surface appearance and texture or temper produced on metal mill products by the original forming process. b) A term referring to the surface appearance of a fabricated metal product before the removal of any disfigurations caused by the fabrication process.

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B

BALUSTER- One of a series of closely-spaced upright members which support the handrail. Also referred to as a Picket or Baluster Bar.
BALUSTRADE - A railing which is composed of baluster capped by a handrail, often serving as an architectural feature.
BAR- A round, square, rectangular, hexagonal or similar section of rolled, drawn or extruded metal.
BAR SIZE SECTION - A hot-rolled angle, channel, tee or zee having a greatest cross-sectional dimension less than 3" (76.2mm).
BEND LINE - Point of change of direction of a structure.
BEND RADIUS - Distance from the center of curvature to the centerline axis of the tube or pipe.
BEVEL (of stairs) - see Pitch (of stairs).
BLOW HOLE - A hole or void in a casting, resulting from entrained gases.
BONDERIZE - Chemical treatment of steel surface with propriety phosphate solution, to provide limited corrosion protection and improved paint base.
BOTTOM RAIL - Lower member of railing system, supporting balusters or panels, if any.
BRACKET- Projecting member attached to surface of another member, to support third member.
BRAKING - Mechanical bending, flanging, folding and forming sheet or plate material, using press brake or folding brake.
BRAZING- The joining of metal parts by heating them and, by capillary action, drawing a molten copper-zing or other brazing alloy between them.
BUFFING - The process of providing a lustrous finish by means of power-operated soft fabric wheels coated with a wax compound containing fine abrasive particles.
BULLNOSE STEP - Stair tread, usually first tread at flight bottom, with one or both ends having semi-circular or similar shape in plan view.
BURNISHING - Developing smooth, lustrous surface of metal part by tumbling in drum containing small steel balls or by rubbing with hard pads.
BUTT JOINING - Fastening squared edge or end of one member to squared edge, end or face of another member without overlapping.

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C

CANTILEVER - Portion of member projecting beyond support(s).
CAP - A fitting used to close the end of a pipe or tubular rail or post of the top end of tubular newel.
CAP RAIL- See "Handrail"
CARBON STEEL - Steel having either a) no specified minimum content of alloying elements; b) a specified minimum copper content not exceeding 0.40%; or c) maximum specified percentage contents as follows: manganese 1.65%, silicon 0.60%, copper 0.60%.
CARBURIZING - Producing hard surface layer on steel by heating in carbonaceous medium and subsequent quenching to increase carbon content. Also referred to as "Case-Hardening".
CARRIER ANGLE - An angle connected to the inside face of a stair stringer to form a supporting ledge for the end of a tread or riser. Also referred to as a "Pitch Block".
CARRIER BAR - A flat bar used in the same way as a carrier angle.
CARRIERS - A term used for carrier angles or bars used to support treads formed from metal steps and gratings.
CASE-HARDENING- See Carburizing
CASTING - A product formed by pouring molten metal into a mold
CAST IRON - A hard, brittle, non-malleable metal which can be produced in any shape. It cannot be hammered or bent. It is used for many miscellaneous metal products. Both functional and decorative, it has good resistance to corrosion.
CAUSTIC DIPPING - Immersing metal in alkaline solution to chemically clean its surface.
CAUSTIC ETCH - A decorative matte texture produced on aluminum alloys by treating in an alkaline solution, generally caustic soda (sodium hydroxide); also know as "frosted finish".
CEMENT, QUICK SETTING - Used in the installation of railing posts set in sleeves or holes.
CHAMFER - To bevel a sharp edge
CHORD - Straight distance between the centerline points of any two points of a bend.
CIRCULAR STAIR - A stair which, in plan view, has an open circular form with a single center of curvature. See also "Spiral Stair".
CLIP -Small fastening device, usually of metal, to hold element or component in place by mechanical action or friction.
COLD-FINISHED STEEL - Carbon steel which has been cleaned and pickled, the rolled or drawn through dies to produce a dimensionally accurate section with improved surface finish and often other improved properties.
COLD ROLLING - Bringing metal sheet, plate or bar to final thickness and finishing by passing between heavy rollers without heating.
COLLAR- see "Escutcheon".
COLUMN - A structural member which is subjected principally to axial compression loading.
CONSTRUCTION JOINT - Discontinuity in structure.
COPE - To cut away a portion of one member, either to form a close-fitting joint with, or provide clearance for, another member.
CORROSION - The decay of metals, usually from oxidation.
COR-TEN - The trade name used by the United States Steel Corporation for its weathering type of steel. See "Weathering Steel".
COUNTERBORING - Enlarging entrance of hole for placing bolt head or nut.
COUNTERSINKING - Beveling end of hole for receiving conical head of flat-head or oval-head fastener.
COVER FLANGE - See "Escutcheon".
CURVED STAIR - A stair which, in plan view, has two or more centers of curvature, being oval, elliptical or some other compound curved form.

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D

DECKING - Light-gauge fluted, ribbed or cellular, sheet-metal platform for supporting floor or roof.
DEFLECTION - Bending or sagging deformation of member.
DEGREE OF BEND - Angle in degrees to which the bend is formed (e.g. 45 degrees, 90 degrees).
DRAINAGE HOLE - See "Vent Hole".
DRAWING - The process of pulling metal in solid form through dies to alter its finish, mechanical properties or cross-sectional shape.
DRAWINGS - Architectural and structural plans, often prepared by architect or engineer. They should indicate by plan, elevation, section and detail the location, quantity, size and extent of product to be furnished.
DRAWINGS, SHOP - See "Shop Drawings".
DRIFT PIN - Tapered, round rod used to align holes in two or more pieces of metal.
DROP (Stairs) - A fitting used to close the bottom end of a tubular newel.
DURANODIC - Trade name used by the Aluminum Company of American (ALCOA) for its hard andodic coatings. See "Hard Anodic Coatings".

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E

EASEMENT (Stairs) - That curved portion of a handrail which forms a transition in a vertical plane, between horizontal and an inclined section of the handrail.
ELASTIC LIMIT - The maximum unit stress which can be applied to a material without causing permanent damage.
EMBED - To cast in concrete.
EMBOSSED - Having a raised and/or indented pattern impressed on either one or both surfaces (of a sheet material) by means of patterned rolls or stamping dies.
ESCUTCHEON - Protective or ornamental cover located usually at and around base of post or picket, baluster, or where a rail terminates against a wall. Also referred to as "Cover Flange", "Collar", "Wall Clip", or "Wall Flange".
EXPANSION JOINT - A control joint designed to allow for differential movement of the joining parts due to thermal expansion and/or contraction, eliminating moment transfer.
EXTRUSION - a) The process of producing metal shapes by forcing heated metal through an orifice in a die by means of a pressure ram; b) Any item made by this process.

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F

FABRICATE - To manufacture, form, assemble or construct metal products.
FACTOR OF SAFETY - The ration of minimum yield stress or minimum ultimate stress to design or working stress.
FASCIA - a) In general, a horizontal band treatment on a wall, or the edge facing of a projecting element; b) In metal stairs, the exposed facing of the outer edge of a platform or floor; usually similar in detail to the face stringer.
FASCIA MOUNT - See "Side Mount".
FATIGUE - Structural failure of a material caused by repeated or fluctuating application of stresses, none of which individually is sufficient to cause failure.
FERROUS METAL - Metal in which iron in the principal element.
FIELD CHECK - Verification of existing dimensions against those shown on drawing prior to fabrication.
FIELD JOINT - A connection between two adjoining members or parts, made at the time of installation.
FIELD MEASURE - Survey of existing conditions.
FILL (Stairs) - A cementious material, such as concrete or terrazzo, which is placed over a metal substructure to provide the wearing surface of a tread or platform.
FINIAL- An ornamental piece on top of railing post, newel or fence. Also referred to as an "Urn".
FLAT- Rectangular bar of width greater than its thickness.
FLIGHT - An uninterrupted series of steps.
FLIGHT RISE - The vertical distance between the floors or platforms connected by a flight.
FLIGHT RUN - The horizontal distance between the faces of the first and last risers in a flight.
FLOOR PLATE - Steel plate having a raised pattern to provide non-slip wearing surface; referred to as "Tread Plate" when made of aluminum.
FLUSH BOLT - A rod or bolt which is mounted flush with the edge or face of the inactive door or a pair, to lock the door to the frame at the head and/or sill. When mounted in the edge, operation is by means of a recessed lever.
FORGING - Heating and hammering metal into a desired shape.
FORMING - The process of shaping metal by mechanical action other than machining, forging or casting.

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G

GAGE - See "Gauge"
GALVANIC CORROSION - The electrochemical action which takes place when dissimilar metals are in contact in the presence of an electrolyte, with the extent of corrosion being governed by both the difference in potential between the two metals and the relative areas of the metals.
GALVANIZING - The process of coating metal with zinc, either by dipping in a bath of molten zinc, by mechanical coating, or electrolytic action.
GAUGE - a) A number indicating the thickness of metal of the diameter of a wire or fastener shank, in accordance with standard series of numbers, each of which represents a certain decimal fraction of an inch (or number or millimeters); b) The distance, in inches between adjacent lines of holes or fasteners.
GENUINE WROUGHT IRON- Low carbon content used for finer types of decorative iron works where resistance to corrosion is of value. Suppliers are somewhat limited. When "Genuine Wrought Iron" is specified, the words "wrought Iron" are not sufficient and this term may denote any carbon steel. Therefore, in specifying, it is important that the words "Genuine Wrought Iron" be used. See also "Wrought Iron".
GLASS RAILING- A free-standing railing system which utilizes tempered glass as a structural baluster
GRAB RAIL (Grab Bar) - A short length of rail located for safety and convenience.
GRADE - Manufacturer's specification of material types of tube or pipe (e.g. A53B Carbon Steel, T304 Stainless Steel)
GRINDING - Removing metal from a surface by means of abrasive action.
GRIT - Granular abrasive material such as aluminum oxide or silicon carbide, which may be coated on cloth, paper or wheels for sanding, grinding or polishing purposes. Grit numbers are in ascending order from coarse to fine.
GRIT NUMBER - The grain size of an abrasive used for grinding or polished metal. Also the degree of fineness of a metal finish produced by that abrasive. Grit numbers are in ascending order from coarse to fine.
GUARDRAIL SYSTEM - Rail system usually located for protection of building occupants at or near outer edge of stair, ramp, landing, platform, balcony or accessible roof; at perimeter or any opening or accessible surface, such as opening for stairway; or at location where operating condition requires limitation of access to designated area to guard against accidental falls or injury. See "Railing System".
GUSSET - A piece of metal plate used to construct or reinforce a line or angular joint between two or more metal members.

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