3-Hole Connecting Yoke Plates are crucial load-bearing connectors in power fittings, transmission and transformation lines, tower connections, and insulator string assembly. They are used to achieve multi-directional, multi-point mechanical connections, bearing combined loads such as tension, torque, and shear forces. They are widely used in overhead transmission lines, substation structures, power distribution equipment, and electrified railways. Weight is a core technical indicator in product design, manufacturing, foreign trade pricing, logistics, and engineering selection. Weight directly determines material costs, processing costs, and galvanizing costs, and also affects lifting difficulty, transportation costs, customs clearance, structural stress calculations, and customer purchasing decisions.
3-Hole Connecting Yoke Plates are essentially plate-based load-bearing fittings. Their weight is primarily determined by their geometric volume, which is directly controlled by dimensional parameters. Given the same material, larger dimensions and thicker plates inevitably result in greater weight.
Plate Thickness: Thickness is the most sensitive and direct parameter affecting weight. 3-Hole Connecting Yoke Plates are mostly made of flat steel, cut from steel plates, or forged. Thickness directly determines the cross-sectional area and volume. For every 2 mm increase in thickness, the volume and weight increase by approximately 10%–20%. Increasing the thickness from 12 mm to 20 mm can increase the weight by more than 50%. Heavy-duty, high-tonnage yoke plates can be 25 mm or 30 mm thick, weighing 2–3 times that of lightweight plates.
Overall Length: The greater the length, the more steel is consumed, and the weight increases linearly. The typical length range is 300 mm–800 mm. For every 100 mm increase in length, the weight typically increases by 0.3–0.8 kg. Extended yoke plates are used for large-spacing, multi-layer insulator string connections, and their weight is significantly higher than the standard type.
Width: Standard connecting yokes are 60–100 mm wide, while reinforced and wide-wing types can reach 120–160 mm. For every 20 mm increase in width, the weight increases by approximately 10%–15%.
Hole Layout: Larger hole diameters remove more material, theoretically resulting in slightly lighter weight. However, in engineering practice, large hole diameters often correspond to greater thickness, width, and load, thus the overall weight of large-diameter yokes is actually greater.
Does the surface treatment process affect the weight of 3-Hole Connecting Yoke Plates? While surface treatment doesn't change the main body weight, it does increase the weight of the additional layers. Hot-dip galvanizing, in particular, is a standard process for electrical fittings, and its impact on weight is significant. A typical zinc layer thickness is 65–100 μm, increasing weight by 3%–6%. The thicker the layer and the larger the area, the greater the weight increase from galvanizing.
The weight of 3-Hole Connecting Yoke Plates also has a significant impact on practical applications. Greater weight means more material is used, leading to higher costs. Weight affects galvanizing fees, processing fees, and surface treatment fees. Sea/land transportation is charged by weight/volume; weight directly determines the number of containers loaded, freight costs, customs declarations, clearance, and tax refunds. Excessive weight increases lifting difficulty and labor costs, while insufficient weight can lead to insufficient strength and safety risks. During the sales process, by clearly defining the five key factors-model, size, load capacity, material, and galvanizing-the weight of the 3-Hole Connecting Yoke Plates can be accurately determined, ensuring efficient, professional, and reliable sales.
