Steel Roll Forming Machine
Roll forming machines shape metal to create a wide range of profiles. These include drywall profiles, metal ceilings, and tubes and pipes.
The process also reduces waste compared to other metal fabrication methods. It can also produce tight tolerances. Purchasing your own steel roll forming machine can save you money in the long run.
CAD/CAM Systems
Roll forming is an ideal metal working technique for producing long length parts. The process begins with a large coil of sheet metal that snakes its way through a series of stations until the desired shape is produced. It can shape any ferrous or non-ferrous metals that have sufficient ductility and thickness. The process also allows for operations like punching and notching to be performed in-line which significantly reduces labor costs.
Computer-controlled programming ensures dimensional accuracy and adherence to tolerances. CAD software creates detailed 2D or 3D designs of the part and the tooling needed to make them, while CAM software converts these designs into CNC (Computer Numerical Control) code that instructs the machine tools to cut, bend, and form the metal sheets into their final shapes.
In addition to reducing labor costs, the process produces far less scrap than other metal forming processes. Additionally, it eliminates the need for heat-intensive annealing and welding which significantly reduces energy costs. It also helps to prevent warping by keeping the metal at room temperature, which is particularly beneficial for larger parts that require precise adherence to structural specifications. Lastly, the process is adjustable and suitable for projects of varying time durations. This flexibility is important to meet a project’s delivery deadlines and budgetary requirements. However, dimensional variation can occur in part production due to factors such as varying metal thickness or width, material springback during production, quality and wear of the tooling, and the actual application of the machine.
Decoilers
Decoilers are a type of coil management equipment that holds and safely uncoils metal strips at the beginning of a steel roll forming line. This coil management system helps to keep the line running as smoothly as possible, minimizing downtime and increasing production.
Before the metal strip goes through the machine, it may need additional applications like steel roll forming machine “pre-punching” or “notching” to prepare it for the bending process. These applications help to reduce the weight of the finished product while also providing strength and stability.
The decoiler then feeds the coil to the rolling machine, which bends and shapes the metal into the desired profile. The machine shutter rolling machine is capable of creating a wide range of profiles, from simple channels and angles to complex shapes and designs.
The system also allows for quick tooling changes, making it a cost-effective solution for manufacturers looking to improve their productivity. When a fabricator needs to switch to another profile, they simply lift the raft with the current tooling off of the shafts and replace it with the raft for the new profile. This reduces downtime and minimizes mistakes that might occur while manually changing the profile. It also helps to eliminate the need for heating or cooling the metal, which can be expensive and time-consuming. The use of lubrication can also significantly decrease the friction between the rollers and metal, which can cause wear.
Coil Cars & Upenders
Coil cars and upenders help increase productivity. These mechanical type heavy loading equipment takes the coils from storage and cradles them, then pivots and lifts them to load onto decoiler mandrels. This eliminates the need for a crane or fork truck to transport and tip the coil. It also reduces the chance of damage to sensitive coils while in transit.
With the push toward lean manufacturing, metal forming operations haven’t had the best turnaround time records when it comes to changing out coils. Traditionally, shops kept a variety of colors and gauges on hand to be ready for any order. Today, however, just-in-time production requires the factory to produce only what the customer orders. This often means producing a short run of beige panel, then green, and red, and so on. This can mean changing out a coil 15 times a shift!
Decoilers and other material handling equipment at the front end of the line help speed up operations, but the problem persists at the back end. This is where a nester and other material handling systems come in to save time. These tools nest finished products (typically stud and track pieces) together into stacks to be picked up by forklift at the end of the line. This allows workers to concentrate on other duties, such as counting product for shipments and inventory.
End Shear Welder
Roll forming is an effective way to shape a variety of metal parts with complex and intricate cross sections. It provides high-quality products that are incredibly consistent and can be used in production runs of many thousands of units. However, errors can arise due to machine design and operation, wear and tear of rollers, and fluctuations in the material properties. These mistakes have to be corrected in order to ensure that the final product meets all of the desired specifications and tolerances.
The most common error is known as end flare. This occurs when the bending moment and residual stress distribution in the profile change during the forming process, resulting in a deformation of the outer and inner flanges of the profile (Fig. 30). This deformation can be counteracted with countermeasures that induce opposite directed plastic shear strains during the forming process. However, these measures can cause the overall forming time to increase and the production quality may suffer.
One of the best solutions to prevent end flare is to use a shear welder. These machines are equipped with a shear that is designed to cut the metal strip precisely. This will eliminate the excess material from the profile, which will make it easier for the operator to remove and transport the finished product. The shear welders can also be used to perform other operations, such as pre-punching holes or notching, which can help reduce the weight of the metal and allow it to be more easily welded together.
