5 Ideas to Consider in Roll Forming - by Jeff Carson

What is roll forming and why do I need it? 

Fundamentally roll forming is defined as a continuous, high-volume, fabricating process in which a desired shape is formed from a flat strip of metal by passing it through a series of matching pairs of contoured rolls.  Only bending occurs in the roll process and does not change the thickness of the metal except for a slight thinning at a bend radius.  Roller forming is a continuous process that is extremely economical and efficient particularly when the job requires shaping sections into extended lengths at high volume.  The advantages of roll forming are widely recognized and include:

• Processing over 500 feet per minute
• Consistently formed material
• Maintaining extremely finite tolerance range

In today's competitive marketplace, it is necessary to have robust equipment that consistently delivers quality product in a consistent pattern.  In addition to sheet leveling units, other forms of roll forming technology include parts leveling, cut to length lines, slitting, embossing, stitching as well as custom-designed process lines.

What are the types of roll materials?

Rolls are generally made from tool steel, the grade being dependent on the expected production and finish of the piece.  For routine applications where a smooth finish strip is to be formed or when shapes are formed from hot rolled, unpickled steel, a High Chrome-High Carbon tool steel (AISI D-2) with about 1.5% carbon and 12% chrome is suggested.  Tool steel has exceptional wear performance and for the average run of light gauge cold formed sections can be expected to roll several million feet or more before........ click the photo to read more on the B&K Framing Blog 

Advanced Roll Forming - Part II: Reduce Cost & Simplify Operations - by Paul Williams

As a follow up to our recent blog examining the potential pitfalls to the roll-forming process, this discussion will focus on how advanced technology has virtually eliminated these costly and aggravating hindrances with recent innovations.

Product Changeover

This is a significant challenge to productivity due to the many processes that take place – from complete removal of a tool set to an entire machine reset. Over the course of time, technological advancements have been made that virtually mitigate or minimize these burdens on time and efficiency.

• Duplex and telescoping shaft machines: this equipment provides movable banks of inboard and outboard housings to allow for quick changes in part width and eliminate the changing cross section of material thickness

• Rafted roll forming machines: this machine is typically used to change out an entire bank of roll tooling. The steel plate (known as the “raft”) along with the inboard and outboard housings and roll tooling for one job, is removed from the roll former base and replaced with another containing the tooling for the next job

• Roll formers featuring 2-side mounted roll tooling: this machine is powered by a single drive and allow product to be made on one set while the other set is changed out. In addition you can find roll formers that have a supplemental set of intermediate passes, which are significantly taller than the others to allow for an upper and lower roll tooling setup

Recent Innovations Yield Impressive Renovations

Manufacturers of roll forming devices have long observed the need to develop systems around specific types or “families” of products used in specific industries. The focal point should always be on the method that delivers the most significant cost savings and efficiencies. Select the process that produces stock in high volume based on the similarity of the product such as geometric characteristics (like items include steel framing, studs, track, joists and other structural building components).  These building items are usually “C” or “U” shaped with variation being.......read  the complete blog by visiting the B&K Metal Framing Blog

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