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Application
of
Roll Forming
4899 Commerce Parkway Cleveland, Ohio 44128 (800) 6310520 (216) 2924460 Fax (216) 2922898
Email: Sales@Formtekgroup.com Web: www.formtekmetalforming.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEFINITION
CAPABILITIES
THE SHAPE
DESIGN RESTRICTIONS
TOLERANCES
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ACCESSORY TOOLING
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ORIENTATION
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SETUP TIME
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DEFINITION
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 takes place, the metal thickness does not
change except for a slight thinning at a bend radius.
CAPABILITIES
As a fabricating method, roll forming is used mainly for mass production of shapes providing
that shape has a uniform cross-section. Any material that can withstand bending to the
desired radius can be roll formed. This material might be hot rolled, mill finish, material, it
might be cold rolled, it might have a mirror or a high polished finish, or it might be of any
known metal in wide use today. Likewise, it might be coated with another metal such as
galvanize, tin or copper, and it might be painted or plastic coated, the basic criteria being
only that, whatsoever the material or the coating, it or they must be able to withstand the
specified bend radii.
The product range is almost limitless. The process has successfully made such products as
1/8 diameter butt seam tube, filling it at the same time with a flux to create a welding rod;
computer components out of .005 thick tin plate; or structural sections and pipe from
thick plate, pipe as large as 48 diameter. In some instances, the type of section being the
determinant, multiple sections can be made from a single strip or, for that matter, several
strips can be fed simultaneously and combined into one composite section.
THE SHAPE
Roll forming may sound like the Answer to a Maidens Prayer but it, like every other
manufacturing process has some limitations, drawbacks, and restrictions that must be
observed in both machine operation and section design to provide a satisfactory application.
DESIGN RESTRICTIONS
For the most part end product design dictates shape configuration, but at the same time
familiarity with the processing limitations goes a long way toward designing for
manufacturing simplicity and thereby successful, continuous production of uniform piece
parts. Figure #1 shows some restrictions that should be considered:
Figure #1
a) Blind bends for example, bends that cannot be reached by both a male and female
portion of a pair of driven rolls can be difficult to control.
b) Narrow slots require narrow rolls that present heat treating problems and are subject
to breakage particularly when excessive metal thickness variations are encountered.
c) Flange lengths - the length of metal beyond the radius tangent point - should be at
least three times metal thickness.
d) Modern installations often include piercing, notching, embossing and other
operations either before or after the rolling operation. Prepunched holes and notches
should be kept away from bend lines or edges and consideration should be given to
the possibility of slight distortion in their size and shape during forming. Obviously
too, rolls must be relieved to clear any embossed designs; therefore, embossing
should also be kept clear of bend lines for most effective forming.
e) The press type cutoff machine, whether mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic, because
of its speed and accuracy, is the most popular type of cutoff used today with roll
forming lines. If at all possible the shape should be designed so the cutoff die can be
constructed to develop minimum distortion of the cut end or, it this is impractical
then the product assembly should compensate accordingly.
Figure #2
f)
Sections with wide flat areas that are exposed when assembled into the end product
should be viewed with caution. Despite advances in coil metal processing, no one
has made a perfectly flat coil of material. Imperfections such as loose edges or
loose center (oil canning) tend to accentuate into such areas. Longitudinal ribs,
perhaps high minimum, added on about 6 centers across the width are effective
as a compensating measure.
g) Sections with a wide flat surface along one edge can be improved with some edge
formation to remove the ripples that otherwise might be produced.
h) Cold reduction and cold roll forming are not completely compatible, however, a
limited amount can be accomplished. Metal thickness reductions create control
problems as the thickness and hardness of the strip varies.
i)
Corner radii, control the amount of spring-back; if too large, the shape will not be
held uniformly as metal hardness varies; if too small, the result might be
objectionable pressure marks or the likelihood of metal fracture or cracking in the
bend areas.
j)
The minimum bend radius is largely determined by the ductility of the metal. It is
however, a fact that sharper radii can be obtained by roll forming than by other
methods. Given a metal of sufficient ductility, absolute sharp corners can be
developed by creasing or actually reducing the metal thickness before forming up the
corner. Although this is performed when required, it is not a suggested design
mainly because of the limited life of the creasing roll and the fact the section is
weakened by the reduction in area.
The various metal handbooks provide information giving bend properties of specific
materials. It is advisable to adhere to these restrictions and to those imposed by metal
temper in all cases, noting that forming sharp corner involve added machine loads and may
accelerate tool maintenance.
Tolerances
a) Tolerances on part dimensions are largely dependent on the tolerances of the
material being formed, end flare and springback, notwithstanding. A dimensional
tolerance of 1/64 is commonly applied to cross-section dimensions and a
tolerance of 1 to 2 to angles. Given a specific set of conditions, closer tolerances
can be held, e.g., .005. But, whenever such tolerances are specified, it should be
recognized they usually represent additional tryout time, more tooling expense and
possibly even the need for premium priced material that has special thickness and
mechanical property controls.
The manufacturer is often asked to propose equipment to make a given shape from
more than one gauge of metal and in the interest of minimum tool cost, to do so in
one (1) set of rolls. Remembering that rolls must be fitted for the maximum metal
thickness and also that the only adjustment available to the operator is vertical to
bring the rolls closer together or farther apart. Figure #3 shoes the minimum and
maximum conditions that exist in a typical case. Note the change in the angle of the
vertical leg, the change in overall height and the change in arc length at the bends.
As you can see, each pair of spindles is carried in a separate gear-head and as per Figure #5,
each has its own splash lubricated worm and gear train. Since the upper roll spindle must
be adjustable for rolls of different diameters, it is driven through a toggle or link type gear
arrangement from the bottom spindle permitting adjustment without sacrificing pitch line
mesh of the gears. A micrometer dial on each adjusting screw indicates spindle adjustment
and parallel. The outboard housing is removable from the spindle as a complete assembly to
permit roll changes.
Figure #5: Integral Drive Type Roll Forming Stand Solid Model
Here the gearbox is set back from the spindle housings and the spindles are driven through
universal couplings. This type machine has been made with spindles up to 15 diameter for
heavy structural products and large pipe.
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Accessory Tooling
It is sometimes necessary to mount rolls on vertical axes, between driven roll stages, to exert
side pressure to a shape when it is need for forming or guiding.
Likewise, when cut-to-length strips are fed through a roll forming machine, interstage
guiding devices are used to guide the lead end in its progression from roll to roll.
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Orientation
Shape orientation, its position relative to the roll axis, is to be considered as an important
element of roll design. It can affect machine cost, tool cost, part quality and also the overall
efficiency of the operation. A particular orientation may receive preference because of:
1) The limitations of the forming machine as to the number of roll stages and roll
diameter.
2) The limitations of the cutoff machine as to the die space and stroke.
3) A desire to retain the finished or exposed surface of the section in a position visible to
the operator as it is being formed.
4) A desire to position the cutoff burr in a particular direction.
5) A desire to tool similar sections in combination or sectioned rolls.
6) A desire to minimize, control or eliminate:
a) Scratching and galling
b) Blind bends
c) Trapped coolant
d) Springback
7) The requirement
postpunching.
of
other
in-line
operations,
e.g.,
coiling,
prepunching,
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The section passes through the die and travels along a runout table until the desired length is
measured, either via a rotary encoder, photo-eye, limit switch or a positive (mechanical)
stop. This target initiates the cutting cycle an during the period of cutting, the die moves
from right to left on its slide rails. Once the cut is completed, it returns automatically to its
starting position. This is the most simplistic way to operate. However, the cut length
tolerance can be very broad, depending on line speed, type of cutoff press and method of
length control employed.
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A general illustration of the length tolerance as a function of line speed and method of length
control is shown in the above figure. It is not within the scope of this discussion to deal in
greater detail on the subject. However, cutoff performance, die design, triggering method,
die acceleration and material handling, all influence rolling machine speeds, the lengths that
can be cut, the length tolerance that can be maintained and in turn, the investment dollars
involved. A realistic evaluation of the requirement should be made for the budget available
and the end-use requirements.
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Figure #16 shows a 26-pass machine for producing a refrigerator panel from precut,
trimmed, prepunched lengths.
Figure #17 is a typical basic, coil fed line using a coil reel, a 11-stand forming mill and a 4post type pneumatic cutoff press.
Figure #18 shows a prenotch, form and cut line. This, you see, includes not only the cutoff
machine after the rolling machine but also another cutoff, in this case, termed a prenotch
press, and a small stock straightener ahead of it. Although used most generally for
developing a contoured end formation that cannot be developed after the shape is formed,
this system can be used to prepunch many repetitive pattern combinations.
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Figure 18: Entry end of Typical Prenotch Line with Servo Feed
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Setup Time
Qualified to include the time consumed to strip, clean and store one set of rolls and to load,
and adjust another set; setup time must be predicated on a well organized and readily
available roll storage facility, an experienced conscientious operator, and crane or hoist
service readily available when needed.
The 1 and 2 spindle mills that are changed over by stripping the rolls from the ends of
the shafts can be setup in about 15 minutes per pass, both driven and idle. The 2 and 3
mills require about 20 minutes per pass.
Additionally, if a cutoff is involved, about 15 minutes is needed to remove and replace the
die, excluding any internal die changes. Length changes, which involve a mechanical
method of length control, may require repositioning the cutoff target and, roughly, 5 to 10
minutes of time. If a system has an electronic method of length control, changing product
lengths and or hole patterns, can be accomplished on the fly, so halting the roll forming
operation may not be necessary.
Typically, a roll change in a large, wide (6 diameter x 60 wide) mill wherein roll and
spindle assemblies are removed through the top of the housing, and replaced with preassembled rolls and spindles, requires something on the order of 30 minutes per pass.
In the situation where rafted roll formers are employed, the roll stand and tooling is mounted
on a plate, typically referred to as a raft or cassette, the complete raft unit is removed and
a second set of rafts with tooling in place are mounted on the machine. Though this setup
requires greater capital investment, the changeover time is much faster and the operator does
not need to physically remove or adjust the roll tooling.
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