Roll forming is a high productive technology for the production of metal profiles with continuous section.
With competitive price and timely delivery, Lihao Machine sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
When it comes to producing metal profiles, one technology that can be used for the bending operation is the press brake, for example.
However, this machine executes one bend at a time, and therefore it has limited productivity.
In the roll forming process, the bends are created on the metal with a number of rolls, assembled on motorized shafts.
These rolls impress in the sheet metal the desired shape, smoothly and in a series of steps (passages).
The number of passages usually goes from 4 to over 60 steps for the most complex profiles.
In roll forming the production speed depends on the speed of the rotation of the rollers and can go anywhere from 10 to over 300 meters per minute!
This extraordinary productivity is unreachable by any other bending process.
The roll forming process can be used on hot or warm steel, or on cold materials – which is the most common and we will focus on this specific case.
A good roll forming process starts from the good design of the profile and of the rollers.
In order to create a good roller design, the designer has to define the steps required to achieve the desired cross section.
In each of the steps, the metal strip progressively reaches the shape of the final section: when we superimpose all the steps, we obtain what is called the “Flower pattern” – in fact, in most cases the drawing reminds that of a beautiful flower!
The flower pattern is then used to design the single rollers for all the roll forming stages, including motorized and peripheral rollers that can be required for complex shapes or materials.
The rollers are then assembled on the roll forming machine, and powered by one or multiple motors, depending on the machine type.
The metal strip is introduced in the first stages and progressively bent through the machine: at the end the profile is cut by means of a cutting tool, or a saw.
The technology depends on the cross section we want to create, and on the function of the final profile.
The roll forming process is suitable to process the most different materials, ferrous and non ferrous metals: steel, aluminum, stainless steel, galvanized steel, pre-painted and coated steel and aluminum, copper, lead, titanium and so on.
The only limit is the formability of the sheet metal, and the springback of each type of material and the minimum bend radius has to be taken into account.
There is more: the process of the roll forming can be integrated with different technologies such as punching, laser cutting, bending.
The punching operation, in particular, can be positioned before or after the roll forming.
Each solution has specific advantages, and it depends on the shape of the section and on the desired result.
When the roll forming machine is joined to other machines it is called a Roll Forming Line, where the material goes straight from the coil to the finished product, and in many cases it can be packed and be delivered to the final storage directly!
Roll forming offers great advantages: in particular, its extremely high productivity makes it the best choice for the production of a number of high volume profiles: drywall profiles, metal ceilings, rolling shutters, tubes and pipes, cable trays, racking systems, metal furniture, venetian blinds, solar profiles, guard rails and much much more!
The rolling process ensures high repeatability with an extensive range of materials, from the standard DX51 to the high strength steels like the S390 and more!
The tolerances that can be reached, thanks to the adjustments that can be performed easily on the profiles, make roll forming the ideal solution for all high volume productions.
Today, the introduction of modern technologies such as the coil punching, stamping and the laser cutting, the roll forming has added huge flexibility to the process and today it is used extensively for the production of filter frames, fire dampers, modular constructions and LSF (Light Steel Framing).
If you would like to check if roll forming is the right technology for your volumes of production and profiles, do not hesitate: go straight to our CONTACT FORM and send us your enquiry.
Our technical team is looking forward to helping you!
One of the ways that a metal roofing contractor can significantly improve their productivity and overall business is through purchasing rollforming machinery to fabricate the panels their business needs.
But what are some specific reasons or signs that it might be time for you to purchase a rollformer? Why do other contractors decide to purchase a new piece of rollforming equipment?
Sheffield Metals is a trusted distributor of New Tech Machinery portable rollforming machines. We’ve worked with hundreds of contractors over the past 25+ years to help them purchase the right roof panel rollforming machine for their specific business needs.
The company is the world’s best Roll Forming Machine supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
In other words, we know why many contractors buy rollformers — and we think it’s important to go over these reasons in case other contracting businesses are in a similar situation.
One of the top indicators that it’s time for your business to purchase a rollforming machine is that you want or need more control over your panel production. It’s simple: Your contracting business isn’t making money if you don’t have the panels required to complete your installation projects.
One of the significant drawbacks of contractors purchasing panels from a regional manufacturer is that their installation projects can get held up due to material shortages, shipping challenges, order mistakes, damaged products, etc. These hold-ups can lead to lost jobs/profits, a diminished reputation, and unhappy employees and customers.
One of the best ways to remedy this issue is to bring your panel production in-house by purchasing a roof panel rollforming machine (portable or otherwise).
Having a rollformer allows you and your business to:
If your business is in a good financial position and a rollformer is something you can afford, why not purchase something that will only help you make more money?
Oftentimes, roofing businesses need to spend money to reduce their tax burden. Adding metal fabrication equipment is a great way to lessen your tax burden, minimize needing to add headcount, and expand product offerings while reducing costs at the same time.
We talk to metal roofing contractors and manufacturers all over the country and the number one challenge we all face is hiring and retaining skilled workers. If your CPA indicates that you should spend money and buy an asset, the natural reaction is to add another truck. However, if you cannot adequately staff up, you’ve added overhead costs with little to no return. Alternatively, you could purchase metal fabrication equipment and use a cross-trained existing staff to operate this profit-generating machinery.
Several financing options are available even if you can’t or don’t feel comfortable paying for a machine all at once.
When you purchase, finance, or lease equipment in the United States, you’re able to write off the total amount of your equipment purchase with the Section 179 Tax Deduction:
“Essentially, Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or financed during the tax year. That means that if you buy (or lease) a piece of qualifying equipment, you can deduct the FULL PURCHASE PRICE from your gross income. It’s an incentive created by the U.S. government to encourage businesses to buy equipment and invest in themselves.”
Not only will buying a machine reduce the tax burden and assist you with your installations, but having it gives you flexibility for the future. Say you want to stick to installing now but might want to dabble in manufacturing panels for other companies in the future; having a rollformer gives you that option.
Yes, additional costs are associated with owning a rollformer, such as maintenance, upkeep, add-ons, and other miscellaneous costs. However, the profit you can make from the rollformer usually significantly outweighs the money you will put into maintaining the machine.
In , the outlook for construction is good — especially for buildings that utilize sustainable and eco-friendly products. Metal is one of the most sustainable roof and wall products, as it’s 100% recyclable, often uses previously recycled metal during production, and offers energy savings if using cool metal roofing products.
According to portable rollforming manufacturer New Tech Machinery:
“…Starting a metal roof contracting business requires significantly less of an investment than other start-up businesses. Since it doesn’t require much more than some tools, a few employees, and metal roof installation knowledge in the beginning stages of a new company, it’s easier to justify spending the money on a portable rollformer that can be used for many years.”
In other words, starting a metal roofing contracting/installing company could be a lucrative business idea in your area.
When starting a new installation business, one of the first things you will have to decide is where or how you plan to get your panels. Some options include buying from a regional manufacturer (or factory panel supplier), rollforming the panels in your building on an in-plant rollformer, or rolling/fabricating panels directly at a job site with a portable rollformer.
Many new businesses start by purchasing panels from a regional manufacturer and then move to buy a rollformer as their company makes money. However, we’re seeing many new business owners wanting to take control of their production by purchasing or leasing a rollforming machine as soon as possible.
A contractor might want to purchase a rollforming machine because they plan to branch into panel supplying of some kind. There are a few different supplying methods, including:
Often, contractors branching into panel manufacturing will still have a roofing installation business while also performing chop and drop panel supplying. Doing so allows for a bridge into the manufacturing part of metal roofing, which is an excellent way to expand your business, diversify, and increase overall profitability.
Let’s say you’re traditionally a residential metal roofing contractor, but now you’re looking to take your business to the next level by bidding on larger residential or commercial projects. Or, you might be simply looking to take on more residential projects. To achieve company growth, you might have to make significant investments, including capital investments in machinery like a rollformer.
A rollforming machine can give you greater flexibility, improve your project efficiency, and provide further control over your panel production, which could be the catalyst for growing your business.
However, before you buy, you’ll want to consider several questions related to company growth, including:
There’s not always a single reason that it could be time to purchase a rollforming machine. If you’re still on the fence, here are some additional reasons we’ve heard from contractors over the years:
So, do one or more of the above reasons apply to you? It might be time to consider purchasing a rollforming machine to make your business more efficient, independent, profitable, skilled, and versatile.
Whether you’re choosing a portable rollformer or a larger in-plant machine, you can start the decision process by:
Sheffield Metals proudly supplies New Tech Machinery’s full line of portable roof panel rollforming machines. We regularly assist contractors in purchasing the machine configuration that will make theri business the most successful and efficient.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Servo Roll Feeder.