Roll forming is a metal shaping process where strips of metal are bent into a new shape using rollers. It is expensive but has a high success rate and is mainly done with strip steel. The process protects the metal from damage and is done with specialized machines that are only used for ongoing processes. The only drawback is the cost and complexity of setting up the rollers.
Roll forming is a manufacturing process in which strips of metal are bent into a new shape. The metal strip is placed in a series of rollers, each one slightly closer to the finished design. As the metal moves through the machine, each set of rollers bends the metal in a very small amount. This prevents any additional deformation due to sharp or unworn bending. While roll forming is more expensive than many other forms of metal shaping, it has an extremely high success rate.
This form of production is almost uniformly done with strip steel. While some processes use other metals, these are a distinct minority. The steel used for these processes is often stored in large rolls in the shape of a gigantic pinwheel. As the machine takes the metal for profiling, the wheel slowly unwinds until it needs to be replaced with another.
A profiling machine picks up the metal strip from the roll. As the metal enters the machine, it is straightened and measured for length. At certain pre-set intervals, the metal strips are cut to fit the size of the final product. The size of the roll and the cutting portion of the machine make the leading side of a roll forming machine much larger than the rest.
With the exception of the front area, most profiling machines are quite long and thin. This was to accommodate the slow, incremental way the machine shapes the metal. Because they take up so much space and have such a specialized design, these machines are only used for processes that will be ongoing. For small batch processes, smaller and less expensive machines are typically used.
After the metal is in the machine, it encounters a series of rollers. These rollers advance the metal and, at the same time, create a very small change in its shape. At the end of the process, the metal strip can be a very complex shape, made entirely in small steps.
The main reason for this is to protect the metal. Because the strips used in the machine are so thin, other forming methods have the potential to damage the metal beyond repair. This would result in a great deal of wasted metal, time and money. With roller burnishing, the changes are so small that the metal is never subjected to enough stress to actually damage it, even if the final shape contains many creases.
The only drawback of profiling is its cost. The machines are very large and highly specialized. This means they are very expensive. In addition, setting up the rollers is a complex process, often performed on a computer, which involves lengthy installation or changes over time.
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