RS Machinery Group

Material types and methods in plate rolling machines

Roll forming is a crucial process of plate rolling machines, that can produce different metal workpieces in a curved shape. 

An important stage where operators need to have extensive knowledge is what processes can you conduct with your plate rolling machine that they will prove the most successful. But as we have mentioned several times, first you have to know and understand the material you’re feeding.

The type of material determines the quality of the work and the extent of adjustments you have to make in each bending step. Before starting, the operator should pay attention to the basics such as thickness, length, etc, but also ductility, flow stress, and the yield point where a metal bends.

Below we are listing some ferrous and non-ferrous metals that are commonly used in plate rolling machines.

 

Steel

Steel is one of the most common ferrous materials used in roll forming. It is really convenient to use as it doesn’t need heat bending to form. Most of the steel pieces have some other substances such as; silica, manganese, sulfur and phosphorus. 

When forming different materials, by-products are always present because of the reaction of the workpiece with the machine. However, steel roll forming guarantees slag-free production.

Stainless Steel

This material is made of iron and chromium. Stainless steel is a compact material with high resistance from external actors. It is able to endure strains and corrosion. Some corrosive substances include mineral acids, organic acids and other caustic materials. Stainless steel can also resist oxidation.

Galvanized Steel

Galvanized steel is a heat-treated material. The process which creates it is hot-dip galvanizing. The name is pretty descriptive of the process. 

After dipping the material in melted zinc, the liquid forms a protective layer. This coating does not flake or peel off during the processing of the sheeted metal. Enduring this procedure makes the material very economical, long-lasting, and corrosion-resistant.

Aluminium

Aluminium is a malleable material that can be hammered or pressed into shape without breaking or cracking. Some other benefits of using aluminium are its lightweight, resistance to corrosion and weathering, thanks to its layer of aluminium oxide. It costs less than stainless steel. However, it is more expensive than steel.

Brass

This is also a malleable material, very flexible, workable and durable. Brass is corrosion-resistant and made from a copper and zinc alloy. The combination of these substances varies in percentage according to the needs in manufacturing (alpha, beta, gamma, white brass).

Copper

Copper is a non-ferrous material extracted from oxide and sulfide ores. Fabricators use it in a variety of manufacturing processes as it is well known for its versatility. Copper has high flexibility, conformity, and one of the main features is its thermal & electrical conductivity. It is also resistant to corrosion.

Lead

Also known as plumbium from its chemical element, lead is a heavy metal denser than most materials. It is soft, malleable, and has a low melting point. Some of its features are its resistance to corrosion, ductility, and it tarnishes slowly.

Work methods with plate rolling machines

To create a variety of products, operators use versatile working methods and processes. Below we will mention the most common types of roll forming:

  • Plate rolling
  • Roll bending
  • Shape rolling
  • Ring rolling
  • Flat rolling

Plate Rolling

This type of rolling can be done with two, three, and four rolls plate rolling machines. It is also a synonym for the machine system, as we mostly refer to rolling and forming systems as “plate rolling machines”.

Roll Bending

Roll bending is very compatible with large and high thickness metal plates. A lot of manufacturing and roll forming professionals use roll bending and plate rolling as similar technical vocabulary. Throughout our articles and other reading sources, you will find them interchangeable when the rolling procedure is mentioned generally.

Shape Rolling/Profile Rolling

If the first two actions change the thickness of the metal when executing the procedure, shape rolling cuts different shapes in the material and the thickness doesn’t change at any point. This metal rolling type can form I-beams, L-beams, U channels, etc.

Ring Rolling

This process is used to create large rings from small diameter rings. The workpiece goes between two rollers, where one acts as a drive and the other one is idle. In this procedure, the material transforms in width and obviously size.

Flat Rolling

The rolls in this method rotate in opposite directions. The gap between the two rollers is slightly less than the thickness of the material. This movement creates friction between the rolls and material, which makes the workpiece thinner and longer.

 

Plate Rolling Machine Varieties

Forming machinery and especially rolling, is not a one-size-fits-all formula. Each machine is built to create specific shapes of a given metal. Your shop floor professionals must know that metal rolling machines create them “to spec”, which means they build the machine with a specific type of metal in mind. Let’s have a look at some of the most common roll forming machine types:

Angle Roll

Angle rolls are machines that shape flat sheet metals into angled pieces, squares, pipes, etc. They use high tensile strength steel. Angle rolls are mostly compatible with framing processes, but their versatility can go broader. Before considering an angle roll, make sure to research on their capacity, types of metals possible to process, number of rolls, etc.

Beam

Beam roll forming is used to produce steel box beams, which are structural rods used for construction. The steel used in these structures has high tensile strength, double thickness flanges and single thickness webbing for additional strength.

Seamless

This roll forming type is used in the manufacturing of square, round, oval, or rectangular tubing. It can handle a wide variety of ferrous and non-ferrous materials.

For further information, make sure to contact an experienced manufacturing company. If you are planning an investment in a roll forming machine, feel free to contact us.

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