5 Keys to Choosing Plate Roll Machines

 

Amid dwindling factory orders and rising labor and energy costs, companies that use sheet metal in their production are finding their profit margins increasingly squeezed. . 

 However, manufacturers still need to invest in new production equipment – ​​whether to replace obsolete equipment or take advantage of new business opportunities – to remain competitive. 

 Manufacturers should exercise caution when evaluating the addition of new sheet rolling equipment. Debt capital is always available to purchase new machinery, but loan repayment will not provide a satisfactory return on investment unless the equipment adds value to production. Unfortunately, many buyers end up buying equipment that lacks the ability and flexibility to meet production volumes and tolerances, simply because they don't understand all the options and considerations available. 

5 Keys to Choosing Plate Roll Machines

 To help manufacturers optimize sheet rolling operations, 5 key considerations are given when choosing a suitable plate bending machine. 

 1. Consider the properties of the rolled material 

 Although the drawings require the sheet to be rolled to the same dimensions, stiffer materials will require a much more efficient mill. Without such considerations, defects will occur and manufacturers will end up with excessive scrap. 

 Today's steel is much harder and requires more force to bend. Thanks to the detailed classifications of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a multitude of steel grades abound: for example A36, A516 grade 70, Hardox 

00/500 and AR 200/300. And these different steels require different pressures to roll. 

 The temperature and yield strength of the metal shall be appropriate to the customer's application in order to determine the correct sheet roll specifications. This is especially important because the properties of steel have changed dramatically over the past two decades. What used to be called mild steel no longer exists. 

 2. Work with an equipment dealer willing to discuss your specific laminating needs. 

 Customers need to know the right questions to ask, to get the right answers. Every manufacturer faces unique challenges, and through systematic questioning, knowledgeable sales representatives can determine exactly which equipment will work best for their process. 

 Manufacturers should also consider carefully whether they want conical or parabolic rolls to capitalize on the larger market. The hydraulically operated four-roll machine is ideal for this type of work by eliminating surface scarring, reducing the need for bullnosing on the small diameter edge of the cone. 

 Precision tapered roller bearings achieve much more through features such as torsion bar parallelism, as opposed to electronic systems or proportional value systems that simply maintain theoretical balance. The finite parallelism allows the machine to be adjusted to a full cone tilt and back to parallel in just five seconds. 

 The purchaser should discuss issues such as inside diameter, material type, tolerances, and desired shape of the finished product. For example, some products, such as those found in the pressure vessel industry, require a maximum of 1% flow above their diameter or they are considered defective. Using sheet rollers inefficiently, too much barrel effect can render such a product useless and quickly wipe out any potential profit margins. 

 Tailoring sheet rolling equipment to a manufacturer's specific needs requires attention to detail. It is imperative that the agent you work with is willing to sit down with you and discuss your specific business needs. There are many issues that need to be addressed, many of which may not have been initially anticipated by the procurement manager. 

 3. Within ideal machine operating parameters 

 Manufacturers should determine which materials and thicknesses represent their highest workloads. Then (a company) can supply a machine that fits that specification, saving valuable production time and eliminating large amounts of scrap. 

 Quality crimp rolls are usually cambered to 50% of the machine's nominal value. Thus, the 1-inch machine is cambered to roll 1/2-inch sheet to a near-perfect edge. 

 

 Non-compliance with this material practice may result in sub-standard products that will not be accepted by the customer. Problems often arise when the rollers try to push the upper limits of their plate rollers. If the 5/8 inch sheet is wound in the 1 inch machine, a slight barrel effect will be possible. This may be an acceptable margin of error. 

 

 However, when the sheet thickness approaches the upper limit of the machine's rated capacity, serious defects can occur. Unless repaired with a wedge, it will not be sold. Conversely, when very thin material is rolled in a machine designed for very thick sheets, the finished product may come out tighter in the middle than at the end. Again, time alignment is required for this "hourglass" effect. 

 

4. Look closely at the bending diameters 

 The tighter the diameter, the greater the bending pressure. In the case of thick material that needs to be rolled into narrow inside diameters (IDs), the diameter of the top roll and the layout of the machine can make the difference between a product with responsive cylindrical edges and an unopened product. 

 Generally, most machines can roll sheets with a diameter of 1/2 times the diameter of the top roll. Thus, with a 10 inch diameter top roll, a tight inside diameter of up to 15 inches can be achieved. However, newer machines incorporating planetary guides can hold about 50% more sheet area under bending stress during rolling, achieving a ratio of 1.1 times the top roll diameter. This gives a 30% advantage over narrow diameters. 

 All gauges are accurate to 50% of nominal. Thus, with 1.1 inch roll shape, a 3/8 inch machine with 10 inch top roll can consistently roll 3/16 inch sheet to 11 inch inside diameter without any flaws. any on the barrel. 

 5. Combine side and vertical supports to prevent unwanted curvature

Proper support requires both lateral and longitudinal roller supports, as designed by the sheet mill manufacturer. Once hired, sheet rolling becomes the job of one person instead of two. This frees up valuable human resources that can be transferred to other jobs. 

 When rolling a cylinder, when the inside diameter is more than 200 times the thickness of the material, the weight of the material will be enough to bend the cylinder as it comes out of the top roll and out of the machine. Without proper support, unwanted rays will occur. 

 

 Buying a machine with lateral and vertical roller holders will easily solve this problem. Some manufacturers try to save this ancillary equipment by resorting to "makeshift" supports such as forklifts or overhead cranes. However, this shortcut limits the use of devices that could be better used elsewhere. Because it cannot fully support the material, unexpected bends can always appear.

Keywords:

industrial, metalworking, plate rolls

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