Rollforming (sometimes also termed open section forming) employs a series of sets of dies in order to bend a sheet of metal little by little until the desired profile (cross section) is obtained. Rollforming is a continuous operation of bending in which a long metal strip or sheet- usually of coiled steel - is passed through sets of rolls (or stands), each of which performs only a small incremental portion of the bend until the finished cross section profile is achieved. Roll forming is especially useful in the production of parts of long length, and in large quantities. Metal rollforming is quite like traditional pipe and tube making. However, rollforming is able to create more complicated profiles. In both pipe and tube making and in roll forming metal sheets are bent with roller dies, in which each roll pair works the sheet progressively until the final shape is obtained. Rollforming differs from the older techniques in that it can be combined with prepunching, postpunching, and midpiercing inline, together with sweeping prior to cutoff.

Another advantage of rollforming is that the same rollforming machinery can be used to produce a wide variety of cross section profiles. Each different profile requires a specially designed set of rolls. The fundamental roll design resembles a flower - i.e. a sequence of profile cross sections (one for each set of rolls). Because rollforming is an exact operation and involves high machinery costs, computer simulation is used in order to validate the design of the roll stands to make sure that the metal product won't be stressed unduly, and also to minimize the total number of rolls required. Examples of rollformed applications include automobile chassis sections, window guides, and impact bars. These can be prepunched, then rollformed, midpierced inline, rollformed some more, and then welded and cut off in one continuous operation.

As in pipe and tube mills, rollforming can be used with practically all metals, nonferrous as well as ferrous. Coils of stainless steel, high strength and low alloy steel, martensitic steel, as well as aluminum can be rollformed. It is possible to emboss coils of aluminum or steel with finishes that simulate wood grain (e.g. for garage doors). When using embossed metals the roller dies must be adjusted so as not to roll out the embossment. Prepainted and vinyl laminated sheets can also be rollformed but not welded. Rollforming is a process of great versatility which permits innovative design. Setting a rollforming system up requires a skilled rollform engineer's expertise, as well as considerable collaboration between the manufacturer and the vendor in order to develop a successful product.

No matter what your particular metal rollforming application demands, Samco's experienced and highly trained staff of experienced professionals are the world leaders in state-of-the-art rollform design and installation. Choice of the correct equipment for the job, skillful design of the tooling and product, thorough training of the rollforming machinery operators, and vigilant maintenance of the rollforming system are our specialty.

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Modern roll forming dates from the post World War II era, with the introduction of rotary encoders, pneumatic presses, prepunching and in-line welding, as well as technology which allowed the roll forming of prepainted metal. In the 1970's and 1980's gagged punches made prepunching more sophisticated, and tool changeover downtime was reduced through the use of side by side rolls, rafted construction, and other innovations. By the 1990's computer assisted roll former machine design systems were introduced, and since that time many programmable controllers and computer systems have greatly increased efficiency and product quality.

An example is the double duplex roll forming mill, which has a duplex roll former upstream followed by a duplex roll former downstream on the same base. The upstream mill controls the leg or flange height by gliding in and out, while the downstream mill controls the width of the web in the same fashion. An example of this type of roll former is the Studmaker, which represents the latest in technological innovation: changes in the height of the flange or the width of the web can be made in less than twenty minutes. Steel studs can be produced in both English and metric sizes without roll or cut off die changes. The Studmaker is a pre-cut operation which eliminates the need for cutoff dies and diary pairs. Material sizes varying from 12 to 20 gauge, and stud sizes varying from 3-5/8 inches to 14 inches, enable the manufacturer to produce steel framing, light drywall stud and load-bearing stud, slip track and heavy 12-gauge joist, on the same machine with minimal changeover downtime. Minimizing changeover downtime is especially cost effective for relatively small orders - the Studmaker can be retooled in less than twenty minutes, where older roll former machines required up to eight hours setup time to make the same change.

New roll forming technology permits similar products - such as cee and zee profiles - to be produced on the same set of rolls. This is done by splitting the mill along its center, and setting the flange, web, and ear sizes using a control panel which can move the mill rafts to change the sizes. It is even possible to change profiles at the touch of a button. For example, the Purlinmaster can roll form cee profile purlins, and can be retooled to roll form zee profile purlins in only 7 seconds. Besides cee and zee profile purlins, this roll former can also produce lipped and u channel profiles. Web width and flange height can be changed in minutes instead of the hours required by conventional roll formers. The Purlinmaster also has an auto-gauging feature which permits the operator to change from one coil thickness to another without retooling at all - the new gauge can be selected immediately from the operator's control console. The Purlinmaster can produce prepainted purlin as well as galvanized and hot rolled black steel, at speeds up to 180 fpm and with a wide variety of hole punching options for inline flange and web hole punching of the highest accuracy.

When you are ready for the latest in roll former machine technology, let Samco's expert staff help you plan and select the ideal machinery for your needs. Our Studmaker and Purlinmaster are on the cutting edge of roll forming history.

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As a manufacturer of rolled steel components such as studs, tracks, joists, cee and zee purlins, and roof trusses, you know that one of your biggest headaches is machine and technician downtime while changing product lines. Changing from one product profile to another - or even adjusting for changes in the thickness of the material used with the same profile - can cause hours of downtime in which nothing is being manufactured. But now new technological breakthroughs can reduce or entirely eliminate difficulties in adjusting the die and roll tooling set ups, reduce errors caused by operators in the changeover, and eliminate wasted coils due to trial and error in the new set up. An example of recent breakthroughs in rollforming technology minimizing downtime is the Purlinmaster rollformer, which can be switched from a cee section profile to a zee section profile at the touch of a button (in seven seconds)! Both web width and flange height can be changed quickly, and material gauge can be changed at the touch of a button. The Purlinmaster also features a high speed hydraulic punch.

Changeover of product lines when the only difference between the profiles occurs in the middle or web area is easiest on a duplex or double duplex rollforming system. Here the roll tooling is split in two: half of the tooling is mounted on the inner side of the mill, and the other half is mounted on the outer side, such that the inner and outer portions of the mill move towards or away from one another. The inner side is fixed and the outer side glides; or, it can be centerline compatible. This makes changeover from a smaller to larger stud web size possible just at the touch of a button. A state-of-the-art Studmaker rollformer can be completely changed by electro-mechanical adjustment to produce a different flange height with a different width in a different material gauge in less than twenty minutes! In line dies can be changed in three minutes. Moreover, the Studmaker rollformer can be integrated with your existing piercing and cut off equipment to minimize your investment. And speaking of minimizing your investment, consider an Ironclad rollformer for producing panels in a great variety of profiles, including customized profiles to your specifications. These inexpensive rollformers provide variable speed control as well as programmable length options, and flying shear makes continuous, non stop production possible.

When you are looking to minimize your costs from downtime, consider the Purlinmaster rollformer for manufacturing cee and zee purlins, and the unique Studmaker rollformer for studs and tracks. And if you are ready for the latest technology at the lowest price, look to a Ironclad rollformer for producing custom profile panels. Samco means the latest technology to help you save money.

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