The Benefits of a Panel Roll Forming Machine

Whether you’re an installation business that wants to branch into panel supplying or simply want to cut costs by purchasing a portable rollforming machine, it’s important to understand the benefits of this type of equipment.

By operating your own machine, you can produce panels on demand without being at the mercy of panel suppliers and their schedules. This also reduces material drops (unused / unwanted metal) that can be costly and wasteful.

Precision

A panel roll forming machine is a precision piece of machinery that shapes metal strips into desired profiles. These metal sheets are often used for roofing, wall cladding, and gutter systems, and can be made of various alloys or materials. Using the machinery to make roof panels, for instance, saves contractors time and money compared to working with traditional cutting methods.

The machine’s rollers are precisely contoured to bend and shape the flat sheet of metal, forming its profile and ensuring consistency in size, thickness, and gauge. Modern machines also feature length measurement systems that ensure each panel is cut to the correct length. This helps reduce waste and ensures the quality of the final product.

Whether you’re bidding on a new project or simply want to expand your business, the ability to bring panel production in-house with a portable rollforming machine is a great way to grow your business. It’s less risky than relying on a regional manufacturer for your supplies, and eliminates potential for delays caused by material shortages, shipping challenges, order mistakes, or damage during transit.

If you’re interested in adding a metal roof or wall panel rollforming machine to your line of equipment, look no further than Sheffield Metals. Our coils and sheets are compatible with all of the latest portable and stationary metal roofing and wall panel rollforming machines, allowing you to produce high-quality products quickly and efficiently.

Efficiency

Unlike other fabrication processes that often result in substantial scrap metal waste, panel roll forming machines ensure efficient material utilization. This is especially crucial in the solar energy industry, where voestalpine Roll Forming panel roll forming machine Corporation’s profile-shaping innovations provide greater structural integrity to roof fittings and other components.

In addition, the continuous operation of these systems minimizes downtime and labor requirements, further boosting production efficiency. In turn, this contributes to cost savings for manufacturers across industries.

Another significant factor that boosts the efficiency of a panel roll forming machine is its ability to change profiles quickly and easily. Most portable rollformers come with sheet metal roll forming machines multiple profile/roller sets to accommodate a wide range of project demands. Changing profiles requires little to no downtime, which means less waste and more productivity.

The front-end shears on a panel roll forming machine also minimize material waste, ensuring that only the exact amount of metal needed for each new job is used. For example, if you have a roof project that requires a new color, simply load the coil into the machine and use the shears to cut off any unnecessary metal from the end of the previous coil.

When you own a portable rollforming machine, you have more control over the quality of panels you install for your customers. Several issues can occur during the manufacturing, shipping, and handling of factory-supplied panels, including damaged or incorrect panel color, profile, or gauge. Bringing panel production in-house eliminates these problems and gives you more control over your profits.

Flexibility

Purchasing metal panels from a regional manufacturer means you’re at the mercy of their schedule and delivery logistics. If they’re running behind, or they make a mistake on an order, you could be waiting days for them to send the correct panels/lengths. This can cost you money in lost production and wasted materials. With a portable rollforming machine, you can keep your project moving at your pace without relying on anyone else.

Factory-made panels are usually fabricated in controlled factory environments using long rollforming machines that have multiple forming stations to ensure uniform dimensions and quality. However, this type of production isn’t always possible for contractors who need to work on a tight schedule. When you own a portable rollformer, you can fabricate your own metal panels on demand, eliminating the need to wait for factory deliveries.

In addition, many portable machines offer options for a variety of profiles and widths. They’re also built to be mobile and can be taken directly to a job site. That’s important because it eliminates the need to pay for shipping or other middleman costs, and allows you to save on labor and installation expenses by eliminating the need to remeasure and transport panels from one worksite to another. The Schlebach Quadro, for example, is a flexible portable standing seam machine that can produce a wide range of profiles and sizes on the go.

Safety

It’s important to take proper precautionary measures to protect the safety of the operators when working with a panel roll forming machine. These include proper training, following guidelines and safety protocols, maintaining a thorough understanding of the machines operation and features, and conducting regular inspections to ensure that all safety devices are in good working order.

Proper lubrication is also essential to help reduce the risk of damage or malfunction. It is recommended that shear dies be lubricated daily, roll former shaft bearings monthly, and pillow blocks and slide blocks yearly. It is also helpful to use a water-based lubricant as it will better resist picking up dirt and dust particles.

It’s recommended that all maintenance work be done with the machine stopped and disconnected from power. This will prevent the possibility of objects falling inside the machine that could cause damage or harm an operator. It will also make it easier to find and retrieve tools that may have fallen or become trapped during a maintenance process. In addition to this, it is highly recommended that all personnel use appropriate personal protective equipment, such as a hard hat, safety glasses, and gloves. This will provide protection from flying debris and sharp metal edges as well as protect against excessive noise levels that can lead to hearing loss.