Tube Roll Forming Machine
Roll forming is an industry-leading technology that produces a wide range of cylindrical components essential for many industrial applications. Its high precision and efficiency help to reduce waste, which lowers production costs.
A tube roll forming machine has multiple forming stations that bend the metal strip a little more with each pass. It has welding (optional) and sizing/cutting stations.
High Production Capacity
A tube roll forming machine is industrial machinery used to produce hollow, cylindrical metal products such as tubes and pipes with a customized cross-sectional profile. It works by feeding a flat strip of metal into a series of carefully designed rollers that gradually shape the strip into the desired profile. The metal is then welded at the ends, if required. It’s also common for the tube to pass through a sizing system and cutter before it is finally delivered to the customer.
Tube mills typically have a driven forming pass pattern and an idle side pass to help alleviate springback. They can also have a variety of welding processes, including high-frequency induction and HF contact, to meet the specific needs of each project.
When working with a welded roll forming process, the male and female rolls engage at the corners of the tube, making them very tight and accurate. This makes a difference in the consistency of the corner radius of the product, which is important for many applications. For example, the 2″ x 4″ steel tube profile is often used in car manufacturing as part of seat structures, cross members, side impact beams and bumpers. This provides the strength and safety features that consumers rely on while still offering the lightweight benefits that enhance vehicle performance.
Easy Operation
Compared to welded sections, roll formed metal shapes require minimal finishing work and have tight tolerances. This translates into less time and expense in production and storage. The process is also easier to operate than other methods such as extrusion or stamping.
Tube roll forming starts with a large coil of metal that goes through several stations to create the desired cross-section. This begins with a pre-cutting station to cut the metal strip to its correct length, followed by an uncoiler that prepares it for the roll forming machine. The tube roll forming machine uncoiler may include a flattening system to make the coil set more flexible, allowing it to be more easily fed into the rolls for rolling.
The rollers in the roll forming machine can be made of various materials, but aluminum bronze is commonly used due to its sliding properties, high hardness, and low elongation. This allows the metal to move smoothly and consistently, reducing friction, wear, and maintenance costs.
The adjusting screws on the roll stand adjusters must be kept clean and in good working condition. A small adjustment can make the difference between a successful run and one that comes out outside of specifications. A well-documented setup sheet helps ensure that the machine is operating correctly, reducing the chances of errors or defects. A properly adjusted gap between the rolls also reduces springback.
High Precision
Tube roll forming is an advanced metal forming process that metal sheet making machine shapes flat sheet metal into closed tubular sections. This technology allows manufacturers to create complex shapes and ensure consistent metal thickness in the final product. Additionally, it can help create shapes with smaller radii than traditional bending techniques. This type of forming also enhances mechanical properties through work hardening.
The process involves sending the metal strip—most commonly coiled steel—through a series of fixed rollers that gradually bend it bit by bit. This enables manufacturers to create cross-sectional shapes that are customized to specific applications and industry requirements. It can be used to produce a variety of products, including round tubes and pipes for HVAC systems, square tubes for structural applications, and rectangular downpipes for rainwater systems.
Some machines use a pre-cut shear to cut the strip BEFORE it goes through the forming stations. This prevents the formation of shear marks on the surface of the final product and improves overall quality. However, this option isn’t available on every machine.
Some forming systems feature a welding station that can join the edges of the metal strip to form a continuous tube or pipe. This can be accomplished with processes like high-frequency induction or TIG welding. Depending on the application, some machines also have sizing and cutting mechanisms to trim the final tube to the desired length.
Low Maintenance
A tube roll forming machine produces tubes and pipes with custom cross-sections from flat metal strip. This process is a highly technical one that requires a thorough understanding of its principles. It involves using a series of rollers to gradually shape the metal strip into a pipe or tube. This machine may also include a welding station to firmly weld the flat metal ends together during the forming process. Various welding operations can be used depending on the desired weld quality and material properties.
To begin the tube manufacturing process, a coil of metal is loaded into the roll forming machine. It is then fed into the pre-press system where it can have applications added. This could include slots, holes, or slits. The lead end is then trimmed so that it is easy to feed into the forming rollers.
The forming rollers are usually set to a certain diameter for the specific type of tube that is being made. Then, the forming machine moves the strip through a set of stations. Each station performs a different bending or shaping operation on the metal strip.
The forming process is controlled by the computer which tracks its progress and makes adjustments as needed. The servo-controlled axes of the MB D machine make it simple to set positions and programs for each of its available stations. The user-friendly touch screen also allows storing of positions and programs.