One of the most common issues encountered in the manufacturing business is the mission creep and this is the very reason why there are now many roll forming machine manufacturers. Mission creep is when the product launched has a very high success at the beginning thus there is a sudden increase in the demand of the product. This demand will then result to production volumes that will turn out to be cost effective. When this happens, the best option would be to use another production method which is more cost effective such as cold roll forming.
In the process used by cold roll forming, the steel strip is being bended continuously with the use of the roll set in order to arrive to its desired shape. With the help of this process, many profiles can be created by using different kinds of steel materials. The process can also be used to give the steel a curve or two it requires and some notches and holes.
Roll forming machine manufacturers recognizes that if these added details are included in one step then there will be no need to perform secondary operations. This means that as soon as the steel is out of the line, the only thing to do is to cut it off and then the finished part is achieved.
What is the difference between roll forming and brake forming? In orders that have a volume range of medium size up to large, roll forming offers many advantages compared to brake forming. Roll forming is able to process parts that are longer and the main investment needed in roll forming is considered to be lesser than brake forming. The reason is that only one roll former is needed to roll various components as long as it has the right set of tools provided by the roll forming machine manufacturers.
The process which is used in roll forming can create very complicated shapes but this also entails additional costs. Majority of the products are created in between 12 to 16 passes through the roll forming machine. If components with complex shapes are required then it will have to make at least 50 passes under the roll formers.
The most common application of the roll forming method is in electrical and aerospace industries. If the material has to pass multiple times, it also makes it harder and many manufacturers that employ roll forming make use of this advantage. Because of this effect, they can buy materials that have lower yields since it will be work-harden during the process of roll forming.
The process of roll forming can be used in many different types of steels. It is harder to roll new types of steel alloys while it is easier with traditional carbon steel materials. This is because of the higher spring back of the new steel alloys material. The main goal of the steel industry is to create materials with higher strength but less weight. This is why it is important to seek advice from a roll designer before using new steel types.