One of the more sophisticated fabricating processes, plate rolling is ideal if you want to offer more bending options to your customers, but it does demand more care and attention than the stock standard press brake. Plate rolling is still a skilled art which requires an experienced operator who understands how to control the roller’s dynamic fabricating process. For a successful plate rolling service t take off, it’s also imperative that you choose the right kind of machinery for the job. In this article, we take a look at some of the key criteria you need to consider when buying a plate roller.
The material you will be rolling
Getting the right plate roll sizing is important, and to do this, you need to have a clear idea about the types of materials you will be working with. Factors like diameter, thickness, width, yield and strength are all important considerations, as they will dictate the pressure, as well as the minimum and maximum width and diameter of the plate roller. Whether or not you will be needing to make special shapes should also be considered.
The crowning requirements of your operation
Metal fabricators who wish to use the plate roll on a wide range of materials will need to invest in optimal crowing (typically 75% of nominal capacity). Crowing can be applied to any machine to facilitate the tolerances and material characteristics but it’s important to investigate your crowning requirements before you begin looking at rollers.
Your production needs
The operational requirements of a plate roller do vary, with some rollers being harder to operate than others. The two main types of plate rolls are four roll and three roll machines which have different levels of accuracy, operational complexity, and specialty features. Whilst four roll machines produce fast, accurate bends, three roll machines are ideal for fabricators working with a wide range of material thicknesses and types.
What you need the finished product to look like
Although traditional rollers produce quality, accurate products, they are by no mean polished. If you need a finish free of marks then you’ll have to invest in precision ground rollers which produce a polished finish, but can be more easily damaged.
ACRA stock an extensive range of new curving and rolling machinery at our Dandenong location. To learn more about our range, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 03 9794 6675.