Due to the availability of vast plate rolling machine models in the market, it is not very clear which one to buy. The selection of a perfect plate rolling machine depends on a variety of factors like brands, designs, cost, and other features and also on the choice of whether you want to purchase new or used equipment.
Before buying the plate rolling machine that suits your needs, let’s first understand the basics of sheet metal rolling equipment.
What is a Plate Rolling Machine?
A plate rolling machine rolls a metal sheet into shapes, like cylindrical and conical. These machines are used to manufacture boiler equipment, pressure vessels, and rounded parts for oil and gas rigs, among many other things.
The rolling machine creates mechanical pressure. Due to this pressure, the sheet gets firmly bent into a cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, conical shape.
The metal sheet is bent between the top roll and two side rolls; a third or sometimes fourth roll is used to push the sheet, creating an initial bend (also called pre-bend). The rolls start rotating, dragging material through the pushing rolls and squeezed rolls thus creating an arc into the material.
Let’s move forward and understand "What are these plate rollers used for?"
What are Plate Rollers Used For?
Plate rollers are used to manufacture all types of cylindrical products used in various industries like pressure vessels used in oil and gas industries, shipping instruments, home appliances, wind power, aerospace, and automobile refit.
Since the requirements of instruments required by different industries vary, a vast variety of specialized roll plating machines are available in the market. Some of the widely used roll-plating machine includes:
Vertical rolls (ideal for rolling enormous radii such as above-ground fuel and water storage tanks)
3-roll double pinch (accessible for heavier bending applications)
3-roll initial pinch (cost-effective and widely used)
4-roll double pinch (versatile amongst all the designs)
2-roll machines (mainly used for thin, circular rolling)
The most widely used among all these bending machines are three and four roll sheet plate bending machines. Please scroll down to understand both of them in detail.
4 Roll Plate Bending Machines
4 roller plate bending machines have a pinching roll, two side rolls, and a top roll. The flat metal sheet is placed on either side of the bending machine and is ‘pre-bent’ on the same side. While the pinching roll holds the plate, the two side rolls do the work of bending. With this working mechanism, these machines produce more accurate bends in less time.
While the pinching rolls hold the plate, the side rolls do the bending. The side rolls move vertically to bend the plate, which is held strongly between the top and bottom rolls. The bottom roll moves upwards to hold the surface of the plate securely against the top roll while the side roll is raised to form a pre-bend, minimizing the flat zone on the plate edge.
3 Roll Initial-Pinch Plate Bending Machine
While curving the metal sheet in a 3-roller initial-pinch plate bending machine, the sheet should be inserted twice to pre-bend both ends. Initial-pitch applications are suitable for light-capacity applications.
This is the older version of the machine which requires a person to remove and insert the sheet; hence even though cost-effective, they are more labor-intensive.
3 Roll Double- Pinch Plate Rolling Machines
These machines don't need a person to remove, flip, and then adjust the sheet again for pre-bending. As the material can be kept inside the machine after pre-bending, rolling of cylinders can be an easier process.
What Kind of Plate Rolling Machine Will You Need?
We have discussed the different types of plate-rolling machines above. Apart from having this understanding, you should consider other factors before buying the machine. There are other factors to be considered. Let’s have a look at them.
Type of Material
The material of the sheet to be rolled is a crucial factor to be considered to determine the design of the roll plating machine you choose. Yield, tensile strength, width, thickness, and diameter of the parts all are considered important factors in determining the type of machine you wish to buy.
Dimensions & Thickness of the Rolling Plate
The narrower the diameter of the roll, the more pressure you'll need and, consequently, the higher the roll yield. If you wish to roll a thick plate with a small diameter, you need to pay attention to how the upper roll and framework of the rolling plate machine are positioned. This is because these two factors determine the opening size and quality. A metal sheet roller can roll up to 1.5X the top roll diameter and 1.3X the bottom roll. However, it depends on the type of machine you are using.
Horizontal & Vertical Support Faces
The effectiveness of your rolling processes will mainly be determined by the support you provide for your metal sheet roller, which is based on vertical or horizontal forces. The burden will be reduced, and you'll save some money on labor if you buy a plate roll machine with sufficient side and overhead supports.
For example, if you wish to roll a cylindrical product with a diameter that is 100 times thicker than the plate, its weight enables it to be bent to a desired size. Thus, to achieve this, overhead support is required. The ideal diameter can't be achieved if there isn't enough support.
Few Factors to be Considered Before Buying a Plate Rolling Machine
Do you wish to know the factors before purchasing a steel plate rolling device? Read Further.
Machine Construction
What is the strength of machine housing?
Is the frame sturdy after the stress release from the welding?
What material is used to make the roll shafts?
Are the rolls ground and hardened?
Each one of these factors needs to be considered before buying a plate rolling machine.
Power of the Machine
While the majority of profile bending machines are hydraulically operated, smaller-capacity plate rolling machines are motorized. A new plate rolling machine's size is meaningless if it lacks the power to function; therefore check the machine's power source before making a purchase.
All Rolls are Driven
Instead of a few drive rolls and an idle roll, good hydraulic plate rolling machines will have independent power to all rolls. Because there is less possibility of the workpiece slipping, precision is increased.
To increase strength and precision during rolling, see if the plate rolling services you consider also have features like high torque drive systems and hydraulic brakes.
Control Systems
Will you be able to use digital readouts, or will you prefer an NC control system? (Or a CNC update that is more specialized?) Will you require an adjustable control unit that can be moved around to observe the part from any angle while rolling?
Support Device
Do light materials have overhead supports to keep them from collapsing when rolled to large diameters? If the radius is sufficiently large, side support can also help prevent light materials from recurving toward the floor.
The Hardness Rating of the Outer Roll Surface
The harder materials and recently used laser/plasma cutting techniques require hard outer roll surfaces on rolling equipment. A reasonable penetration depth and long-lasting defense against roll surface abrasion are provided by a Rockwell C hardness grade of 50 to 55.
Conclusion
We have discussed the types of plate rolling machines as well as the factors. It is advisable to have a deeper understanding of the factors before investing your valuable money in buying the product. Don’t forget to evaluate these factors before buying a Himalaya rolling machine to get the most return on investment.