A roll forming and roll formed parts manufacturers directory including aluminum channels, steel channels, steel angles, aluminum angles, metal rings, roll form, cold roll forming, stainless steel channels, roll formers, metal roll forming, roll formed products, metal moldings and custom roll forming.  

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About Roll Forming

Roll forming is a continuous metal forming process, in which roll forming machines are used to shape metal coils or sheets into parts as the material moves through the machine. Roll forming machines consist of sequences of roller die pairs, located on both the top and bottom of the machine. As the metal moves through the machine, the rollers bend the material along the linear axis, forming a variety of different configurations. Typically, roll formed parts are created at room temperature, making this a cold forming process. Roll forming is able to accommodate a wide selection of metals, including bronze, brass, zinc, titanium, copper, aluminum and steel. Of these metals, however, aluminum and steel remain the most commonly used.

Some of the parts that manufacturers use roll forming to create include channels, angles and rings. These parts are the foundations for many industrial products, providing support and connection for a variety of applications. Channels provide a support system for numerous roll-formed products, such as frames and rails. Angles provide support in two directions, and they are used on corners and edges. Angles also contain holes for connecting parts. Finally, rings are commonly rolled from other shapes and often function as container seals and lids. In addition to standard configurations, many manufacturers will offer custom roll forming services to fulfill customer requests.

Roll forming services can quickly and efficiently accommodate high-volume orders. Roll forming machines are able to maintain production speeds ranging from 100 to 180 feet per minute. Most roll forming services use approximately 94% of the coil material during the forming operation, resulting in fewer leftover scraps than other processes. The range of shapes that roll forming can create is diverse, and the final products have more consistency and tighter dimensional control. On the downside, however, the production of extremely short parts may not be feasible for everyone, since to cover the tooling costs, 100,000 feet per year must be produced and sold. Roll forming is, therefore, best for high volume productions.

A variety of industries utilize roll forming services. For the aerospace industry, roll formed products are used for window frames, helicopter blades and trimming. The appliance industry uses these products for handles, drawer slides, refrigerator shelves, ladder supports and control panels. Fence posts and lawn and garden equipment for agriculture are other examples of the many diverse products created from the roll forming process. Further uses are products for vending machines, conveyor systems, gas station pumps, ramps, rail cars, craneways, racks and shelving, guardrails and doorframes.

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Featured Articles

"The Do's & Don'ts of Roll Forming Design"
http://www.johnsonrollforming.com/pdf/dos_donts_rf.pdf

"Design Considerations: Do's and Don'ts of Roll Forming Design"
http://www.samsonrollform.com/tt_design_considerations.htm

"Why Roll Form?"
http://www.mpmetals.com/rollforming.asp

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Types of Roll Formed Parts

• Angles are created by roll forming various metals, commonly stainless steel, and provide support in two directions. Angles often contain holes or slots for connecting parts, which increases strength and firmness.
  
• Channels provide a support system for numerous roll formed products, such as frames and rails.
  
• Metal channels are roll-formed products that provide a support system frames and rails.
  
• Metal rings are circular, roll-formed parts used to join and seal.
  
• Metal trim fits around the edge of a product or part.
  
• Outboard mills are roll forming machines which have housings that support both ends of the roll tooling shafts.
  
• Post-cut roll forming is a process that uses continuous rolls of metal and does not cut the piece to size until after it has been roll-formed. This process is the most common, efficient, consistent and least troublesome roll forming method.
  
• Pre-cut roll forming is a process that uses material that has been cut-to-length before entering the roll forming machine. This method is primarily used for low-volume applications.
  
• Steel angles are roll-formed products made by bending a piece of steel sheet metal.
  
• Steel channels are roll-formed products made of steel that provide a support system frames and rails.
  
• Rings are often roll formed from other shapes and commonly function as container seals and lids. Stainless steal is the preferred alloy.