Make your line more efficient by integrating equipment
Roll forming lines become more complete by eliminating offline processes
By Jaswinder Bhatti, VP Applications Engineering, Samco Machinery
TORONTO, February 7, 2018 – Your world depends on the quality of the end product coming off your roll forming line. Total quality control is best achieved with a complete line; not just a roll former, but a line that takes your product all the way to completion.

Roll forming evolved from hand tools to small brakes to larger brakes. Today’s roll forming lines bend metals no hand tools or brakes could come close to forming. Roll forming lines have helped metal shops become more efficient and be more profitable.

Efficiency leads to profitability. Is your roll forming line as efficient as it can be? Assuming your roll former is producing as fast as it’s capable of, how can you improve the efficiency of your line?

You can add equipment to your line to make it more efficient – it can be added in the front, in the middle and/or at the back end of your line. This equipment eliminates processes that cost labor and time.

Front end efficiency
The speed at which metal enters the front end of your roll former obviously affects the speed of the forming process. Accumulators are a great way to keep your roll former running. Coil coming off the uncoiler goes into the accumulator, where it is then fed into the roll former. When the entire coil is in the accumulator, the coil can be changed without stopping the roll forming process. Once the new coil is in place, it runs material into the accumulator.

Tool mills look to add accumulators to run metal through a punching system. The punching system can be set up to produce hundreds of configurations without changing dies. Configuration changes require a simple programming change, saving time.

Inline efficiency
Integrating equipment in the middle of your line is another possibility. High-frequency welding systems and spot welding systems can help make the line more efficient because they do not slow down the roll forming process. Samco integrates welding most frequently in our Step Beam lines. (https://youtu.be/-Xes6wypCIk)

Toggle locking is another inline process in consumer-product applications where sheet metal components are interlocked and fastened to themselves without welding or fasteners.

End line efficiency
When the roll forming process is completed, what happens to your finished product? Various material handling solutions could be integrated at the end of the roll forming line to improve efficiency. Samco offers a variety of options including bundlers, stackers, and pick-and-place units. (https://youtu.be/PhMrvIKqhac)

Product can be strapped and/or shrink-wrapped for packaging. Protective sheets can be placed on the top or bottom of packages. Blocks can be added to the bottom of packages so they can be easily moved by robotic lifts that then stack packages in a safe pyramid for shipping. Two great examples of this are the Samco Max Stacker (https://youtu.be/_M-ys8Lo5q4) and the Samco Strut Packaging System. (https://youtu.be/K-Gnf1yPBcc)

 
SIDEBAR OUTLINE:
Improving roll forming efficiency
Getting efficiency and complete part-by-part through integrating all the processes:
Front End system
·         Double-ended uncoiler – while one side is running, second side coil can be loaded to minimize the down time

·         Coil car – coil could be loaded on the coil car while uncoiler still running, helps when you’re sharing a crane … you will have time to load coil on car.

·         End shear welder – allows operator to join the trailing edge of running coil and leading edge of new coil to save time on feeding the coil through the whole line. Also saves on maintenance and eliminates damage due to feeding each coil.

·         Accumulator – Line doesn’t have to stop for coil change, and saves you 10-15 minutes per coil change.

·         Pick & Place system

Punching System with Hydraulic, Mechanical presses
·         Pre-piercing hole

·         Embossing with holes/without holes

·         Lancing

Trimming edges in line
·         Lancing and Expanding strip

·         Embossing and threading

·         Coining

·         Swaging

Roll Forming
·         Open profiles

·         Close profiles with welded

·         Close profiles with lock seam

·         Two different profiles and forming into each other

·         Gussets

Post punching systems
·         Piercing

·         Embossing

·         Lancing

·         Stitching

·         Toggle locking

·         Swaging

·         Curving

·         Inline double sweep

Cut off systems
·         Closed loop systems

·         Open loop systems

·         Cutting slug type

·         Cutting slug less

·         Cutting with mitre

Material Handling
·         Nesting

·         Stacking /bundling

·         Shrink wrapping

·         Adding plastic/paper sheet between each part

·         Adding dunnage and strapping

·         Bubble wrapping

Jaswinder Bhatti has been with Samco Machinery for more than 30 years. He started on the shop floor and worked in every department all the way up to plant manager. He currently serves as Samco’s Vice President of Applications Engineering. Jaswinder also sits on the board of directors of the Canadian Tooling & Machining Association (CTMA).

Samco Machinery provides customers leading edge designs and cost-effective solutions to satisfy any metal roll forming project need. Maintaining ISO 9001 certification, Samco manufactures roll forming machines, uncoilers, roll tooling, presses, and product handling solutions servicing a multitude of customers worldwide in varied industries. Visit www.samco-machinery.com or contact sales@samco-machinery.com for more information.​