FAQ's
With over 200 years of collective experience, refining and exercising our cold roll forming expertise and skill, MCRS are dedicated to resolving the problems our clients face through innovative thinking and trustworthy practises.
MCRS seeks to streamline the production of sections for elevated performance and durability, in a more economic fashion, through cold roll forming. The design, fabrication, and manufacturing knowledge of our engineers allows MCRS to support clients throughout all stages of the manufacturing process to achieve this.
Our Frequently Asked Questions devised below hope to address client queries and further introduce MCRS and our practises. Alternatively, reach out to MCRS directly to speak to a member of our team today.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Bespoke Cold Rolled Sections
Cold rolling is a manufacturing operation used to turn a block of metal into a thinner sheet. By reducing the thickness of the metal, the metal is more pliable, and can subsequently be shaped, ready to be made into an end product, which can then be used in a variety of industries. Due to being able to control the yield strength of the metal, cold rolling is used when metal needs to be shaped without the risk of it snapping or breaking.
Cold rolling is often used as it boasts advantages over other similar processes, such as hot rolling or press braking. Namely, cold rolling increases the yield and tensile strength of the metal, whilst maintaining a good quality surface finish.
Hot rolling heats the metal before rolling it, whereas cold rolling consists of working with a coiled metal strip that is ready to form after being decoiled and straightened.
This creates some differences in the end product. For instance, cold rolled metal has a better surface finish, and a more accurate shape; hot rolled metal may have some surface imperfections, or a rough surface.
However, the hot rolling process is quicker and cheaper, due to the limited steps, but may need additional secondary operations in order to get the workpiece to a higher quality finish.
Cold rolled metals are usually made for products needing precision and accuracy; cold rolled metals may often be used as part of an overall consumer products such as home appliances or furniture, but can also commonly be made into strips, sections, and bars which are used across various sectors. Cold rolled steel can even be made into vast sections, for the building of train carriages or aerospace machinery.
Roll Forming Processes
Roll forming is a continuous metal forming process in which sheet or strip metal is passed through a series of shaped rolls to produce a desired profile. With roll forming, it is possible to produce many different profiles by simply altering the dimensions of the rolls used. Generally speaking, the more passes used, the greater capability of the machine to produce a more complex profile from the metal whilst adhering to tight tolerances of under 0.5mm per dimension.
Cold roll forming is only one step within the complete roll forming process, from which an end product can be created by using complementary processes where necessary. Firstly, a metal strip is fed onto the line, which will then continuously feed through the process; before being straightened or leveled, the strip must be uncoiled as they are fed onto the line.
If necessary, the metal is then pierced by punching holes or slits into the metal with a piercing tool.
Rolls are then used to gradually form the flat metal strip into its designed profile, using increasingly more defined rolls to form the metal without compromising the material or forming roll.
Finally, cut-off tooling is used to cut the continuous metal profile into the correct length as it passes through.
There are several different ways to form metal parts and profiles; the most common processes include rolling, extrusion, die forming, and forging.
In rolling, a piece of metal is passed between two rollers, which deform it into a thinner sheet. Roll forming consists of having shaped rolls or dies which bend the metal as it passes through. This is similar to a hot forming process, but generally used for different applications.
Extrusion is a process where a metal billet (often aluminium, but also occasionally titanium) is forced through a die to create a desired profile. The billet is placed in the die and then compressed, pushing it through the die which shapes it; extrusion makes use of heat and considerable pressure to shape the metal.
During die forming the metal is pressed onto a die, which consequently shapes it.
Forging is a process where metal is heated until it's soft enough to be shaped with a hammer or press. Forging is used to make parts with complex shapes that can't be made with other processes. This may also be done cold, though cold forging is less common.
Pre-Pierce
Whilst piercing refers to cutting or slitting metal, there are several different types of specific piercing operations, some of which can be carried out before roll forming, and some after. Lancing, perforating, notching, and trimming form some of the most common piercing operations.
Lancing - lancing refers to shearing the metal without separating it from the workpiece and bending it to reshape it; lancing can be performed by a press with punch and die.
Perforating - perforating metal means to create multiple closely-spaced, small holes within a workpiece; this can likewise be carried out by a punch and die.
Notching - notching refers to removing material from the edge of the workpiece; this can be done in conjunction with bending the material so as to form a shape (similar to lancing, however notching utilises a complete cut).
Trimming - trimming is a finishing operation, meaning it occurs after forming, since it shears excess material from a stamped part to complete the end product shape.
There are many reasons why you would choose to pierce before forming the metal during the manufacturing process, these include:
- Pre-piercing can be carried out in one linear, continuous operation, saving both time and money
- Removes the need for secondary piercing operations
- High consistency and repeatability across products, since it can be performed in a continuous line
- Allows for holes or slots that cannot be created on the formed shape, such as hollow profiles
- It is easier to punch holes in a flat shape; less skill is required and there is a lower risk of damaging the finished product
Cut-Off Technology
There are several types of cut off processes, depending on the requirements of the end product or material used.
The most common cutting off process is shearing, or die-cutting. This operation uses force to press a blade against the workpiece, cutting it; this is usually an automated and quick action.
Waterjet cutting is another operation which does not use heat, but pressure, to cut a material; with waterjet cutting, water mixed with an abrasive media cuts the material. Waterjet cutting is largely CNC programmed for increased levels of high accuracy.
Heat can also be used within cutting processes. For instance, laser cutting and plasma cutting both use a concentrated heat source to cut away at the material, but can face limitations at higher material thicknesses. Electrical discharge machining moreover uses heat to cut through metal, using electrical discharge to erode the material.
Cutting tools are used in manufacturing to produce a desired shape or form on a workpiece. The type of cutting tool used depends on the material being cut and the desired surface finish.
Traditional cutting tools can be broken down into two main categories: single point and multi-point. Single point cutting tools use only one cutting point, whilst multi-point cutting tools use multiple edges.
Single point cutting tools are available in a variety of shapes, including reamers and bores. Multi-point cutting tools include drills and grinding wheels, amongst a host of other tooling.
Shears and cut off dies are moveover used for cut off operations.
Fabrication & Assembly
Metal fabrication can take on many forms, some of which include the following examples. All these methods take a raw block of metal and prepare them for manufacturing.
Forging is the process of shaping metal by hammering it into a desired shape through bending heated metal. This can be done with a hammer or a die.
Casting is the operation of pouring molten metal into a mold or die. The metal is then allowed to cool and solidify. Casting is often used to create parts that have a complex shape.
Drawing is the process of pulling a metal bar through a die in order to reduce its thickness through tensile force. This can be performed at room temperature, though heated metal can be used.
Extrusion is the process of forcing a metal bar through a shaped die in order for it to take on the shape of the die. Extrusion can be both a continuous and broken process.
Metal assembly is the process of assembling objects out of metal pieces. This can involve the use of screws, bolts, rivets, welding or soldering processes to permanently join two or more metals together.
Mechanical assembly is the process of joining parts together using fasteners such as screws and bolts. First, the parts are aligned and clamped together. Then, the fasteners are inserted into the aligned holes. The fasteners are then tightened until they are in place.
Rivet assembly involves the use of rivets (like a bolt) to join two or more metal plates together; this process is similar to mechanical assembly. Two sides of the rivet will hold two pieces of metal together.
Welding is a process that joins materials by heating them to the point where they flow together. The two pieces of material are then held together while the melted surfaces cool, forming a bond that is often stronger than the original materials.
Soldering is a process that joins materials through the use of an alloy called solder and a soldering iron; the two surfaces to be joined are heated until the solder alloy melts and flows between them, forming a bond.
Fabrication is usually one of the first stages in the manufacturing process, second only after designing. Assembly will occur at the end of the manufacturing process, once the individual pieces have been created.
Roll Forming Profiles
Roll forming can form an assortment of profiles on-line, providing the profile is aquired from the same piece of metal. Depending on specified requirements, there are a variety of roll formed profiles that will give the finished product the strength and profile you require. This includes:
- multiple angles in one piece of all degrees and radii hems, where the metal folds back on itself, providing a clean edge
- Open channels and hollow sections, such as C sections and closed hollow sections, as seen in tubing
- Z sections, which consist of making multiple bends in the metal to form a ‘Z’ profile
There are a range of metals that can be roll formed, including stainless steel, galvanised steel, aluminium, copper, and brass. Each metal has its own unique properties that make it suitable for different applications.
Stainless steel is a popular choice for roll forming because it is corrosion-resistant and has a high strength-to-weight ratio. Alloys of the 200, 300 and 400 series are used, each with their own properties. Stainless steel is strong, has a high ductility and can be used in applications where strength is needed at room temperature.
Galvanised steel is another popular choice for roll forming. It is made by coating steel with a zinc layer, which protects it from rust and corrosion. Galvanised steel is strong and durable, making it ideal for products that need to withstand harsh weather conditions or outdoor use.
There are various alloys of aluminium used in roll forming, including the 3000 series. Aluminium is a lightweight metal that is non-magnetic. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio, making it perfect for products that need to be lightweight but durable.
Copper is a soft metal that is corrosion-resistant and can be easily recycled. It has a low strength-to-weight ratio; however, its softness makes copper easy to manipulate, resulting in a material ideal for forming intricate shapes like tubing and wiring.
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, and has a higher resistance to corrosion than copper. Brass is strong and durable; it is suitable for both plumbing and electrical applications, amongst others.