The Pluses of Rollforming

by Jonathan McGaha | 30 June 2014 12:00 am

Rollformers meet and exceed steel roofing needs

Steel roofing has become a choice building material by many contractors in the industry. With its versatility and practically maintenance-free characteristics, steel roofing and siding is an ideal material to use on both large and small projects. Since the demand of steel roofing and siding has increased, the rollforming industry has progressed to meet and exceed those demands.

Today, rollformers have the ability to effortlessly run thousands of feet of material per day. The design and components being incorporated into the rollformers allow them to run continuously at high speeds without fear of breaking down. The increase in quality materials paired with the latest automated technologies create a piece of equipment that is user-friendly and reliable for the customer.

The automated technologies help eliminate employee errors and in turn increase profit for the company. There are still several rollformer manufacturing companies in the United States and in these days that seems to be quite an uncommon practice. The U.S.-built rollformers hold a different standard than those that are imported and supply longer lasting and more reliable pieces of equipment.

Increased versatility

Rollformers have the increased versatility to produce one or two panels on a single rollformer, along with the ability to form any panel design specified by the customer. With the advancements of computer programming and milling equipment, virtually any panel design can be achieved, which allows the roofing manufacturer to stand out against their competition. Pairing the unique panel design with the vast array of quality coils available, any project is guaranteed to find a solution in the metal roofing industry. With more color options and panel designs, rollformers are no longer just supplying roofing and siding. Many companies are supplying panels strictly for interior use or artistic approaches to building designs.

Purchasing a rollformer may be a big step in starting a business or expanding one that is already successful. There are many finance companies available to aid in the financial commitment of the equipment. When purchasing a rollformer, it’s important to know what your customer prefers for a panel design and what a projected demand might be. Many rollformer manufacturers have designed their rollformers with expansion in mind. A rollformer can initially be purchased as a single-deck rollformer, and when time and money allows, a second deck can be added. This keeps the initial startup lower and lets the company expand when the time is right.

Another option for expansion is the rafted style rollformers. The dies that form the panel are installed on a detachable cartridge that can be changed out of the rollformer base to allow for several different panel options. The number of panel design options depends on how many different designs are purchased, but each cartridge can go onto the same rollformer base. This specific type of rollformer is ideal for those that want to offer customers many different panel design options.

Options and accessories

Specifying a panel design is a critical step in the purchasing process as well. There are several standard panel designs used across the country, yet more and more people are requiring a custom panel to give them the edge from their competition. This is where a two-panel rollformer is ideal. One deck allows for the traditional panel design, while the other gives the option to form a custom panel specific to your company.

While roofing and siding panels are a main focus when specifying building material, trim pieces also pose a concern to contractors. When trim is being produced on a traditional brake, the length of the piece is limited to the capacity of the brake being used. With the development of the trim rollformer, trim pieces can be produced at any length specified. The versatility of the trim rollformers allow multiple trim profiles to be produced on a single rollformer and can be produced at nearly the same rate as the roofing and siding, which keeps the production schedule on time and budget.

Although the rollformer produces the final product, there are many accessories that aid in the production. Everything from coil upenders, coil reels, slitting lines, sheet stackers and even technical support make metal roofing and siding production faster and more efficient. The metal roofing industry is evolving because it provides a long-lasting product that is becoming more versatile as time goes on. There are many options and considerations to take into account when purchasing a rollformer; be sure to consider all the options and look for a rollformer that will suit your needs and budget best.

Dan McDonald is president of Metal Rollforming Systems, Spokane, Wash. To learn more, visit www.mrsrollform.com[1].

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/articles/the-pluses-of-rollforming/

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