One of the most common objections to buying a roll-forming machine is the cost.
However, investing in your own roll-forming machine may actually save your business money in the long run.
A well-maintained roll-former can:
- Improve the quality of the pieces you make
- Increase the efficiency of the steel-forming process (including material efficiency)
- And reduce secondary costs, such as labor and energy costs
In this post, we’ll explore exactly how roll-formers achieve this, so the next time you’re browsing through roll-former machines for sale, you’ll have all the information you need to make your decision.
Roll-Formed Steel is Stronger and More Durable
First off, cold-rolled steel is known to be more robust and more durable when compared to hot-rolled steel.
In fact, cold-rolled steel can be up to 20% stronger than hot-rolled steel, and it tends to be more resistant to tension breaking.
Roll-formers can also mass-produce pieces with tighter tolerances and more consistent, precise dimensions, and the finished pieces lack the shrinkage and distortions that sometimes result from heat-rolling.
With the ability to produce multiple identical pieces and stronger end-products, your business will be able to take on a wider range of projects within a larger variety of industries, including the automotive and aerospace industries.
Roll-Formers are More Efficient With Raw Materials
Roll-formers are also more efficient with raw materials when compared with other steel-forming processes.
Along with the accuracy required to produce pieces with precise dimensions, as mentioned above, another advantage of a roll-forming machine is the repeatability of the steel-forming process.
Between easy changeovers and the integration of the roll-formers with sophisticated software programs, you can remove the guesswork from the steel-forming process.
This virtually eliminates the risk of incorrect measurements or discrepancies and reduces the amount of waste material.
Roll-formed steel also has a smoother finish than its hot-rolled counterpart. Not only does this mean that the steel is used more efficiently, but you save time and money by reducing the need for secondary processes to smooth out edges.
Lowers Other Secondary Costs
Finally, roll-formers may help you reduce other secondary costs that are related to your business.
For instance, cold-rolling steel eliminates the need for heat, which could noticeably lower your overall energy usage during production.
Roll-formers can also help reduce labor costs by:
- Stream-lining the steel-forming process into a single unit of multiple forming stations
- Reducing the need for moving pieces around with manual labor
- Reducing or eliminating the need for additional processes during and after the forming process
Ready to Learn More About Investing in a Roll-Former?
International Steel Framing provides you with everything you need to succeed in the cold-formed steel industry. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our roll-forming machines for sale and our other offerings.
