Roll forming of ready-to-install Components: What’s possible today?

Let me introduce Paul. Paul is a fan of roll formed custom profiles made of steel. For him, they’re the first choice when it comes to producing a component with high precision, in large quantities and with consistent quality. And all that at the lowest possible cost, obviously. After changing jobs and industries, the experienced product developer is now asking himself whether the previously proven manufacturing process is equally  suitable in his new field of work.

After all, the designs here are much more complex than in his previous work, and the component has to be delivered ready for installation. So Paul sets out to do some research. Can the roll former he trusts also support him with the new requirements? And if so, what’s possible? What are the limitations? We’re more than excited to share what Paul has found out so far:

Customized efficiency - in roll forming and beyond

Thanks to a combination of integrated and downstream processing steps, roll forming can produce a finished product that’s exactly as the customer needs it. The possibilities of professional rollformers often go much further than customers might think at first glance. Integrated and post-processing production steps allow for a vast array of  product design possibilities.

After some deeper investigation , Paul finds out that perforations, drilling with or without threads, laser cutting, sawing, cutting, welding, as well as various profile bending methods and assembly techniques, are all possible with roll forming. Additionally, his preferred supplier has already thought about the efficient, professional delivery  of the finished profiles. If that’s not good news, what is?

How are roll formed custom Profiles supplied?

Depending on the specific profile and requirements, two different packaging concepts are used for the delivery of roll-formed special profiles: Bundle packaging and special pallets. In the case of the former, a certain quantity of homogeneous parts of the same type are packed into a bundle, while the special pallets are used for the delivery of ready-to-weld components.

That’s already sounding great to Paul. On top of that, he’s also happy to learn, his roll former places a high value on the mindful use of resources. After all, reusable pallets are just as much a part of the green packaging concept as special pallets, which are used when the respective profiles require special corrosion protection, for example. 

But there’s still one question that’s still weighing on Paul's mind: He wonders  whether profiles can also be produced completely ready for assembly. It might be time for him to pick up the phone and have a chat with an expert!

2 Use Cases for ready-to-install Profiles

As the well-informed  expert on the other end of the line explains, the intended use and complexity of a custom profile is what will determine the degree to which it’s  finalized. He illustrates this with two use cases:

• Use Case 1: Ready-to-install components straight from the profiling line
  This includes products for storage technology, which always require straight and perforated profiles and are manufactured exactly to customer specifications. At the end of the process, on the roll forming line, there is already a ready-to-install product that only has to be delivered to the customer's construction site or warehouse, where it can be installed.
  
  
• Use Case 2: Further downstream requirements
  For example, the production of components for vehicle cabins usually requires a multi-stage process. As a semi-finished product, the product manufactured on the roll forming line must undergo further processing steps (e.g. forming, laser cutting, sawing, drilling or bending) before it can be welded into the customer's vehicles as a ready-to-assemble component.
  
  

Needless to say, there are also product requirements that cannot be met with the portfolio of a roll profiler alone. A truth that Paul learns further in his conversation with the expert.

All rolled out: Limits of roll forming

Professional manufacturers of roll-formed custom  profiles offer all services related to the processing of a profile. The limits can be clearly defined and the following issues do not fall within the scope of the roll former:

• Processing steps that go beyond pure profile production (incl. downstream processing), e.g. hot-dip galvanizing, coating or special alloys.
• Certain downstream processes for the installation of finished components, e.g. glazing in cabin construction.
• Individual requirements, i.e. when customer processes are on such an individual level that replicability is not possible for the roll profiler.

Now that Paul is sure that his roll profiler offers everything he needs to produce a ready-to-install component, he naturally wants to know what he can do himself to achieve the best possible result. The friendly expert has a few tried-and-tested tips for him:

4 Tips for top Results in roll forming

The planning and realization of complex products is a challenge in every project phase. With the following five tips, customers can contribute to a smooth process, and help to get the best result out of roll forming:

1. Provide the roll profiler with all necessary information, especially regarding the required quantity of profiles and the schedule behind it and the function of the profile, as well as how it fits together with neighboring components.
2. Define your product requirements as clearly as possible and create descriptive illustrations.
3. Determine all the important terms of cooperation right away in the tender phase.
4. Choose a roll profiler with experience who understands your product requirements and sales market.

Welser Profile: Your Partner for ready-to-install Components 

Maybe it’s been too obvious, but guess who is the roll profiler that the hero of our story can always rely on, both in his research and in the production of his components? And we’re proud to say it’s not without justification. The following principles and processes make us a reliable partner for the manufacturing of your products:

• Ready-to-install components: We have extensive market knowledge in numerous industries, understand our customers' product requirements and produce ready-to-install components of the highest quality on our roll forming lines. For production, we always choose the most efficient concept with the lowest manufacturing cost.
• One point of contact for every concern: At Welser Profile, customers have a central contact person and aren’t passed on from employee to employee.
• One-stop shop: If customer requirements go beyond our own range of services, we’ll work with the right partner to deliver your desired profile from a single source.
• In-house tool production: We build all tools for roll forming ourselves, even large and sophisticated punching tools. In this way, we ensure the reproducibility of our profiles in consistently high quality as well as rapid response times should there be any last minute changes.
• High product quality: To ensure that the desired end product meets all requirements, we adhere   to the highest standards when purchasing semi-finished goods and implement quality assurance measures.

Bottom line: Tailor-made Concepts for a ready-to-install Solution

Paul is happy. He now knows that even the implementation of more complex designs is no problem for a professional roll former. Depending on the requirements, his ready-to-install component will come directly from the roll former or be finished in the course of downstream finalization steps. This saves time, costs and valuable resources.

Still need some convincing? Together we’ll  find the best solution for your desired profile. You can also see for yourself what’s possible with our Welser Creator: easy to use - even without CAD knowledge.