Roll Forming: Reusable Design and Quantifiable Design Effecti

The cold rolled forming process passes flat sheet metal through a series of roll tool sets resulting in complex final section profiles. The sheet metal is deformed both while in contact with the rolls and while in between the roll. Some of the variables in this process include the roll tool set and hence progression design and the designer; the metal type and its thickness; and the sectional profile and the associated tolerances required by the customer. When a customer orders a new profile the roll tool and hence system designers’, start by trying to determine if something similar has previously been rolled. If a similar profile can be identified then that becomes the starting point for the new process design which includes the roll tool sets and the number of sets. Typically previous designs have been identified from the collective design office memory or by searching through past drawings until something similar is found. When a previous similar rolled section is identified; unless the design is very recent it is often impossible to gauge a measure of design and hence rolling success. This paper describes how the authors have developed and implemented within the Hadley Group a searchable database of previously rolled profiles, thus enabling all similar profiles to be identified. In addition, the paper contains a description of how a measure of tooling design effectiveness has been developed and is used as part of the full design, pre-production rolling, and full production rolling process with the results being incorporated into the database, hence enabling an informed selection of the design starting point.