In the metalworking industry, one of the most invaluable tools and machines is known as the metal plate rolling machine. Though it seems limited in its uses, it is actually the opposite case scenario.
The metal plate rolling machine is a much-need and often-used machine in many industries. The metal plate rolling machine, though it merely rolls metal into an arc that creates a cylindrical shape, has many applications across many industries. It is not only used in the metal processing industry, but also has various applications in other industries that we will discuss in the article.
On top of being used in various industries, there are also many different kinds of plate rolling machines that are best for different types of metal rolling. In this article, we will be discussing the plate rolling machine, what they are used for, what industries utilize them, and the different types of plate rolling machines.
The plate rolling machine use spans many industries and many implementations. The machine, though it seems to be limited in what it can do, is essential across the metalworking industries and beyond.
The metal plate rolling machine takes a sheet of metal and bends it into a cylindrical shape. Though this doesn’t seem like much from the surface, it is invaluable in terms of making items such as buckets, pipes, and much more.
The machinery of the plate rolling machine uses metal rolling pins (or long metal rods) along with hydraulics and mechanics to bend metal into an arc. This arc is then welded together to create a complete cylinder.
Unlike old plate rolling machines, modern plate rolling machines can be used to bend thick pieces of metal or thin into large or small cylindrical shapes depending on what you are trying to create.
The metal plate rolling machine has many applications. As we will discuss in the next section, there are many industries and manufacturers, not limited to just metalworking, that use the metal plate rolling machines often.
For example, some common applications of the metal plate rolling machine are to create pressure vessels, home appliances, military tools, automobile parts, and more. In this manner, the plate rolling machine is much more than just a metalworking tool; rather, it spans across many industries, and more likely than not, something that you use in your daily life was created by a plate rolling machine.
The plate rolling machine merges the sheet metal processing industry and the machinery industry because it fits within both. When looking at the history and development of the plate rolling machine, it wasn’t always a hydraulic and electronic tool as it is today.
Rather, it started centuries ago as a small tool to bend simple metals. Since then, it has worked side by side with the machinery industry to develop into the highly technologically advanced machine that it is today. On top of that, it is not used in both the machinery industry and the metal processing industries as it creates both machine parts and metal tools/items.
As stated in the previous section, there are various industries that the plate rolling machine is used. Because its uses are so widespread, many industries and manufacturers have grown to rely on it as a primary tool in their field.
For example, some fields or industries that benefit from the plate rolling machine application include the following:
- Oil and Gas Industries – Create pressure vessels and pipes
- Home Industries – Create home appliance tools such as pipes, rods, and more
- Ship Tools – Create parts to make the ship run and maintain use
- Military – Create military arsenal and weapons for army personnel
- Aerospace/Automobile – Create parts for aerospace tools (ships) and automobile parts
- Wind Power – Create the wind power tools that make the windmill and more run smoothly
While this is not the extent to which the plate rolling machine reaches, it gives some insight into how useful a plate rolling machine is in the industrial world along with being an invaluable tool to the metalworking industry.
With each industry, different types of plate rolling machines may work better for specific jobs than others. While all of the various types of plate rolling machines are efficient, some work better for certain jobs than others. Because of this, it is important to know the differences between the types of plate rolling machines.
The uses of each type of plate rolling machine are as follows:
- Two Roll Machines – Best for thin and repetitive rolling
- Three Roll Initial Pinch – Most common form of the rolling machine due to it being cost-efficient
- Three Roll Double Pinch – Affordable machine used mostly for thick and heavy bending
- Three Roll Variable Translating Geometry – Affordable machine mostly for variable radii uses and rolling
- Four Roll Double Pinch – Very versatile and can be used for various types of rolling
- Vertical Rolls – Mostly for large rolling purposes such as water storage tanks or above-ground fuel tanks
- Automated Cycle & Specialty Rolls – Primarily for spiral duct rolls and corrugated rolls
Each different type of metal plate rolling machine has its applications and benefits, but some are better for some jobs than others. For example, someone in the gas or oil industry may be better off using a vertical rolling machine rather than a two-roll machine based on its ability to roll large and thick metals into things such as oil tanks.
Plate rolling machine is a mechanical device used to roll metal sheets into curved shapes such as cylindrical or conical shapes. It is mainly used in metal manufacturing and processing industries, especially in the production of pipes, storage tanks, pressure vessels and other applications that require bending of metal sheets. Plate rolling machines usually consist of three or four rollers. By adjusting the spacing and position between the rollers, the bending radius and shape of the sheet can be controlled. The following are the main uses of plate rolling machines:
1) Pipeline manufacturing: Plate rolling machines can roll metal sheets into pipes of various diameters for conveying liquids, gases, etc.
2) Tank manufacturing: used to manufacture large storage tanks for storing liquids or gases.
3) Pressure vessels: produce high-pressure vessels used in the chemical, petroleum, and natural gas industries.
4) Building structures: used for bending steel structural parts in the construction industry, such as bent steel beams, steel columns, etc.
5) Shipbuilding industry: rolling the outer and inner plates of the hull.
6) Machinery manufacturing: used to manufacture the shells and components of various mechanical equipment.
Through the plate rolling machine, various metal sheets can be processed efficiently and accurately to meet the requirements of bending shapes and sizes in different industrial fields.
Overall, the plate rolling machine is used to roll and bend metal into a cylindrical shape, but its value spans across many industries and manufacturers outside of mere metalworking. On top of having many different uses and being valuable to various industries, there are also many different kinds of metal plate rolling machines that have their benefits and perks.
All in all, the metal plate rolling machine applications are invaluable and are a tool that has become irreplaceable in the industrial world.