Structural shape rolling
Structural shape rolling, also known as shape rolling and profile rolling,Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). This process can roll workpieces into full circles.
Process
Structural shape rolling uses profile rolling techniques where the workpiece is passed through a series of flatteners (of larger magnitude than that of common rolling devices) that match the workpieces' cross-section. The most common method uses 3 rollers; the bending is controlled by varying the distance between the rollers.
Structural shapes can be rolled in different ways such as the “easy-way”, the “hard-way”, heel in/out, ball in/out, leg in/out, stem in/out, and off axis. The hard-way would be bending the workpiece in the orientation where its moment of inertia is the greatest. The easy-way is bending the workpiece along the axis with the smallest moment of inertia. For example, a piece of angle iron rolled the easy-way would be rolling it along one of its flanges, while the hard-way would be along the angle itself.[1]
References
Further reading
- Manufacturing Processes & Materials By George F. Schrader, Ahmad K. Elshennawy