Rolling is one of the important manufacturing processes among the sheet metal processing technologies. It is a type of metal forming in which two rollers rotate in opposite directions to form a flat sheet of metal into required thickness. Rolling is the process of plastically deforming the metal by passing the metal strip through a pair of rotating rolls. Rolling process has some advantages such as increase the mechanical properties of the metal, increases the strength and hardness, increase ductility, better surface finish, etc.
Rolling is generally divided into two categories, level rolling and profile rolling. Level rolling involves the rolling of sheet or rail products. This process is used for making sheet metal products such as automobile body parts, automobile cladding, kitchen poles, gas tanks, and others. Profile rolling involves the rolling of structure shapes such as channels, bars, sheets, rails, and various other shapes. This process is most commonly used in making structural components.
The rolling process has some important variables such as rolling force, roll diameter, roll speed and number of passes. The rolling force, roll diameter and roll speed are known as the rolling constants and are used to control the production process. The rolling force is the force applied by the rollers on the rolled material and is used to control the rolling pressure. Roll diameter is the distance between the two rollers and is used to control the thickness of the material being formed. Roll speed is the speed at which the rollers rotate and is used to control the speed at which the material is formed. The number of passes is the number of times material has to pass through the rollers and is used to control the amount of material being produced.
There are several types of rolling machines used for different rolling operations. Cold rolling machines are used for making sheets, wire, bars and coils. Hot rolling machines are used for making metals like steel or aluminum into varied shapes. Hammering machines are also used in rolling for flattening, forming and embossing operations.
The process of rolling is often dependent on the temperature of the material being rolled. In hot rolling, the material is heated to high temperatures, making it more malleable and allowing the rollers to press it into desired shapes. In cold rolling, the material is cooled and pressed into shape at room temperature. Cold rolled material is generally harder and stronger than hot rolled material.
The rolling process is often used in combination with other manufacturing process, like machining and welding, to achieve the desired finished product. Rolling and forging are combined to produce solid pieces of metal, while machining and welding are used together to produce precision parts and components.
Rolling is a versatile and cost effective method for producing highly complex and specialised shapes in the metalworking industry. These shapes can range from complex structural forms, like beams and plates, to simple freeform shapes, like wires and rods.
The use of rolling can also provide an improved surface finish and uniformity compared to machining or casting. Rolled materials can also be formed with a smooth surface finish and uniform composition, which can result in better material properties and improved resistance to corrosion.
Rolling is also used for producing different types of products such as sheets, coils, tubes and strips from a variety of metals. The process of rolling is often used to produce a wide variety of products such as springs, rods, wires and other components. Finally, rolling is often used to make products like aircraft wings, hoods and truck sides.