Roll Piercing
Roll piercing is the process of forming a hole in a sheet of metal. This is done by passing the sheet between two rollers which have a punch which is slightly larger than the desired hole. The sheet is drawn through until the punch penetrates the metal, forming the hole. It is most commonly used to form holes in sheet metal such as steel and aluminum, but can be used to form holes in other metals such as copper, brass and titanium as well.
Roll piercing is a relatively simple process. The sheet is clamped between two rollers, one in the top and one in the bottom. The top roller is adjustable so that the amount of tension on the sheet can be adjusted. The sheet is then drawn between the rollers. As the sheet moves through the rollers, the top punch makes contact with the sheet. The pressure of the punch against the sheet causes the metal to deform and the punch then punctures the metal, forming a hole.
This process can be used to form a wide range of sizes and shapes of holes. It is possible to create very small holes using the roll piercing method, but larger holes can also be created with the right set up. In addition, more complex shapes can also be created, such as round, oblong, and triangular holes.
The roll piercing process is also faster and more cost effective than other hole forming processes such as drilling or punching. This is due to the fact that little to no preparation is needed and the amount of force required is much less than with other methods. This makes it an ideal choice for many industrial settings.
There are some drawbacks to the roll piercing process however. It is not suitable for very thick metals or for high strength metals as these are harder to penetrate and deform. In addition, due to the need to draw the sheet through two rollers, the part size is limited to the size of the rollers.
Overall, roll piercing is a fast and cost effective process for creating a wide range of hole sizes and shapes in sheet metal. It is simple to operate and can be done in a variety of industrial settings. While it cannot be used on thicker metals, or on metals with a high strength level, it can still be used to create simple and complex hole shapes in other metals with ease.
