Roll forming is a sheet metal forming process in which a flat sheet (coil) is formed into a profile in several forming steps. This continuous manufacturing process is one of the mass-production processes, which is why effective machine utilization is of the utmost importance.
However, a great deal of effort is required for setting up and adjusting new processes as well as for troubleshooting to ensure the required product quality. Depending on the user, productive machine utilization can drop to below 50%, especially when the profiles to be produced are changed frequently. A major difficulty is (re-)finding the correct settings of the individual stands, which are interdependent.
Roll forming lines usually consist of a single central drive that drives the tools and thus the sheet metal. This creates another challenge: power is distributed to the individual stands via fixed gearboxes, i.e., the speeds of each tool are predefined. As a result, individual forming stages work against each other due to undetected design errors, misadjusted lines, or incorrect parameters, i.e., there are forming stages with negative (braking) torque. This leads, on the one hand, to quality issues with the profile or premature wear of the rollers; on the other hand, it requires more energy than would be necessary for the forming process.
Process optimization with core sensing torque sensors
With core sensing torque sensors, it is possible to set up the process more effectively and make fine adjustments using a highly sensitive measured variable, instead of relying solely on displacement measurement of the infeed as is usually the case. By measuring the torques on the line and displaying them in a clear bar chart, it is possible to see which stands require optimization. This makes it easier—and therefore faster—to align the stands with each other and reduce the line’s energy consumption by up to 66%. The investment in smart force and torque sensors therefore pays off quickly for plant operators.
Benefits of core sensing solutions for torque measurement
- No highly accurate but fragile laboratory transducers—instead, wireless and robust industrial sensors
- No protruding parts or connections that could be damaged during frequent setup and transport of the stands
- Ideal for retrofitting existing lines by replacing the cardan shafts or installing a measuring flange
- Sensors can be swapped frequently for different lines—no wiring of the entire line required, and in particular no cable routing necessary
- Plug&Play sensors and a clear display of a wide range of torque signals in the coreVIEWER app
