Small Cone rolling Machine

A professional and reliable manufacturer of cone rolling machines, we have been continuously breaking through technical barriers for over a decade. Today, we would like to share some tips on setting the processing parameters for cone rolling machines:

A cone rolling machine is a specialized piece of equipment used for rolling metal sheets into conical shapes, widely applied in industries such as petroleum, chemicals, and power. The quality of the processing directly depends on the rationality of parameter settings, including sheet thickness, taper angle, feed speed, and roller shaft pressure. Proper parameter settings not only enhance forming accuracy but also extend equipment lifespan. This article will outline the fundamental principles and adjustment techniques for setting processing parameters on cone rolling machines.

1, Key parameters affecting processing quality

Sheet thickness and material

Sheet thickness determines the amount of pressure required for the rollers. Thicker sheets require greater pressure to bend, but excessive pressure may cause damage to the sheet surface or overload the rollers. At the same time, different metals (such as carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum alloy) have different yield strengths, so the pressure value must be adjusted accordingly.

Taper and rolling diameter

The taper of a conical workpiece (i.e., the difference between the large-end diameter and the small-end diameter) affects the inclination angle of the roll shaft. The greater the taper, the larger the adjustment range of the roll shaft. The rolling diameter determines the feed speed and pressure distribution of the roll shaft.

Feed speed

Excessively high feed speeds may cause uneven deformation of the sheet material or even wrinkles; excessively low speeds reduce efficiency and may cause surface damage to the sheet material due to localized excessive pressure.

Roll gap and pressure

The roll gap should be slightly smaller than the thickness of the sheet to ensure effective bending. Excessive pressure may cause excessive deformation of the sheet, while insufficient pressure may cause springback, affecting forming accuracy.

2, Basic principles for parameter settings

Adjust gradually to avoid sudden large changes.

When initially setting parameters, start with low pressure and low speed, gradually increasing to appropriate values to avoid uncontrolled deformation of the sheet metal or equipment overload due to sudden parameter changes.

Prioritize forming quality before optimizing efficiency.

During the trial processing stage, forming accuracy should be the primary goal. Once the workpiece meets requirements, the feed rate can be appropriately increased to improve production efficiency.

Consider material springback

Metal sheets will spring back to some extent after bending, especially high-hardness materials (such as stainless steel). Therefore, the roller pressure should be slightly greater than the theoretical calculation value to compensate for the error caused by springback.

3, Specific parameter settings

Setting the initial gap between rollers

For carbon steel sheets, the initial gap can be set to 90% to 95% of the sheet thickness.

For stainless steel or high-strength alloys, the initial gap can be set to 85% to 90% of the sheet thickness to offset the rebound effect.

After the test sheet is formed, check the forming effect. If the rebound is too large, you can appropriately reduce the gap or increase the pressure.

Selection of feed speed

For thin sheets (<6 mm), a higher speed (2–4 m/min) can be used.

For medium-thick sheets (6–12 mm), a medium speed (1–2 m/min) is recommended.

Thick plates (>12 mm) should reduce the speed (0.5–1 m/min) to ensure sufficient plastic deformation.

Adjusting roller pressure

The amount of pressure is directly proportional to the thickness and hardness of the sheet material.

During trial processing, start with a lower pressure and gradually increase it until the sheet material is successfully formed without any surface indentations.

If the sheet material shows obvious indentations or the roller vibrates, this indicates that the pressure is too high and should be reduced appropriately.

Taper adjustment techniques

When the taper is small (<10°), it can be achieved by fine-tuning the roller axis tilt angle.

When the taper is large (>10°), the roller axis displacement and tilt angle must be adjusted together to avoid excessive stretching of the sheet edges.

4, Common problems and solutions

(1)Wrinkling at the edges of the plate

Cause: Feed speed is too fast or roller pressure is uneven.

Solution: Reduce the feed speed, check the parallelism of the rollers, and adjust the pressure distribution.

(2)Inaccurate taper

Cause: Incorrect roller angle or displacement settings.

Solution: Recalibrate the roller position and use a template to measure and correct.

5, Post-processing inspection and optimization

Dimension inspection

Use calipers or templates to check whether the diameter and taper of the conical workpiece meet the requirements, focusing on the fit at the joints.

Surface quality inspection

Observe whether there are any indentations, scratches, or uneven deformation on the surface of the plate. Adjust the parameters and re-test if necessary.

Parameter recording and optimization

Record the process parameters for each successful machining operation to form empirical data, which facilitates quick adjustments for similar workpieces in the future.

The parameter settings for the roll forming machine need to be adjusted comprehensively based on material characteristics, equipment performance, and processing requirements. Through reasonable initial settings, gradual optimization, and troubleshooting, processing accuracy and efficiency can be effectively improved. Operators should accumulate experience in practice and flexibly apply adjustment techniques to ensure stable and reliable workpiece quality.

If you are interested in cone rolling machines, please contact us.