Rolling mill with your own hands. Rolling mills - main types and design. Design and principle of operation

It is difficult to name an industry where metal and products from it are not used, for the production of which a rolling mill is actively used. Metallurgical enterprises today make rather high demands on equipment. That is why modern industrial machines, in particular rolling mills, differ significantly from the models that were produced earlier.

What is this equipment for?

The need for such a durable and reliable material as metal is constantly growing, which leads to the need to open new metallurgical enterprises and modernize existing ones. The list of industries in which the use of metal is simply indispensable can be continued indefinitely. These are mechanical engineering, automobile and shipbuilding, the construction industry and many others.

In order for metal ore to turn into rolled metal of a certain grade, it is necessary to perform a lot of basic and auxiliary operations, for each of which special equipment is used. One of the main types of metallurgical equipment, on which, as a result of plastic deformation, a sheet of metal is obtained from a hot billet, is a rolling mill. It is on it that the bulk of the work carried out by metallurgical enterprises is carried out.

Varieties of rolling mills

As we have already found out, a rolling mill is equipment on which, due to sequentially performed operations, a metal billet is converted into long products with the required geometric parameters. Depending on the parameters of the final product, these machines can be of several types. Blanking and swaging (slabing and blooming) are designed to produce a billet from a large ingot of metal, which is fed for further processing to a special rolling device. The equipment of the latter type, which already produces rolled metal of the required configuration, includes section, pipe and wire mills.

The category of section mills includes equipment for the production of various types of rolled products. So, these can be mills for angles, channels, rails, etc. Depending on their functionality, such mills can be large- and medium-section, rail-rolling and MPS categories, on which profiles of various sections are obtained. Sheet rolling mills capable of processing blanks by cold or hot deformation are used to produce metal plates (thickness 50–350 mm), sheet metal (3–50 mm) and strips (1.2–20 mm). Finished products after production are wound into rolls weighing up to 50 tons.

The classification of rolling mills, which produce various types of seamless pipes, divides them into the following categories:

• continuous extension, which produce pipes with a cross section of up to 110 mm;
• short straightening mills required for the production of pipes with a diameter of 60–450 mm;
• equipment of a three-roll type - for manufacturing with a diameter of 35–200 mm (pipes produced on such equipment are distinguished by a reduced degree of wall difference);
• pilgrim mills used for the manufacture of seamless pipes of significant diameter (400–700 mm).

On the modern enterprises mills of a part-rolling or special type are also used. They are used for the production of profile and pipe blanks, the length of which does not exceed 3 meters. In addition, the capabilities of such equipment make it possible to manufacture blanks in the form of balls, bent profiles, gears, screws, pipes with a ribbed section, etc. with its help. Finalization of blanks is already carried out at enterprises that use them to manufacture their products.

Components of a rolling mill

The design of any rolling mill includes three main elements: the so-called working stands, transmission devices and drive motors. Rolls along which sheet or profile metal moves are part of the working stands. They also include installation mechanisms, beds, plates and wiring. The movement of all working parts of the rolling mill is provided by powerful electric motors, which are connected to them through the elements of the transmission device: couplings, spindles and gears.

You should know that the main characteristic of billet and reduction type rolling mills is the diameter of the work roll. If several working stands are used at once in the process of processing the workpiece, then the diameter of the roll on which the finishing operation is performed is used as such a characteristic.

A section rolling mill, where products of complex shape and with fairly accurate geometric parameters are obtained, includes several stands at once, through which the rolled product passes sequentially during its processing.

Today, modern enterprises use universal rolling mills equipped with 3 or 5 working stands. Part of the rolls of such mills (2-3) has a diameter of 1350 mm, the rest - 800 mm. Equipment for producing sheet products of considerable thickness, as a rule, is equipped with one or two working stands. The working width of such mills, formed by the length of the rolls, is in the range of 3.5–5.5 meters. The sheet metal mill is most often equipped with additional working stands with vertical rolls, which provide compression of the side edges of the metal sheet being formed. Sheet metal in the form of strips is produced on a device equipped with 10–15 working stands, equipped with horizontal rolls with a length of 1.5–2.5 meters and vertical rolls for end reduction.

The rolling mill, as can be seen from its design, can be of considerable length. The most noteworthy in this regard is the pipe-rolling equipment, which includes three mills at the same time. On the first of them, a hole is pierced in a metal workpiece, on the second - the workpiece is drawn into a pipe, on the third - calibration, which is carried out to give the finished product the required diameter. On part-rolling mills, the workpiece is subjected to both helical and transverse processing.

Making a rolling mill with your own hands

If you need a low-power rolling mill for use in your home workshop, then it is quite possible to do it yourself. Despite the simplicity of its design, such equipment can be used to perform various types of work. So, with its help, it will be possible to independently produce wire of various diameters, straighten or cut sheet metal, the thickness of which does not exceed 0.5 mm.

In order to manufacture such rolling equipment, the following structural elements will be needed: two powerful racks, a steel bar with a diameter of 5 cm, a top plate, bolts with nuts (M10), two gears and a gear wheel, bronze bushings and bearings, springs and stops.

The design of such a home-made rolling mill is assembled in the following sequence:

• from racks and a steel plate, by connecting them with bolts and nuts, a semblance of a cage is created;
• two working shafts are mounted on the racks, which are previously machined from a steel bar and hardened to give them increased hardness;
• the lower shaft is installed between the racks using bushings with bearings, and the upper shaft, which is movable, is mounted on special sliders, the upward movement of which is limited by stops;
• constant compression of the two working shafts will be provided by springs, which should be fixed simultaneously on the base plate and the upper shaft.

Rolling machines are the most important equipment in obtaining metal in the form in which it is needed. They will be discussed in the article.

General information

Today, metal is the most common material from which a huge variety of things are made, from small household parts to large industrial facilities. However, there is a very important point that not everyone knows about. Simply smelting the metal and then turning it into an ingot is not enough. After the formation of the ingot, any metal is transferred to the rolling shop. The only equipment that is available in such workshops is rolling machines. It is these devices that give the desired shape, which is suitable for the subsequent use of metal. It is worth noting that this equipment is one of the oldest today. However, over the years of its use, the machine has proven itself from such a good side, has such good characteristics and productivity that it is still used today.

Machine device

As such, the rolling machine apparatus is not complex or difficult to maintain, assemble, or repair. The sole purpose of this device is to give shape to ingots of metal. In other words, large ingots enter the rolling mill, and as they pass through the rolling mill, they are shaped into more familiar sheet metal. In order to achieve this effect, the design of the rolling machine has two rollers that constantly rotate towards each other. From point of view technological process this work is considered quite simple. Besides, continuous improvement technology has made it possible to make many improvements and modifications to the operation of this device. Thanks to these changes, all equipment of this type is now able to operate in a fully automatic mode.

Rolling

The rolling machine for metal performs another very important function. It doesn't just shape the leaf. As the ingot passes through this machine, the metal becomes more uniform and denser in structure. This is due to the fact that the rollers completely overwrite or close any cracks or voids that could well be formed on the ingot.

Another important point- the process of turning or rolling metal into a sheet form takes place in several stages and with the participation of several types of machines. Primary rolling is carried out by blooming and slabbing devices. It is worth noting that before sending the ingot to rolling on these machines, it needs to be slightly warmed up. Raising the temperature of the metal will increase the plasticity of the material during its rolling. If we talk about the performance of such machines, then it is huge. One machine is capable of producing about 6 million tons of metal per year. This is taking into account the fact that the weight of the ingots coming for hire can be in the region from 1 to 18 tons.

Blooming or slabing

Before entering the rental, ingots are heated in special wells. The temperature maintained in such devices can reach 1800 degrees Celsius. After passing the well, an electric car is used, which, in fact, gives out the heated ingot for rental of blooming or slabing. The difference between these machines is that blooming has only two rollers, while slabing has four. It is important to understand that the passage of this stage and the processing process itself are only primary, since at the exit from blooming or slabbing the ingot still does not have a full-fledged form of sheet material. These units are designed to form bars. Depending on its shape and size, the resulting material is divided into blooms or slabs. An important note - the use of blooming or slab rolling machines is carried out only at those industrial facilities where the metal will later be poured into molds.

General characteristics of the machine

Rolling mills - devices having smooth rollers through which metal is passed in order to give it a sheet shape. Currently, there is a huge range of these devices. The biggest difference between the machines is in the shape of the rollers. For example, there is a unit that was originally made for the production of rails. The shape of its rollers was prepared precisely for this task during the production of the machine. It is also important to understand that the machine has several pairs of rollers through which the metal passes. Constant progress has led to the fact that all types of devices are able to work in a constant automatic mode. The speed at which the stands pull the ingot through the machine can reach a record speed of 290 km/h. The annual capacity of such a rolling mill reaches several million tons. To date, such units as casting and rolling are gaining great popularity. The advantage is that they can act as a separate complete production line, unlike conventional rolling mills.

Currently, there are such as billet, sheet, strip, sectional, and some types are capable of producing wire or beams.

pipe rental

Another large category of rolling machines is intended for the production of metal pipes, not sheet metal. There are only three main types of pipe rolling machine that are currently in use. These include piercing, rolling and finishing machines.

If we talk about piercing mills, then they can have three different kind rollers used for rolling. There are barrel-shaped, mushroom-shaped and disc rollers. The device of the first type, i.e. barrel-shaped, is characterized by the fact that these machine elements have a double-tapered shape with a diameter of 450 to 1000 mm. Both parts are located in the horizontal plane, but along the vertical axis, you can adjust the feed angle from 5 to 18 degrees or more.

Screw rolling

The rolling machine can also perform metal screw processing. This type of operation in double-cone rolls creates tensile and shear stresses in the metal. It is important to note that the radial stress of the workpiece can reach quite large values, which creates a cavity of small diameter, which has uneven walls. In order to obtain a hole with the required diameter and at the same time avoid the presence of irregularities, and make even walls, it is necessary to roll on a mandrel. A mandrel is understood as a cone-shaped tool, which is located at the end of the rod between the rolls along the path of movement of the metal workpiece. There is a special stop for fastening the rod with such a mandrel. As the metal moves forward, it is pierced by this bezel which passes through the hole, expanding and flattening it.

According to the catalog of the Internet portal, the site offers to purchase equipment for rolling production at enterprises of various levels. Rolling equipment and tools are used for plastic deformation of metal by moving it through rotating rolls, rolling is supplemented by cutting, winding and other technological operations. If you need equipment for the production of rolled metal, on our website you will find the latest offers from manufacturers, importers and other business representatives.

Types of rental equipment

The site catalog contains rolling machines and apparatus for metalworking, which can be used in enterprises of various industries. It is used for the manufacture of metal siding, metal tiles, steel pipes and hundreds more types of products, properly selected production equipment is guaranteed to pay back all the costs of the purchase.

Using the website portal, you can buy at a low cost the following types of equipment for metalworking and the production of finished products:

• Ready-made lines for the production of metal profiles. They will allow in a short time to equip the enterprise with everything necessary and start producing products in large quantities. Automated lines provide high precision metalworking.
• Lines for the production of profiled sheets. This material is actively used in the construction of fences and railings, roofing, wall cladding, profiled sheet is in constant demand, and its popularity continues to grow. The finished line for the production of profiled sheets will become a guaranteed source of profit.
• Manual profile benders designed for bending profiles of various sizes and thicknesses. The equipment can become part of an automated line, this technique allows you to simultaneously work with three workpieces.
• Separate accessories for rolling mills. Any breakdown of equipment leads to a stoppage of work and losses, so it is important to take care of quality spare parts. Suppliers offer various parts, the catalog presents detailed description each position.

On our site you can easily find everything you need to equip a modern production complex, the purchased equipment will last for years and bring considerable profit. To clarify the price and terms of sale, you can directly communicate with suppliers and find permanent partners.

Conditions for the supply of equipment

The site site offers modern equipment for enterprises producing metal products, you can modernize production at minimal cost. Buy the selected application and contact the suppliers directly to discuss the terms of cooperation and choose reliable equipment. The equipment is accompanied by a full set of documents. when buying new equipment, you will receive a manufacturer's warranty.

Regular readers of our magazine and viewers of the television program “You Can Do It” are familiar with the name of the craftsman from the city of Troitsk near Moscow, Yuri Mikhailovich Orlov. The machines and fixtures designed and made by him are distinguished by their well-thought-out design, reliability in operation and the wide possibilities inherent in a universal tool. All these requirements are met by the table rolling rolls offered to your attention.

Table rollers outwardly resemble a two-roll stand of a rolling mill. They differ from their factory counterpart not only in size, but also in capabilities - due to the installation of interchangeable tools. With the help of cylindrical rollers with shaped grooves, it is possible to obtain wire of a wide variety of sections: round, triangular, square, diamond-shaped. It is convenient to straighten (roll stiffeners) metal plate parts with rollers with a symmetrically located crest and groove. And by installing instead of them two steel discs with sharpened conical edges, it is easy to cut sheet materials - from paper to stainless steel with a thickness of 0.5 mm. Even the gear wheels of the roller drive mechanism are used to form wave-like parts: wire zigzags or corrugated plates. It is also not difficult to roll a wire ring or a cylindrical sleeve on this machine: it is enough to have a pair of cylindrical rollers of the corresponding diameters and, when rolling, press the workpiece with a wedge to one of them.

Table rolling rolls are arranged as follows. The base, top plate and two side posts are made of thick steel bar. With the help of four M10 screws and four M10 bolts, they are connected into a strong supporting frame-cage. The top and bottom rollers are machined from a steel bar d 50 mm and hardened to obtain a high surface hardness. Bronze bushings-bearings of the lower roller are mounted in the holes of the racks, and the upper one - in sliders that can move along the vertical guide grooves of the racks. From below, the sliders are pressed by small springs, tending to push the rollers apart; from above, their travel is limited by stops installed in the threaded holes of the upper plate. The synchronous rotation of both stops, necessary for the parallel movement of the upper roller, is provided by a gear mounted on the upper plate of the core. It is formed by a wide gear wheel of the regulator, freely mounted on an axle pressed in the center of the plate, and two narrow gears, seated through keys on the shanks of the stops. By turning the knob attached to the central wheel, you can change the position of the stops and, at the same time, the size of the working gap.

The rollers are driven into rotation by a handle put on the square shank of the lower roller. The rotation is transmitted to the top by means of a gear train. This not only makes the work of the rollers more efficient, but also allows the design to be used for cutting sheet metal with the help of circular knives mounted on their axis.

Rice. 1. The device of universal rolling rollers:

1 - regulator gear (m = 1, Z = 50), 2 - threaded stop gear (m = 1, Z = 50), 3 - M10 bolt (4 pcs.), 4 - top plate, 5 - interchangeable tool: shaped rollers, circular knives, 6 - plain bearing (bronze), 7 - stand (steel 20), 8 - M10 screw (4 pcs.), 9 - upper roller (steel 40X), 10 - base (steel 20), 11 - lower roller (40X steel), 12 - roller gear (40X steel, m = 2, Z = 25), 13 - bushing, 14 - spring, 15 - upper roller slider (steel 20), 16 - threaded stop (40X steel) , 17 - axis of the regulator gear, 18 - regulator knob, 19 - handle, 20 - M8 screw, 21 - handles, 22 - roller handle.

1 - shaped rollers, 2 - circular knives, 3 - toothed rollers, 4 - a set for rolling the workpiece into a ring (cylinder), 5 - rollers for straightening.

The assembly of the rollers consists in connecting the frame elements and parallel installation of the rollers. To perform additional operations, you do not need to disassemble the machine: the tools are quickly mounted cantilevered on the shanks of the roller axles. To do this, they are provided with axial holes with M8 thread, and outside - dowels for transmitting rotation. There are mounted on threaded mandrels and circular knives. If you want to cut a strip with a width of more than 35 mm, use an elongated mandrel, which will move the knives away from the rack for a greater distance.

A rolling machine, which many experts call a roll machine or simply rolls, is a device that allows you to bend workpieces made of sheet metal. Rolling machines are highly efficient and versatile, which allows them to be successfully used in a wide variety of areas, including construction and repair.

Rolling machine W12-4×2500 rolls mild steel up to 4 mm thick

Purpose and main varieties

Rolling devices, the versatility of which was mentioned above, today can be found on almost any manufacturing plant. It is with the help of such a machine (which, if desired, can be made with your own hands) from sheet metal that products of a conical, cylindrical and even oval shape are obtained. The technological operation that allows solving such problems is called rolling. At the same time, it should not be confused with flaring, through which changes in the configuration and dimensions of tubular products are achieved.

Rolling machines of the simplest design are also actively used by home craftsmen. With the help of such equipment, various gutters, air ducts, elements of roof structures, as well as many products for other purposes are produced. Rolling machines produced by modern industry can effectively process sheets made of various metals.

Thus, devices of this type, represented by a wide variety of models, can successfully cope with sheet blanks made of carbon and alloy steels, aluminum, copper and cast iron. Separate models of such machines, the rollers of which have a special design, can bend polycarbonate sheets.

Among the rolling equipment, the following categories are distinguished:

• manual machine;
• electromechanical machine;
• sheet metal machine equipped with a hydraulic drive.

A manually driven roller mill is the simplest type of equipment that can be produced in floor (mounted on a rack) or desktop (mounted on a workbench) version. This rolling machine is easy to use, but requires considerable physical effort. Meanwhile, the simplicity of the design of the machine ensures the preservation of its reliability for a long time.

The classic manual three-roll bending machine is suitable for rounding metal blanks up to 3.5 mm thick.

Three-roll manual rollers (namely, with such a number of working bodies they are mainly manufactured) make it possible to process pipe and sheet products with a wall thickness of up to 1.5–2 mm. Such a manual bending machine is the easiest to make with your own hands. It has such advantages as:

• compact dimensions;
• small mass;
• high mobility, which makes it easy to move such machines to those places where their use is most in demand;
• savings on electricity bills (rolling manual machine does not require its use);
• low cost (when compared with the price of electromechanical type machines).

Electromechanical three-roll sheet bender FormRoller is used for series production workpieces of various geometries

An electrically driven device (rolling electromechanical machine) has a special gearbox in its design, which significantly increases the efficiency of such equipment. An electromechanical rolling machine can be used both for sheet metal processing and for changing the configuration of profiled tubular products. With regard to sheet metal processing, the three-roll machine with electromechanical drive can be used for processing sheet metal, the thickness of which does not exceed 4 mm.

The most powerful type of equipment includes a hydraulic rolling machine, which is actively used in energy, shipbuilding and machine-building enterprises. A hydraulic three-roll machine or a device with a large number of working bodies is many times more powerful when compared with devices of a manual or electromechanical category. On rolling equipment of a hydraulic type, which is often equipped with CNC systems, it is possible to successfully bend metal sheets with a thickness of up to 8 mm.

The hydraulic drive of this machine easily moves shafts of impressive dimensions, and the CNC controls their location and the degree of deformation of the sheet.

Design and principle of operation

The supporting element of the rolling machine, including the one made by oneself, is the base frame. It is on this frame, which can be made of cast iron or sheet steel of considerable thickness, that the deforming body of the machine is mounted, which can include two, three or even four rolls. The overwhelming majority of such devices, including those made by hand, are equipped with three working bodies, since two-roll rollers are not very efficient.

The rotational movement during the operation of a three-roll machine is communicated only to the two lower working bodies, which, meanwhile, can only move linearly in a horizontal plane, which is necessary to change the distance between them. The upper roll of such a device, which is called a thrust roll, rotates due to the friction forces created between its surface and the surface of the workpiece.

The upper roll, which is equipped with a rolling machine, has the ability not only to move in the vertical direction, which allows it to be pressed with the required force to the surface of the workpiece being processed, but also to lean to the side. The latter is necessary in order to quickly replace it with a roll designed for processing workpieces with other geometric parameters.

The machine, whose working rolls are equipped with special grooves, can be used to bend pipes, bars and even large wire. It should be borne in mind that an additional fourth roll, the use of which significantly increases the load on the drive mechanism of the equipment, can only be installed on an electromechanical or hydraulic rolling machine.

The sheet bending machine, whose main working bodies are rollers, works according to the following principle.

• A sheet of metal from which it is necessary to form a product of a cylindrical or conical shape is placed on two lower rolls separated from each other at a certain distance.
• By lowering the upper roll using a special mechanism, the metal sheet is securely clamped between the three working bodies.
• When the two lower rolls rotate, which is provided by a manual or electromechanical drive, the processed sheet of metal is set in motion and begins to go around the working bodies of the rolling machine clamping it, gradually assuming the required configuration.

Moving at a certain speed between the rolls, a flat sheet of metal gradually turns into a product of a cylindrical, conical or oval shape. It is obvious that a machine of this type does not work like a flaring machine, the working body of which rolls out the end of a tubular product, expanding it to the required geometric parameters.

A rolling machine, on which you can effectively bend not only sheet metal products, but also tubular products, is not at all necessary to buy. Roller, if not required high performance, easy to make with your own hands. Of course, the easiest way is to make such a machine with a manual drive, but the power and functionality of this equipment is quite enough to perform construction and repair work on it.

DIY rolling machine: drawings and videos

To manufacture a manual rolling machine, you must first find its drawings or develop them yourself, taking as a basis the design of any serial model.

As an example, consider a set of drawings of a USG rolling machine, which are presented below.

Assembly drawing of a serial rolling machine USG (click to enlarge)

So, in order to make a rolling manual machine with your own hands, you must follow the algorithm below.

• From metal sheets, cutting them according to a previously prepared drawing, a device frame is made, in special grooves of which its lower shafts will be fixed. Between themselves, the structural elements of the bed are connected using stiffeners, which can be used as metal pipes or corners.
• To accommodate the upper roll, support posts are welded to the frame of the device. For their manufacture, it is best to use a powerful U-shaped profile. Bearing assemblies are mounted in the support post, into which the upper roll of the machine is installed.
• A drive mechanism is mounted on the side of the bed, which includes three sprockets, a chain and a device for tensioning it.
• The final stage in the manufacture of a home-made rolling machine is the installation of a drive mechanism handle, chain tension and adjustment of all structural elements.

Naturally, after the final assembly homemade machine it is necessary to test (and adjust the operation of all its mechanisms, if necessary).

Popular models of manual rolling equipment

Manual roller machines, presented on the modern domestic market, allow you to effectively solve technological challenges any degree of complexity. Yes, for acceptable price you can purchase a small-sized table-top rolling device or stationary equipment, the power and productivity of which is quite enough to solve the problems facing a small production or repair enterprise.

Among specialists and home craftsmen who prefer to perform, manual rolling equipment of the following brands is very popular.

Stalex

This company produces reliable and efficient equipment designed for processing sheet blanks of various widths and thicknesses.

metal master

Under this trademark, reliable, functional and easy-to-use equipment for rolling is produced. On many models from Metalmaster, due to the presence of special grooves on the rolls, it is possible to bend pipes and bars.

Encore Corvette

This is a domestic brand under which inexpensive, but quite reliable plate bending equipment is produced in China. Using such machines, it is possible to bend sheet metal, the thickness of which does not exceed 1.5 mm.

Sheet bending machines of electromechanical type

Rolling electromechanical machines are presented on the domestic market in at least a wide range. So, from the most popular brands of devices of this type, it is worth noting the following.

VEM

This is a functional rolling equipment, which, due to its high reliability, rarely needs repairs and expensive maintenance. By equipping with additional structural elements, the technical capabilities of the machines of this brand can be significantly expanded.

Stalex

Under this trademark, roller electromechanical machines of a professional level are produced. Design feature of such machines is the asymmetric arrangement of work rolls, as well as the ability to quickly retract the upper working body, which allows you to quickly remove the workpiece from the processing zone.

Electromechanical rolling machine Stalex ESR-1300×2.5 (the width and thickness of the metal being processed is reflected in the designation of the machine)

metal master

This is a powerful and reliable equipment with convenient foot control, which can be used not only for bending sheet metal, but also for processing tubular products and reinforcing bars.