Introduction
It is said that the roof of a building increases its aesthetic appeal in addition to serving its protective role. Philosophers have always said that whatever good structures we set up, they end up developing us.
Though a variety of modern roof materials have been introduced in the last two decades, corrugated iron still remain an important roofing product at a local and international scale. These materials are manufactured through a range on sheet metal fabrication techniques such as rolling to reduce their diameter, folding or pressing to form corrugations and cutting to the required lengths.
The roofing products are made from galvanized iron which is cold rolled and sheared to the specific dimensions.
Statistics on corrugated iron sheet manufacture
Due to the growing demand in the real estate and construction business, there has been a tremendous increase in demand for these products. In India, zinc and aluminum corrugated sheets are in high demand.
Global trends show that in most countries, approximately 10 – 25 % of all residential buildings roofing is done with this material. Though there is stiff competition due to other roofing materials, they remain the most viable option for developing countries.
With population increase, urbanization and the possibility of using these materials for both horizontal and vertical cladding; their utilization is expected to increase in the next ten years.
Use of hydraulic and CNC machines
Continuous production is achieved through cold rolling, galvanizing, continuous bending to form corrugations and cutting to the specified sizes.
Hydraulic or CNC shears are used to cut the products to lengths that ranges from 8, 10 and 12 feet while the width ranges from 24 to 39 inches. The equipment used must be able to handle the different gauges and therefore, the shearing device must have high strength and rigidity. Common roofing materials gauges range from 32 which is very thin to 18 which is very thick. As the gauge increases, the tonnage of the equipment increases.
In the industrial set up, these machines are automated, pneumatic of hydraulic to reduce the force required to cut the materials. They are specially designed to clamp and shear with minimal damage to the product and achieve a straight edge.
Shearing machines utilization in corrugate sheet manufacturing
Modern industrial shears are pneumatic and hydraulic. These are automatically controlled as they sense the length of material, clamp and shear it. They have cutting line illumination for accurate work piece positioning. They have accurate back gauge to assist in folding and have adjustable stroke and length.
CNC controlled shearing devices are now used to achieve more accurate positioning of the material and subsequent shearing. They can be programmed achieve high demand, quality and efficiency when operating. They also have increased safety features to reduce operator accidents. These type achieves rapid blade gap adjustment, faster clamping, quick blade depth adjustment, has cutting line illumination and other safety features. Therefore, these equipments will continue to play a significant role in the construction industry.