Roll forming, also known as roll forming, is one of the established bending forming processes for profile production. The starting materials are strips and sheets, mainly made of steel, which are processed into different profile shapes in several steps by cold forming. They are characterized by particular strength and dimensional accuracy as well as a very high surface quality. Roll-formed components are increasingly replacing other products made from plastics or energy-intensive hot-rolled materials. Due to the energy efficiency of the roll forming process and the unique recyclability of steel, cold-formed steel profiles make an important contribution to climate neutrality.

Energy-saving and climate-friendly

Roll forming processes have an extremely positive environmental balance. In classic roll forming, for example, the material utilization is very high due to the process and comes close to 100%. The cold forming process also has the advantage in terms of energy consumption that the process takes place at room temperature and the sheet or strip does not need to be heated. In addition to the forming energy, energy is only required for the transportation and acceleration processes of profile masses, tools and moving machine parts. There are no secondary processes. The low rolling friction losses due to small friction surfaces also have a positive effect. The energy efficiency is therefore extremely high and the process can be classified as climate-friendly overall.

In particular, roll-formed steel profiles are a very economical and ecological alternative to extruded aluminum profiles, PET or composite materials such as polyurethanes. With specially developed high-strength or ultra-high-strength and thin-walled steel grades, cold-formed profiles can be produced with a very favorable ratio of material weight to strength. This is not only interesting for lightweight construction. From the automotive and construction industries to the electrical and furniture industries, almost all sectors and branches of industry use products manufactured using roll forming. Significantly, galvanized and painted surfaces are also ideally suited to the roll forming process and are very easy to process. Roll-formed profiles do not require post-treatment and are generally ready for installation.

Recycling improves the eco-balance of steel

Steel is by far the most frequently recycled material. It retains its quality properties even after recycling and can therefore be melted down an unlimited number of times. Scrap steel is already being recycled worldwide thanks to an established scrap and recycling industry. The more frequently steel is recycled, the smaller its ecological footprint becomes, as the_{CO2 emissions} from the production of one tonne of steel are around 50 percent lower with multi-recycling than with primary production. A study by the Technical University of Berlin came to the conclusion that less than 1,000 kilograms of_CO2are produced for one ton of steel, based on the total lifetime. If you compare the life cycle assessment of different raw materials and materials in primary production, aluminum produces around four times the amount of_{CO2, and} carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) even five to six times the amount of_CO2 compared to steel.

In 2013, the Tata Steel Group examined the sustainable use of steel in vehicles and pointed out the need for a holistic view of the energy and_{CO2 balances}: "Compared to aluminum and composite materials, steel is characterized by its competitive weight, lower costs and lower environmental impact from a holistic perspective."

Classic roll forming is characterized by a constant cross-section over the length of the profile. Both highly complex and particularly rigid profiles can be produced economically if other manufacturing processes such as punching, perforating, embossing, folding, welding or lasering are carried out before, during or after the roll forming process. The variety of processing methods is unique. In particular, punching and shaping into extremely tight radii can be compared to the origami paper folding technique. This creates profiles in an endless process that cannot be produced with other methods, or only with great effort.

Digital innovations from Industry 4.0 are also contributing to further flexibility in roll forming. Fully automated, multifunctional roll forming systems already enable production in batch sizes of one or the production of different parts one after the other in a mixed sequence. However, the potential of this technology is far from exhausted. With so-called flexible roll forming, also known as 3D roll forming, discontinuous cross-sections can also be produced along the longitudinal axis using adjustable roll stands. In this way, load-optimized profiles can be produced and further weight savings of over 20 percent can be achieved.

The roll forming process not only meets all the requirements of an energy-saving and environmentally friendly manufacturing process, it is also inexpensive and extremely flexible. Steel strips and sheets in particular offer an outstanding eco-balance, far ahead of aluminum, plastics and composite materials.