Steel and some other supplies take time to source. Your organization should purchase these supplies in time for your machine commissioning
Purchasing steel
It is important to have steel ready at your site at commissioning time. Your FRAMECAD® technician will use this material to set up your run-out tables and to create profile sections for testing and for training your organization’s staff.
Order steel as soon as possible to ensure delivery before commissioning.
How much steel to order
You should have enough material for your FRAMECAD technician to run at least 800m (2,620’) of steel at commissioning. This means you should order 1200Kg (1.2 tons) to 5000Kg (5 tons) of steel.
What strip width and thickness to order
If you do not have specific project requirements, look for steel at the nominal strip width shown in your profile drawings and at a base metal thickness (BMT) recommended below.
You can find the nominal width in your profile drawings.
If you have a project that requires different thicknesses, read below for options.
What grade to order
Suppliers sell steel in grades defined by standards-setting bodies for different regions. Look for steel in one of these recommended grades.
The grade indicates a steel’s properties, including its yield strength. This is the amount of force per unit area, measured in megapascals (MPa) or kilopounds per square inch (Ksi), that the steel can take before it deforms. The steel you buy must have a yield strength of at least 350MPa (50Ksi).
Ordering at various thicknesses
If you need to order steel at different thicknesses in time for commissioning, you have two options for managing strip width.
Order different thicknesses at nominal strip width
You can order different thicknesses at the nominal strip width in your profile drawing.
Note that the nominal strip width in your drawing is based on the average (mean) of thicknesses that you can use with your machine. Thus, if you use steel that varies from the average thickness, the profile sections you create will have measurements that differ from your profile drawing.
For example, if you use thicker steel to form a C-channel, the section will have a longer lip than in your profile drawing. Using a thinner steel will result in a profile with a shorter lip.
Many FRAMECAD customers purchase various thicknesses at a single strip width. This is a cost-effective approach to managing steel inventory. While it results in profile measurement variation, you can account for that variation in the design stage.
Order different thicknesses at different strip widths
You can determine the strip widths for different thicknesses required in a project by using a strip width calculation.
Please consult a qualified engineer or roll-forming specialist for calculating strip widths.
Other supplies to order in advance
These supplies are used in the regular maintenance and use of a FRAMECAD roll-former. It can take time to source them.
- High performance aerosol lubricant spray (for chain and conveyor)
- Water-soluble oil lubricant such as HOCUT 787, 787 B and 795 B (for steel lubrication)
- Ink and print cleaner (for Matthews DOD printers)
- Category 6 (Cat 6) Ethernet cable (maximum 100 meters long) (if not using Wi-Fi)
Supplies locally
- WD-40 or equivalent general lubricant
- Lithium-based grease (1 tube)
- Engine oil (1 quart, any grade) for shear blade lubrication
- Lifting straps (nylon, fire hose cover recommended)
- Industrial wet/dry vacuum cleaner
- Impact Driver (minimum 2) - 18V Lithium-Ion Impact Driver (*Please note that 1 impact driver is part of the machine tool kit)
- 1 x Cordless Metal Shears/Steel cutter or Steel cutter nibbler