In order for your roll forming operation to be as productive as possible, you need to keep the material moving through the system at optimized speeds with minimal downtime. One of the best machines you can use to keep your roll former running at optimal speeds is a strip accumulator. In this post, we'll discuss the features and benefits of a strip accumulator and how incorporating one into your process can help your roll forming systems become more productive and efficient.
As coil comes off the uncoiler, the strip accumulator feeds this material into the roll former automatically, without interrupting the roll forming process. Additionally, accumulators can be used to feed metal into the punching system, providing the ability to produce many configurations without changing dies.
There are different configurations of accumulators that can be integrated into your roll forming system in order to best fit your process. Overhead (or underground) accumulators were the first mechanized concept for this function and leave less marking on the strip, but they are also more expensive and difficult to maintain. Festoons have a small footprint and represent a smaller investment, but they offer little storage and run at relatively low speeds. Vertical accumulators easily fit inline without any need or space for strip orientation, but they are not maintenance friendly and are not meant for high speeds. Finally, horizontal accumulators require little maintenance and have a large storage capacity, but they do require twisting and detwisting space for strip orientation, which could mark the material.
In high speed roll forming operations, stopping and starting the roll former costs precious run time and material. However, as the accumulator stores excess material to feed the process line, operations can continue during a coil change. This process adds a higher level of efficiency to your process, saving time that translates to product out the door. Averaged over all products, the strip accumulator increases your productivity greatly and increases your yield by roughly 1% to 10%.