Roll Forming: the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.
Sheet formingFamily
+/-0.3mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
60Parts in finder
Roll forming feeds strip through a train of rollers that progressively bend it into a constant open or closed profile along its length.
At a glance
When to use it, and when not
Best for
Long constant profiles in high volume: roofing, track, framing and trim.
Watch for
Constant cross section only; high setup and roll tooling cost.
Step by step
The typical route
Raw material to finished part. Steps vary with material, volume and tolerance; this is the free route from the finder.
Feed coil
Feed coil into the roll-forming line.
Tooling Roll tooling Tolerance - Lead -
Roll stations
Progressively form the section through roller stands.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Inline punch
Punch holes/notches inline if required.
Tooling Punch Tolerance - Lead -
Cut
Cut to length on the fly.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Inspect
Check section, straightness and twist.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Precision
Tolerances it can hold
TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials
Materials it suits
Grade
Why it suits this
Galvanised steel coil
Cheap, corrosion
Aluminium coil
Light
Stainless coil
Corrosion
Design
Design tips
A few general pointers for Roll Forming. The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.
Too many tight-radius bends.Simplify the section.
Inline holes unspecified.Define punch pattern.
Cost
What it costs
Long constant-profile parts (track, rail, trim) from coil; tooled line, cheap by the metre at volume.
PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for your part at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$0.94 to 1.6per part at 1,000 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER
Everything you need to quote and source it
The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on this process and buy it well:
Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
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Roll forming feeds strip through a train of rollers that progressively bend it into a constant open or closed profile along its length. The typical route is: Feed coil; Roll stations; Inline punch; Cut; Inspect. Long constant profiles in high volume: roofing, track, framing and trim.
What does Roll Forming cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $0.94 to 1.6 per part at low volume and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. Model estimates, not quotes.
What tolerance can Roll Forming hold?
Typically about +/-0.3 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit Roll Forming?
Common choices are Galvanised steel coil (Cheap, corrosion); Aluminium coil (Light); Stainless coil (Corrosion).
See the exact route and should-cost for your part
The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.
