Working with steel can present some challenges, especially if you are using heavy material and need to shape it into an arch or create a tube or cylinder from the material. The simplest solution is to have a metal plate rolling service form the material into the shape you need and deliver it ready to use.

Rolling Metal

When you need to transform flat metal sheets into curved or arched metal shapes, the best way to do it and maintain the strength of the material is to cold roll the steel between several rollers. The rollers are part of a large machine that uses support rollers on the bottom and a large roller on top that can have pressure added to force the steel or other metal plate to curve as it is passed through. 

The amount of pressure the machine can exert on the metal varies with the size and style of the device, but large rolling machines can put a curve in extremely large material of different types and grades. Smaller rolling machines are used for lighter material and softer metals, but talk to the metal plate rolling service in your area to see their capacity and if they can handle the material and the bends you need for your project.

Curves, arches, and cylinders can all be critical parts of a structure. They can also be used in art projects, specialty assemblies, and many other purposes. Ensuring the arch or shape is right can be vital, so professional rolling is often the best way to do that. 

Cylinder Rolling

When you need a cylinder with extremely thick walls, starting with a flat piece of plate steel and having a metal plate rolling service turn it into a cylinder shape is sometimes the best option. The shop can roll the plate to the size and shape you require to make the correct size cylinder, and most metal shops that offer metal forming can also make the base and top caps for you if necessary. 

Once all the pieces are created, you will need to have them welded together, but this is much simpler when all the welding shop needs to do is assemble the pieces and join them with the correct welding techniques and materials. When the cylinder needs to fit a specific space or have a particular volume, creating a custom tank may be the only option, and rolled steel is one of the most dependable options.

However, if you need the cylinder made from stainless steel or aluminum, the metal plate rolling shop can create the cylinder shape from those metals. 

For more information on Custom Metal Plate Rolling, contact a specialist in Houston, Tx.