Methods of leveling sheet metal

Hammer and flame – The art of leveling parts or sheets with this method still exists in the metal fabrication industry. This method uses a hammer to flatten the sheet metal part. Despite or perhaps because of this simple approach, this form of manual leveling demands a lot of experience and skill. The same applies to leveling with flame: areas of a bent panel are heated with a flame and then flattened out. However, leveling with a hammer or with heat is more suitable for smaller quantities or already shaped part assemblies. With this method, you need to consider that leveling with a hammer and flame is extremely time consuming. Under some circumstances, employees may need hours to level a single part. This is valuable time that may be taken away from other important tasks.

Straightening press: targeted flattening for thick parts and plates

Leveling sheet metal with a straightening press is similar to the hammer technique and is another process that targets specific points on the part. The part is supported at two points and is then pressed with a large die so that it conforms into a flat shape. This procedure often needs to be repeated a number of times before the part is actually flat. Some companies also use their press brakes as a leveler. This method is effective when only leveling a few parts or when a visible deformation in one place needs to be flattened out. Leveling a sheet metal piece with a straightening press generally takes up to 60 minutes. When using this leveling method, the company also needs appropriately skilled specialists. This approach is common when companies only need to level a few pieces. With part and plate thicknesses above 50 mm, this process is more common.

The rolling machine is regarded as the simplest roller leveler. It is equipped with three offset rollers. The part runs through these rollers and is therefore bent. This process is repeated until the part or sheet is sufficiently flat. Many repetitions are often required to achieve adequate flatness. Additionally, this process also disregards the internal stress of the material. You should also consider that leveling sheet metal with this procedure is more suitable for parts or sheets with simple flatness defects. The procedure cannot provide precision leveling and is extremely time intensive. Furthermore, the process is not without risk to the operator, depending on the configuration.

Simple roller leveler: limited quality leveling results

Leveling sheet metal with multiple rollers is a very common method. Roller leveling belongs to the bending processes. The parts run through a series of offset leveling rollers and flatten out in the process. Simple roller levelers, also referred to as straighteners, generally comprise a minimum of seven leveling rollers which often have a large diameter and are spaced far apart. That is why they are more suitable for thicker parts or plates and only cover a relatively small range of thicknesses. These systems can handle a number of leveling tasks but lack the precision for many of today’s applications. One reason is that often the leveling rollers are not supported to prevent deflection. This means that the rollers themselves bend beneath the pressure of the parts. Regardless, simple roller levelers only provide limited quality yet still need specialists to operate them and the process frequently needs to be repeated multiple times. This results in additional operating costs and a very unfavorable cost-benefit ratio.

Precision levelers: level parts and sheets with low internal stresses

Sheet metal fabricators and service centers which need to level numerous parts or sheets in a short time benefit from purchasing a precision leveler. The state-of-the-art precision leveler consists of alternating bending processes. The rollers are very closely spaced and assembled in a block configuration. This provides the best possible support for the leveling rollers. As a benefit, they resist bending beneath the pressure from the part. This rigidity also provides highly precise leveling results that go beyond the exterior appearance. The process also reduces the internal stresses in the material. Stress-free parts are especially important for component manufacturers. Internal stresses in the parts are created or released by cutting procedures such as punching and laser cutting. Yet these stresses are not always immediately apparent. They might only appear when the parts are assembled to create components and the stresses result in deformations or difficulties during the subsequent processes. Even if the parts appear to be flat, problems can occur during welding, for example. Out of flat areas make it difficult to fit the parts into the welding fixtures. In addition, the stresses in the material can also result in inconsistent welds. This leads to extensive rework and in the worst case can render the parts unusable.

With a precision leveler, you can expect flat parts and sheets which are almost entirely free of internal stresses in only a short period of time, ensuring that the subsequent processes run smoothly.

Precision levelers are especially effective when equipped with hydraulic leveling gap control. This technology also enables a part with varying cross sections to be leveled and the internal stresses largely eliminated. Furthermore, the machine can always level at maximum power as it is protected against overloading and the resulting damage.

Efficient sheet metal leveling saves personnel through smart technology

Precision levelers from ARKU are equipped with special software. An algorithm automatically suggests the recommended settings for the specific part. The software simplifies the operation enormously. Only a few hours are necessary to learn how to operate the precision leveler. The leveling process itself takes a matter of seconds. This enables you to assign your employees to other tasks and free up valuable production time.

Summary

Conventional methods of manual leveling are still used. However, these methods require specialists with extensive expertise and take a considerable amount of time to level only a small quantity of parts. Precision levelers take over a lot of the work when leveling sheet metal. This state-of-the-art approach to leveling also provides the tolerances demanded by the market in the shortest period of time. This not only saves you money by reducing your costs, it also provides you with a competitive advantage thanks to the higher quality parts.