F-Fab aircraft roll machine from Revolution Machine Tools offers tight-radius rolling

Revolution Machine Tools has introduced the F-Fab series aircraft roll. It combines tight-radius rolling with the strength to overcome deflection and the ability to create hyperbolic shapes in high-yield-strength materials like titanium.

The machine bends aluminum and titanium alloyed sheets even with one or more radii to get precise cylindrical or tapered forms, the manufacturer reports. It can be customized for specific applications.

The movement of the upper beam is powered by separate dual-speed AC motors, gearboxes, screw jacks, and zero-backlash couplings. Upper beam positions are monitored by very sensitive linear encoders and digital readouts. The top and bottom rolls are driven by a high-torque dual-speed AC motor and gear set. Gearbox rotation is transferred to the rolls by sensitive cardan joints. The strong magnetic disk brakes prevent the sheet from sliding back during prebending.