Precision In Practice When To Roll To Torque Vs. Size In Mechanical Joining Mechanical joining is a fundamental manufacturing process used to create a [...]
For years, tube expansion relied heavily on the subjectivity of "rolling to size or feel". The issue is that what one operator "sees, hears, or feels" could drastically differ from another, leading to variability and a high potential for error. The advent of torque control revolutionized this process, significantly reducing operator error and ensuring consistent, repeatable results across the board. While torque control is essential for consistency, the success often hinges on one critical factor: selecting the right motor for the job. Understanding why torque matters and the potential pitfalls of choosing the wrong motor is crucial for achieving reliable and lasting tube to tube sheet joints.
When expanding heat exchanger tubes, achieving the proper wall reduction is crucial for a secure and leak-free seal. Sometimes, however, tubes fail to expand sufficiently, hindering the integrity of the vessel. This article outlines common causes and troubleshooting steps for incomplete tube expansion.
With the amount of rolling motors on the market, there are a lot of variables to consider. However, one of the most common questions is around torque control, setting torque, and when it’s not needed for a job.
The 850-style rolling motor has become a staple across many industries for tube rolling. This push pull style motor exhibits both quality and performance, making it ideal for expanding tubes in chillers and heat exchangers.
Alfa Laval ACE, located in Broken Arrow, OK, specializes in heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling technology. With a focus on producing quality air coolers for their customers, rolling consistency was of utmost importance. With their current tube rolling method relying heavily on operator feel to regulate the amount of wall reduction, the accuracy of wall reduction was lower than desired. This resulted in too much time spent re-rolling tubes.
With a wide variety of rolling motors on the market, choosing the right one can seem overwhelming. There are several factors to consider when selecting a rolling motor. Power source, torque control, RPM, torque range, and the style of the motor will vary depending on the application.
