Case Study – Never Suffer From Buying The Wrong Plate Roll Machine

NEVER SUFFER FROM BUYING THE WRONG PLATE ROLL MACHINE

We all look at developing our business to improve our competitive position and be more efficient. It’s fair to think about all of our assets when we do this as well as our people, guarding ourselves against making the incorrect
choice.

Recently, a fabricator won a plate-rolling project that required the business to invest in a larger plate-rolling machine to increase their capacity. They had forecast the purchase of an ex stock European linear guide plate roll machine from Specialist Machinery Sales (SMS). When the contract was awarded the linear slide machine was no longer in stock and available. Not wanting to turn down the rolling project, the business purchased a swing slide machine that was in stock to full fill the contract. They were also pleased to purchase a lower cost machine than they originally specified when tendering the project. It turned out to cost them more than the difference in the two machines for the three significant reasons.

The 40-year business had never previously rolled plate with a swing slide design machine. They had not allowed for the additional effort and expense that is required when rolling a plate on a swing slide machine. They found the machine produced a larger flat end. Therefore, the price quoted per shell could not be achieved due to the re-work required to correct the flat
end. Deliveries ran late and attracted penalties to the project.

Another challenge that could not be overcome was the fabricator assumed that all plate rolling manufactures used the same material elasticity or yield point. What they discovered after it was too late was the plate rolling machine tool builder had used a different yield point to the plate-rolling machine that was originally specified. This prevented the machine from rolling the thicker plates and tighter diameters so the machine specification did not meet the performance outcomes required.

The top roll diameter (TRD) is used to assist customers in comparing capacities of machines and in this instance, it was too small. The TRD is dependent on the maximum capacity of the machine and provides the exact information on the machines real capacity and the quality that can be expected. The business is now left with a machine that did not meet this or future projects performance expectations. The business will not serve the gap in the market that the machine was expected to supply.