Rollers for profile pipes, drawings, dimensions

When manufacturing structures that use rolled metal, sometimes it becomes necessary to use a machine made by yourself to reinforce a profile pipe. The problem arises because such blanks are created from thin-walled metal. Therefore, additional ribs are needed to increase strength.

Profile pipes are used in the creation of metal structures. They often quite successfully replace hot-rolled metal. The mass of metal in welded square or rectangular pipelines is 5...7 times less than that of long products. But sometimes the strength turns out to be lower than required during design.

Machine for strengthening profile pipes

Reinforcement means the formation of ribs at the corners of a square or rectangular profile during rolling on specially shaped rollers.

Pipes with a reinforced profile are characterized by high bending strength and are used to create curved structures of any degree of complexity.

The profile is strengthened using specialized equipment.

Application area

To obtain the desired configuration, profile pipes are sequentially processed on profile strengthening machines, a forging block and a pipe bender.

A pipe bender allows you to bend profile pipes along a longitudinal section along a given radius. Such products are used when installing canopies, gazebos, and canopies.

Reinforcement is a necessary stage in preparing a profile pipe for making a curl using the cold forging method. The forging block allows you to create decorative elements from pipes with a square or rectangular cross-section, curved in the most bizarre way. The resulting products are distinguished by their volume, lightness, and low price.

Design

The machine for strengthening the profile is in many respects similar in principle of operation and design to a conventional rolling machine.

In addition to the frame and the motion drive, the main components of the machine for reinforcing a profile pipe are:

Lower (support) shaft – 1 pc. It is leading, with its help the pipes move.
The upper shaft is a pressure shaft. Deforms the profile - presses the pipe against the lower shaft.

The supply and receiving shafts are securely mounted on a massive base (housing); it must ensure the stability of the installation during operation. The feed mechanism ensures the rotation of the shafts around its axis.

Process technology

The amplification process on the simplest machine is performed sequentially, with two pipe installations:

Step 1 – installing the pipe on the rollers.
Step 2 – rolling the first 2 symmetrical sides.
3rd step - reinstallation of the pipe (rotate 90 0).
Stage 4 - rental of the second 2 symmetrical sides of the profile.

Machine for profile reinforcement
Profile reinforcement is performed on a cold forging machine equipped with rollers for compressing the profile pipe before bending it into a curl.

Profile pipe

The rolling process depends on the wall thickness of the profile pipes and the grade of material from which they are made

Drive mechanism

According to the principle of operation, there are different types of wire mechanisms:

The manually driven machine has a simple design, compactness, and is designed for small volumes of work. Only a physically developed person can work on it. The metal will have to be deformed using muscle force.

An electrically driven machine for strengthening a profile pipe also does not take up much space. It is powered by an electric motor and has high performance.

Hydraulically driven equipment is too bulky. Allows you to roll profile products with maximum dimensions. Designed for large volumes of work.

Functionality

Multifunctional stationary modules, which are equipped with:

rollers to strengthen the profile pipe;
rollers for rolling out the ends of blanks in the form of artistic elements;
forging block for cold forging.

All operations are performed without readjusting equipment or changing tools. The modules make it possible to produce various decorative forged elements of different sizes and required shapes.

An example of a multi-purpose installation is a reinforcement unit with rolling crow's feet (PGL), produced commercially, adapted for several operations:

“crow’s feet” type reinforcement (squeezing, squeezing);
rolling out the ends of the workpiece.

After this treatment, the pipe is completely ready for making a decorative curl on a forging block.

Making a machine yourself

It doesn't always make sense to purchase a professional machine. For one-time work, simple DIY installations are more suitable. The main thing is to have drawings, carefully study the design principle and operation of the machine, select high-quality materials for the workpieces and the necessary tools for assembly.

Scheme

Schematic diagram of a machine for rolling 2 types of profile sections in section. Based on it, you can get an idea of the design and interconnection of the main components and the principle of pipe processing. In this case, the upper shaft is the driving one.

Machine diagram

Accessories

Rolling roller components must not have chips or gouges, have a decent margin of safety, and be made from certain grades of steel.

Shafts and axles are turned on a lathe. Some components can be bought in a store or removed from other mechanisms, for example:

self-aligning rolling bearings (4 pcs.);
stars (4 pcs.);
chain from a bicycle, moped.

To assemble the frame (base), you will need rolled metal (channels, pipes), sheets 5-10 mm thick. The base ensures stability of the installation during operation.

Frame assembly

To strengthen the profile, it is better to make rollers (2 pieces of each type) from alloy steel; for a small amount of work, St3, St10 are also suitable. Roll blanks are subjected to hardening.

Rollers and axles must be many times harder than the pipes being processed. Otherwise, the rollers will have to be replaced frequently with new ones. The hardness of rollers on professional installations is at least 52 HRC.

Tools

When assembling the machine, you will need the following skills (as well as appropriate equipment):

Fastening by welding in some places can be replaced with threaded connections.

drill, with a set of drills;
wrenches of different sizes;
level for setting the horizon line;
caliper, tape measure.

Design of incoming parts

Special rollers are machined along the edges of the rollers, which reliably fix the position of the pipe during rolling.

Rollers

You can get the dimensions of the rollers for profile drawing from a kit from professional installations. It is not difficult to develop drawings of rollers and axles according to the obtained dimensions yourself. Below is an example drawing.

Roller drawing

Rolling of each profile size is carried out using rollers of appropriate sizes. Making a model with removable elements is not easy; for this reason, it is recommended to make multi-stage rollers for reinforcing the profile pipe when assembling the machine yourself. This will allow processing of pipes of different sizes without reinstalling the rollers.

Both axes have the same dimensions, but different lengths. The movement handle is attached to the longer axis (driving). Below is a drawing of an axle with a seat for the handle.

Drawing of an axle with a seat for the handle

Assembly work

The frame is created gradually as the remaining parts are assembled. The individual elements of the base are connected to each other by welding or large bolts.

The distance between the upper and lower axle depends on the diameters of the rollers. In the absence of precise assembly drawings, the dimensions between the axes are determined experimentally:

install the rollers on the axle;
measure the distance between the axes;
drill holes on the side walls of the frame for installing bearings;
then the axles are put aside and the bearings are installed.

The connection between the axle and the rollers is carried out in several ways:

using a key, about 8x8 mm in size;
welding through pre-drilled countersunk blind holes made with a large-diameter drill.

The second method is available if you have a machine for manual electric arc or semi-automatic welding.

Next, the axle is inserted into the bearing, which is pre-fixed in the axle box, which is pre-welded to the wall of the frame from the inside. Reliability of fastening is maximum. First of all, the axles with rollers are installed in the side wall of the frame where the chain drive is supposed to be located. Then the axles are inserted into bearings mounted on the 2nd side wall of the frame.

After installing the main elements, the frame is strengthened:

welding seams;
threaded connections.

Recommendations

Special requirements are placed on the alignment of the rollers: they must be located in the same vertical plane and be strictly parallel. Any misalignment will lead to uneven compression of the profile, which will significantly reduce the quality of the rolled product.

A machine made at home specifically for strengthening profile pipes should not pose a danger to humans during operation. During assembly you should:

Fix all moving parts as reliably as possible. Prevent them from bouncing during operation.
Provide protective flaps.

Properly assembled home-made installations are not inferior to professional models in terms of the quality of their products.

Rollers for profile pipes: making manual profile bending with your own hands

Making rollers for a profile pipe with your own hands, using drawings and knowledge of the operating principle of this useful device, is quite possible. Using such a device, which is highly versatile, you can independently produce bent structures of any degree of complexity from corrugated pipes.

Rolling profile pipes for a canopy on a homemade machine

The main working parts of the rollers, which exert a mechanical effect on the processed profile pipe, are rotating rollers, the number of which can vary from 3 to 5 pieces. It is in the gap between the rolls that plastic deformation of the corrugated pipe occurs.

Character traits

At its core, this is a mechanical device (installation) that bends a straight profile to the desired radius, from 1 to 180 degrees. Suitable for both metal (aluminium, steel) and plastic elements.

Factory equipment is standard, but it assumes you have experience with it. Therefore, it’s worth making a pipe bender for a professional pipe with your own hands, if only because you don’t have to get used to it. You will know exactly all the features of its design and understand what loads its elements will withstand.

Types of devices with rotating rollers

Rolling of a profile pipe, which results in a change in its original configuration, can be performed on equipment of various designs. Such devices for rolling profile pipes can differ according to the type of drive used and the main technical characteristics. Thus, rolling rollers can have:

manual drive (the use of such devices for rolling profile pipes requires significant physical effort);
electric drive;
hydraulic drive mechanism.

Manual rolling rollers serve as a prototype for self-manufacturing of the machine

The simplest (and, accordingly, inexpensive) devices used to roll a profile pipe are manual profile benders. Along with their reliability and ease of use, they are distinguished by a number of significant advantages. The design of a manual profile bender consists of the following elements:

a massive frame that serves as a reliable foundation for the entire structure;
rollers that perform feeding and receiving functions (these structural elements, with the help of which rolling is performed, are connected to each other via a chain transmission);
a set of clamping mechanisms (clamps) designed for fixing pipes of various sizes.

Main parts of rollers

This rolling machine, which has a simple design, is also equipped with a special pipe, which acts as a guide for the bent workpiece. It should be borne in mind that using such a machine requires the performer to exert significant physical effort. In addition, this device does not allow rolling with high productivity and is most often used for simple work at home. That is why the design diagram of this machine is used to make a profile bending machine with your own hands. Such a simple design profile bender allows you to perform rolling of profile pipes with high quality and high efficiency.

An electric machine for rolling profile pipes, even one made independently, provides higher productivity of the technological operation. This is explained by the fact that an electric drive, the power of which can be quite large, is responsible for performing the main operation - pulling the professional pipe through the rollers. That is why electric rollers for profile pipes, which you can make yourself using drawings, are used both by small organizations or home craftsmen, and by manufacturing enterprises.

The machine can be equipped with an electric drive later, the main thing is to take this into account initially and develop a sufficiently powerful design

However, of course, the hydraulic profile bending machine has the highest power, which is quite difficult to make with your own hands. Devices of this type, intended for rolling profile pipes, are used mainly in industrial enterprises, where it is necessary to carry out such a technological operation with high productivity.

Homemade devices for rolling pipes

It is practically impossible to do without such a device as a device for rolling corrugated pipes in those situations when you decide to do your own repairs, during which you will have to deal with bent pipes. To do this, you can purchase a serial device for this purpose or use a homemade profile bender, the design of which is not very complex. It also makes sense to ask the question of how to make a profile bender for the reason that serial models are quite expensive, so purchasing them (especially if they are required only for home repairs) is not always advisable.

Approximate dimensions of homemade rollers

In order to make high-quality homemade rollers, you can study theoretical information, watch a video on this topic, but the main thing is to follow the recommendations of those who have already achieved good results in solving this issue. Of course, to make your own roller, you need to have not only the appropriate knowledge, but also certain skills in the manufacture and use of various technical devices.

Kinematic diagram of the machine

Homemade rollers can even be made from scrap materials, which are almost always available in any garage or home workshop. Moreover, the efficiency of such rollers, if they are made taking into account all the recommendations, will not be much lower than that of commercially produced models.

Machine shaft drawings:

Bending methods

In practice, it is necessary to partially round workpieces made of a wide variety of materials, from carbide to relatively soft plastics. To prevent cracks, ruptures and other critical defects, depending on the case, one of two fundamentally different methods is used. Let's look at both.

Cold

Work is carried out without preheating the part.
This implies a low level of fusibility, and therefore a small change in angle. But the likelihood of a split or other damage occurring is minimal. The method is suitable for all rolled products, including metal ones, but to improve the result it is necessary to fill their cavity with salt or sand before pulling it through a mechanism with an electric drive or a jack.

Hot

Designed for particularly strong and rigid elements, for thick walls and large diameters.
According to it, you need to heat the area at the point of curvature until the material becomes pliable and plastic (the same steel, for example, becomes red-hot). The impact is targeted, and therefore the method is not too inferior to the previous one in terms of efficiency. But when implementing it, it is important not to overdo it and not to burn a hole in the rolled product.

How to make a profile bender yourself

To make a profile bending machine with your own hands, you need to follow the following sequence of actions.

First of all, the base or frame is made, for which large-diameter pipes or steel channels can be used.
Serious attention should be paid to the manufacture of a vertical support for the machine, the material for which can be a U-shaped profile. It is in the upper part of such a support, which must be highly reliable, that a pipe-deforming unit - a roller mechanism - is installed. To mount a vertical support, the lower part of which is securely fixed under the frame, you will need a clamp of the appropriate size. With this method of attaching the vertical support, the deformation force exerted on the bent profile pipe will be evenly distributed over the two feed rollers.
To drive the feed rollers, a chain drive is used, which can be assembled using a chain and sprockets from an old bicycle. Sprockets, which in their geometric parameters must strictly correspond to the characteristics of the chain used, are fixed on the feed and driven shafts. When installing a chain feed mechanism for your homemade machine, you should ensure good chain tension and only then proceed to fix the feed mechanism handle. Naturally, the drive mechanism of your machine for rolling corrugated pipes should ensure easy rotation of the feed and driven shafts.
The homemade rollers themselves, which will exert pressure on the bent profile pipe and thereby absorb the main load during operation of the machine, are best made from steel that has undergone a hardening procedure.

In order for a do-it-yourself rolling machine for profile pipes to be highly versatile and can be used for processing products of various sizes, its design must provide for the possibility of radial adjustment. This important option allows you to change the size of the gap between the work rolls. To make your homemade rollers even more functional, you can provide in their design the possibility of making angular or, as it is also called, axial adjustment.

Assembling a pipe bender (step by step)

The first step, of course, is to prepare a reliable, stable base; this can be a steel sheet 1 cm thick or a concrete base with built-in nuts for fastening other structural elements.
Next, the installation of the side drive rollers of the installation is carried out.
After this, you can begin installing the moving parts of the frame.
Then you should check the moving parts; this work should be taken with special responsibility. You must ensure that the structural elements do not get stuck while performing the work. If the structure is not diagnosed, it may break when tested with a leading hydraulic drive.
Then the main drive shaft stand is welded.
Now the stage of work is to secure the central post of the drive shaft; the shaft should be secured with bolts and a lock nut.
Lastly, the drive handle is attached.

Drawings and instructions for making your own rollers for a profile pipe

The advent of cellular polycarbonate for the manufacture of greenhouses determined a new type of structure for protected ground structures - arched structures. To create a metal frame for such buildings, you need to have a machine capable of bending structural profiles along a certain curve. Homemade rollers for profile pipes are designed to help in the manufacture of arches along a given radius.

The technological process of profiling long workpieces is based on pulling the part through rollers located at a certain distance from each other. To give a bend in one direction or another, the length of the length is not passed in a straight direction, one or two rollers are offset.

Pipe rolling machine

When rolling long pipes on a machine, the center of movement is shifted. Due to this displacement, a curve is formed between the rollers. One roller presses from the inside of the radial contour, and the other two form the external contour of the future product.

Drawing of a pipe bender for pulling profile pipes. All dimensions of parts required for manufacturing are indicated:

Structurally, such a device is made on a strong support made of channel. The lower rollers are located in bearings. Usually the distance between them does not change (there are versions of the machine where, by changing the location of the lower rollers, a different rolling radius is created).

The top roller is located on top. It can be moved in height. By moving the supporting part downward along the thread, significant forces can be developed. They will act on the pipe during the rolling process.

For self-production, you can go a different route. The walls of the device are cut out of a sheet 2...4 mm thick, where the rollers are installed.

Simplified pipe bender design:

The most difficult thing is to make the sidewalls, inside of which are located:

Support shafts – 2 pcs.
A pressure roller located on a suitable device.
A handle that allows you to roll a profile pipe.

Industrial machines are made with manual or electric drive. When manufacturing an electrified machine, the possibility of reverse must be provided. Then you can roll, forcing the length to move in both directions.

Design of a homemade rolling machine

To roll a profile pipe, you need to make a simple device that will implement the following ideas:

the pipe moves between guide bearings installed with a small gap (0.2...0.4 mm);
Profiling rollers will press on it from above and below. When pushing the workpiece between them, the upper and lower edges will collapse. The side edges will not change.

Rolling machine for profiling pipes 20·20 mm: 1 – stand; 2 – body-cover; 3 – rolling roller; 4 – bearing

Between the upper and lower housing-covers 2, bearings 4 are located on special axes. The distance is chosen so that with a small gap the profile pipe can pass between them.

Rolling is carried out by two rollers 3 mounted on special stands 1. They are welded to the housings so that the rollers crush the pipe by 2.0...2.5 mm on each side.

The body-cover is made of a 6 mm thick plate

The roller must be made of high-strength structural steel. 65G spring steel can be used

There is no need to use expensive material to make the stand. Regular quality steel will do

The design provides for the use of a handle to rotate the roller. Similar handles are used on washing machines produced in the eighties and nineties of the last century. They can be found at metal depots and scrap metal collection sites.

Making a pipe bender with your own hands

The simplest pipe bender is relatively easy to make. Need to purchase:

bearings No. 206;
bearing housings;
shafts Ø 35 mm made of hardened steel HRC 40...45 (suitable for the internal size of the bearings);
bicycle sprockets of the same diameter;
bicycle pedal;
lead screw with nut;
channel No. 8;
channel No. 6;
M8 bolts with nuts;
strip 40 mm, thickness 4 mm.

To make it you need to use:

Electric drill.
File.
Angle grinder with cutting and cleaning discs.
Welding machine.
Set of wrenches.

How to make a profile pipe bender with your own hands, working according to a template

In this case, the guide elements are boards, the cross-section of which should be a couple of centimeters larger than that of rolled products.

Securely fasten the selected wooden products to a durable metal base that can withstand even significant loads.
Place a stop nearby on which the bent parts will subsequently be placed.
Connect the winch so that you don’t have to make physical efforts when making the passage.

With this version of the device, it is not necessary to saw the boards to create bevels, gutter or slope, and this has a positive effect on the overall durability of the configuration. But limiters are needed in any case - so that the element being processed does not move out. It must be carefully inserted into the gap between the template and the stop, then gently press on its free end, setting the initial clamping force.

This option is good for its ease of implementation, but it does not always guarantee the accuracy of the curvature - the final radius may be several degrees less than required. Well, the guides are not universal - in fact, they are only suitable for one diameter. Therefore, it makes sense to look for other solutions.

“Snail”: we’ll make this rolling pipe bender with our own hands, with a drawing and diagrams

So named because of the specific shape of the spiral.
This machine is good for stamping large quantities of the same type of blanks. Even in the rack version, its dimensions are relatively small, so placing it on site is not a problem (even if it is a small home workshop). It's also easy to operate. Manufacturing takes place in several stages:

You make the center - cut off a piece of round timber with a diameter of 38 mm and a thickness of 28 mm, and drill an eccentric hole of 8 mm in it. Using a grinder, remove excess metal to form a voluminous petal. After that, punch out a new seat on its radial surface - for an M10 thread.
You form a spiral - from a steel strip 4 mm thick, according to the design, with such a shape of turns that you can subsequently provide any desired radius of curvature.
Cut out the support plate - from a carbide sheet, 3 mm, not narrower, since it must withstand significant loads. Weld it to it.
Attach the resulting functional unit to a metal stand that is strong enough, with a wall thickness of 3 mm or more. Fix it with bolts screwed into pre-drilled holes for this purpose.
Weld the handle - on the reverse side, so that in the future it will be easier for you to remove and install the parts being processed.

The only disadvantage of the resulting mechanism is that it provides only small radii of curvature. If you try to greatly bend the workpiece on it, there is a chance that you will simply break it off.

Rental devices

At their core, these are also simple machines that create flexible pipes at any desired angle.
Their peculiarity is that the profile completely passes through their entire structure (hence the name). Otherwise, they do not differ from the standard ones: there is a base and shafts, with the driving ones providing broaching, and the movable one providing pressing force. And then, by the way, it’s time to look at what such equipment generally consists of.

Step-by-step manufacturing of the machine

Having prepared a set of components, we begin manufacturing.

General view of the machine. It is installed on timber 100·50 mm.

All details are displayed in a visible place. The performance of the bearings and lead screw is preliminarily checked.

Blanks are cut from channels. A vertical stand is welded from them, installed perpendicular to the supporting channel.

A hole is drilled for the lead screw. A nut is welded to it. Then screw in the screw. A cross member is welded on top; it will be needed to move the screw along the thread.

Bearings move along the support channel. They are pre-installed in the housings. Shafts are inserted inside. Chain sprockets are welded to one of the ends.

A bicycle pedal is welded to one support shaft. By rotating it in one direction or another, you can force the pipe to move in the desired direction.

Having manufactured the clamping mechanism, the location of all elements is checked. They try to install them according to the drawing presented earlier.

Having installed the parts in place, they are welded. Now it’s time to check the functionality of the device.

Place the pipe and roll it in both directions. There is no pressure from above yet; we are checking how easily the pipe moves.

By turning the screw, press the pressure roller down and push the pipe. By moving the pressure roller, roll the pipe. After each pass, move the roller down. Periodically remove the part and compare it with the template.

Having manufactured the machine, you can begin to manufacture greenhouses and greenhouses, which are based on profile pipes. Below are examples and information on how to make such structures.

Video: homemade pipe bender for a profile pipe.

Do-it-yourself pipe bender for profiles: drawings and process

To make a relatively simple machine you will need:

several sections of channel (or similar structures) and a steel shelf;
high strength springs;
3 bodies of revolution;
drive chain.

Yes, some more elements will be required, but these are components, and therefore they can not be highlighted separately, but only mentioned when they become relevant.

Having prepared everything you need, you need to do the following:

Weld metal structures and fasten them together into a stable frame.
Place the axle (steel plate) and shafts on it - two higher, one lower; the greater the difference in level between them, the wider the maximum radius of curvature.
Equip the chain drive - equip it with three gears and pull it between the rollers.
Provide a handle - attach it to the nearest body of rotation, it is with its help that, by applying physical effort, you can create torque and set the entire mechanism in motion.

Instructions for making a simple electric pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands

The list of required elements and the procedure are slightly different here. So:

Make the base from a piece or corner 3–4 mm thick, with a hole (3 m from the end) for the axis.
Place the feed shaft with a pulley at one end on the frame and connect it to the motor rotor with a belt drive. On the other side, secure the drive sprocket.
Next, install the second roller, the top one, with the driven gear.
Mount the pin and screw the lock into it.
Place the third roller, this time the bottom one, so that together they form a triangle, promoting better deformation. You limit its movement by welding a U-shaped fork on the side.
Assemble the device by tightening the stationary pulley with the handle.

The advantage of such equipment is the speed of operation, as well as the absence of flattening and creases and, finally, a minimum number of joints.

We make a hydraulic pipe bending machine with our own hands for a profile pipe

The key feature of its configuration is a powerful jack, the lifting capacity of which should be more than 5 tons. Accordingly, its base must withstand significant loads. Equipment assembly is carried out in the following sequence:

Make a frame from a channel - in the shape of a rectangle.
Attach a metal plate to its bottom (lower plane), and a lifting mechanism with a drive handle to it, and secure it with bolts.
Select the rollers so that they provide a tight grip on the rolled products and mount them at the same height in relation to each other.
Install the shoe - below the rollers and exactly in the middle between them; the difference in height will determine the maximum rounding angle.

So you have made the simplest homemade pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands. To use it, just insert the workpiece, clamp both ends and use the jack. The hydraulics will act as a powerful pusher - the rising rod will apply such pressure to the area of curvature that it will be enough to cope with the hardest material. And as soon as the desired radius is reached, it is enough to slightly rotate the mechanism handle in the opposite direction and pull out the part of the required geometry.

The only negative is the relatively large weight of such equipment. Well, there is also the need to select rollers that provide a really tight girth.

Arches for greenhouses and greenhouses

Different types of greenhouses are used in the practice of gardeners

Greenhouse metal frame 3·4 m:

Most often, three-meter arcs are chosen. An entrance is created at the ends. Additionally, a window is installed that can be opened while leaving the door closed. Profile pipes of 20·20 and 25·25 mm are used.

Reinforced arc of an arched greenhouse:

In winter, the load can reach over 200 kg/m². Therefore, a curved arc inside is welded to the outer contour. Additionally, radial connections are welded. Now a more rigid circuit is working that will withstand high loads.

Stationary greenhouse “Butterfly”:

Small greenhouse structures can be made stationary or portable. They are convenient because you don’t need to go inside to work with the plants being grown. It is enough to open the doors slightly to gain access. The greenhouses are called “Butterfly” because they open in both directions. From the end, the raised doors look like butterfly wings.

Portable “Breadbox” greenhouses are installed on the beds for the spring and autumn periods. In this design, the door opens in a similar way to how this issue is resolved in bread bins. It rises up and moves along the back wall. Such devices are in enviable demand among vegetable growers.

The desire to reduce the snow load and create a durable metal frame is pushing designers to create teardrop-like greenhouses. The generatrices of the walls are built along complex curves. The top is pointed, the snow rolls down without stopping on the surface.

Joining semi-arches in the “Droplet” greenhouse:

Inside, the semi-arches are connected in the center of the frame. This solution facilitates the production and delivery of products to the gardener’s plot. All that remains is to make the halves and assemble them on site.

Drawing of a radial arch for a greenhouse made of 20·20 mm profile pipe. Doorway:

The most common design is made along a radius of 1500 mm (outer profile). In it, a height of 2115 mm is reached in the center of the structure. Vertical sections are created on the sides of the generative arc; their length is 615 mm. Users will enter through a 780mm wide doorway. The opening height of 1830 mm is sufficient for the passage of people of average height.

Practice shows that such a greenhouse is in demand in most areas. There is enough space inside to accommodate beds and walkways.

Arch for a heifer 2800 mm wide:

Some people like to use a greenhouse that has a slightly smaller width (2800 mm). In it, the height in the central part is slightly higher, amounting to 2195 mm. Here the vertical sections along the edges have a height of 795 mm. The radius of the generatrix of the curve is 1400 mm (outer dimension).

The large height (2085 mm) and width (800 mm) of the doorway attracts attention. Even tall users will be able to walk inside freely without bending over when entering.

For a greenhouse 6 m long you need:

7 arcs, they are placed at a distance of 1 m from each other;
for the manufacture of end elements, 33.3 m is required;
the longitudinal elements between the arcs will total 42 m;
To manufacture a metal frame, 20 profile pipes (6 m) will be required. The calculation was performed for a 20·20 mm profile pipe with a wall thickness of 1.5 mm. The total weight is 99 kg.

Scope of application of profile pipes

Profile pipes in the retail chain are sold in sections 6 m long

Profiled pipe made from thin sheets has a number of irreplaceable properties:

the presence of a rectangular or square cross-section provides a fairly high resistance to bending influences;
against torsion, this type of section works quite successfully;
with a small mass, the spatial structure is able to withstand significant static and dynamic loads;
such blanks are easy to cut to a given size;
the material is easily welded with all types of welding;
blanks from corrugated pipes are delivered to the installation site, and then relatively quickly and easily assembled into the finished product;
used as a metal frame, it is subsequently sheathed with finishing materials.

An original bench that uses pipes bent into two different radii

Industrial enterprises and craftsmen in their workshops make a wide variety of products from profile pipes. Protected ground structures are the most represented. Greenhouses and greenhouses are created according to different schemes:

with a gable roof. Such designs have a traditional look. They form two slopes for dumping snow and rain moisture. Such greenhouses are quite spacious, the walls are vertical;
arched type. To create such a product, you must first create arches. Rollers and special bending equipment are used here. With minimal costs of metal and cellular polycarbonate, a significant area of insulated soil is achieved. Such structures are made according to pre-created drawings;
“drop” is a special type of greenhouse. It has a peaked roof, on which snow practically does not linger in winter. High space is used for growing tall plants. Even quite large trees and grapes are placed here;
“Pavilion” is another interesting type of greenhouse. A semicircular roof is used with vertical walls. Such structures make it possible to create not only greenhouses for summer growing vegetables, they are used even in severe frosts. The temperature inside remains summer, and heat-loving plants grow.

A “butterfly” greenhouse allows you to approach plants from two sides. In hot weather, the walls rise. In cold weather they are lowered. The cold will not reach the plants

Country furniture made of profile pipes. Metal can be used to make elegant designs

Budget tables and benches made from profile pipes are in high demand among the population

Outside the city, as well as in parks and places of public recreation, you can happily sit down on a comfortable rocking chair

In summer it's nice to be in the shower. The booth was also made from a profile pipe

An inexpensive and comfortable gazebo is in demand almost everywhere. They are placed in dachas, they find a place in the local architecture. A small roof will provide protection from the sun and rain

Light bar stools are laconic and quite comfortable. They can be placed in a bar, or at home.

How to make homemade rollers for a profile pipe?

Curved profile pipe is widely used in the construction of various structures. The curved profile gives the roof a streamlined shape, is aesthetically attractive when constructing arched structures and openings, and can withstand severe dynamic loads. Buying a profile of the required diameter is not a problem. It is impossible to give a straight metal profile pipe the desired bend without the use of special equipment.

You can bend the profile manually using a gas burner and applying physical force. But even for such a simple operation it is necessary to secure the pipe firmly, select a safe place for heating, and adjust the levers to apply force. It is even more difficult to make several symmetrically curved profiles.

This problem is solved using a special technique - rolling a profile pipe.

What is pipe rolling

For the construction of metal structures, special pipes with a square or rectangular cross-section are used, which have increased strength to static load. Giving these pipes the required shape using a special machine is called rolling. The machine itself is called rollers (roller, pipe bender).

When people talk about pipe rolling on an industrial scale, this term refers to the operation of producing a profile pipe. The blank for obtaining the profile is a round welded pipe, which, by rolling on rollers, is converted into a pipe with a square or rectangular cross-section.

Rolling in production consists of the following operations:

Preparation of a pipe with a round cross-section from flat rolled metal - the sheet is rolled up and the connecting seam is welded.
A round pipe is pulled through a roller, deforming it and giving it a cross-section of specified dimensions.
Carry out quality control of the connecting seam of the resulting profile.
Additional rolling removes the residual stress of the metal after deformation.

Note! The term “rolling” on an industrial scale has a broader meaning than just a radial change in the shape of the pipe.

A production roller or pipe bender is a machine consisting of 3 or five metal rollers, which are connected into a single mechanism by a drive chain. Such a machine is used in the pipe rolling industry, primarily for the manufacture of the profile itself.

In pipe rolling production or in professional construction, an electric roller is used. This is a device that consists of several specially fixed rollers and a guide system. Between them, with external force, a metal profile is pulled.

When making pipes, the rolling machine looks like a stationary multi-ton machine. In industrial construction, a roller is an industrially manufactured machine for radius deformation of a pipe.

Industrial rollers

The industry produces machines for self-rolling profile pipes for the needs of private construction. The cost of such devices starts from 25 thousand rubles.

These are portable, compact machines:

with manual drive;
electrical devices.

Note! Hydraulic driven machines are used in industrial production. These are heavy stationary machines that have great power.

Standard rollers for home use consist of:

Three hardened metal rollers. The bottom two are servers. The upper pressure roller presses on the pipe, deforming it.
Threaded clamping device.
Stable bed.
Sturdy metal case.
Handles for driving the chain drive.

It is easy to equip a manual machine with an electric drive. For some industrial rollers, this modification is provided by the manufacturer. At the consumer's request, the electric drive is installed upon purchase.

However, purchasing an industrial machine for home use is a luxury for most consumers. It is possible to make such a device yourself, provided you have some skills and the availability of component parts.

Homemade devices for rolling

The pipe bender in the home craftsman's arsenal is not a device that is often used. However, for those craftsmen who are engaged in arranging their own site on their own, rollers are periodically necessary.

Carrying out repair and construction work using bent profiles allows you to create lightweight, durable structures from modern materials. For example, polycarbonate, which is widely used in the construction of greenhouses, gazebos, canopies, and roofs, fits well on a bent metal profile.

A homemade pipe bender is a compact device with dimensions: length - 500 mm, width - 220 mm, height 340 mm.

For production you will need:

stable base;
strong body;
metal rollers;
chain for transmitting torque to the rollers;
clamp for adjusting pressure;
guide pipe.

Note! It is unacceptable to skimp on components. The rolling machine must have sufficient strength and be safe to use.

To make a high-quality pipe bender yourself, you must have skills in working with metal and be able to draw up and read a drawing. With a little effort, you can assemble rollers at home that will not differ in performance from their industrial counterparts.

How to make rollers with your own hands?

Homemade rollers for a profile pipe should be:

Depending on the frequency of use, a homemade machine can be equipped with an electric drive after its manufacture. The motor power should be no more than 1.5 kW (for operation from a stationary network).

Note! Electric profile rollers cannot be called an economical device. If such a machine is used infrequently, then you can get by with a manual drive.

The manufacture of a machine for home rolling should begin with the assembly of its body. For this, it is recommended to use a channel or profile pipe. The base must be wide enough and stable. The body is rigid, the working part is U-shaped. A nut is welded at the top of the body to install a clamp to adjust the pressure of the deforming roller. The second option is to install a hydraulic jack.

The jack is installed under the feed roller from below. In this embodiment, pressure is applied to the pipe from below, for which half of the installation platform (with one feed roller) is made movable.

The rolling mechanism has its own characteristics. The rollers must be stronger than the pipes that are expected to be deformed. They are made of hardened steel and secured with rolling bearings. Two rollers are installed on the lower platform, on the same plane. They will stretch the pipe.

The deforming roller is installed on top in the U-shaped part of the body. Its position is adjusted with a clamp. The rolling mechanism is connected and driven using a chain drive. The chain can be used from a large bicycle. The sprockets are installed on a rolling and deforming roller and connected to a handle, from which torque is supplied.

A guide pipe is installed to hold the pipe in the center.

Operating principle of a pipe bender

The nature of the action may differ slightly depending on the design, but in general it comes down to the following:

Securely fix the selected profile in the device.
You bend it at the desired angle using the method provided for this - by rolling, rolling, heating at a certain point until it acquires plasticity, using a template.

The metal product passes through movable shafts, and its geometry changes due to the force applied by the pressure roller. If the radius of curvature is not large enough, you will need to make another pass, although from the point of view of labor productivity, it is better if the result is achieved the first time.

The quality of the mechanism is determined by how much it deforms the material in the area of influence, as well as its versatility. The more diameters and sizes it supports, the more convenient it is.

In this regard, several types of these devices are distinguished - according to two key characteristics, which we now move on to consider.

Recommendations from experts

Key points to consider when making rollers for profile pipes:

When assembling the machine, it is recommended to install radial adjustment, which will allow you to adjust the gap during operation;
adjustment of the angular gap should be provided;
For safe operation of the machine, especially with an electric drive, protection should be used on the moving parts of the mechanism.

With the right approach, rollers made at home are in no way inferior to industrial machines.

Types of rolling machine

As has already become clear from what was said earlier, rolling equipment is necessary for processing a metal billet into a finished geometrically shaped part. In this case, the following types of equipment are used for sheet metal:

Continuous extensions, which allow the production of metal pipes with a cross-section of 110 mm.
Pilgrim machines are used in the manufacture of massive pipes with a diameter of 400 to 700 mm.
Short-length models of equipment that are used in the production of seamless pipes with a diameter of up to 450 mm.
Three-shaft machines, which, in turn, are used to produce thick-walled pipes, the diameter of which can reach 200 mm. This type of equipment is often called a jewelry rolling machine.

Important: modern metalworking plants also often use wide-profile models of bending system systems, which makes it possible to produce profile pipes with a total length of up to 3 meters.