Early in the morning we are getting ready to leave the motor city, Detroit, Michigan. We are prepared for a three hour drive. That is, once we get out to the parking lot! Last night close to ten inches of heavy and wet snow fell, guaranteeing the worst road conditions as the temperature immediately dropped below freezing – whether you measure in Fahrenheit or Celsius.
No one seems to have been prepared for this. When we enter Interstate I75, heading southeast, the traffic is moving close to walking pace. Still, some people really are in a hurry. Large 4x4 SUVs overtake us from time to time, go into a skid and end up in the ditches along the road.
This is a wonderful day for ultra high strength steel!
Roger Lidgren, Sales Manager for SSAB Swedish Steel in the USA, confirms that the vast majority of the cars we see involved in accidents have crash protection beams and other reinforcements made from advanced high strength steel grades. “And lots of the material is delivered by us,” he says.
We are on our way to Valley City, where Superior Roll Forming is situated, but by now we know that the journey will take a couple of hours more than estimated. Even though we trust the strength of the crash protection beams in Roger’s Volvo we see no need for practical evaluation of the famous Volvo safety systems.
Superior Roll Forming is run by brothers Tim and Kevin Synk, who are president and vice president of the company. They are third generation owners in a company that shapes sheet steel primarily for the automotive industry. Their grand-father started the business in 1946 not far from where the company is situated today. In those days the focus was on stamping sheet steel. The company also developed and manufacured its own tools.
Volumes an advantage
“But quite early on we also started with roll forming,” says Kevin Synk. “Some of our early products really did benefit from the roll forming technique. When we are talking volumes roll forming is always a smart solution.” Today roll forming is known worldwide when steel and aluminium sheet is used for roofing and cladding. It is a very cost effective method to manufacture, for example, pre-painted steel sheets that look exactly like tiles from a distance. Roll forming is also used for beams, poles and latches delivered to the building industry as well as manufacturers of shelves and other furniture.
This is what most roll formers are working with. Superior Roll Forming has gone beyond this.
Demanding customers
“The vast majority of the company’s customers are car manufacturers. This is a very demanding segment,” states Kevin Synk. “They naturally expect the quality to be 100 per cent, but also that we continuously develop our processes, techniques and the products we manufacture.” How do you do that? Roll forming a piece of steel can’t be improved that much, can it? There is a wide smile from the Synk brothers as well as from engineer Ray J. Krause, also taking part in the interview. “Let’s take a look,” Ray Krause says and invites us on a tour of the quite new facilities.
The Superior Roll Forming plant has expanded greatly in the past few years making room for new roll forming lines as well as a laboratory for testing and a R&D department. Furthermore there is enough space for final assembly, as well as a warehouse area. When we approach the first roll forming line a part of the secret behind the success of the company is revealed. The slit strip steel moves forward, but more slowly compared to the ordinary speed in a roll forming machine.
When Ray Krause describes the details it becomes clear that speed is not the only way to increase productivity: “Before entering the first roll forming tool there are a set of holes punched in the sheet,” he explains. “In-line bolts are inserted and clinched in place, eliminating the need for welding or post processing operations, then the material is twisted 180 degrees. After this the shaping process starts.” Already having bolts fastened to the steel sheet make great demands on the tools. “We develop our tools ourselves and we have all the maintenance in-house,” says Ray Krause. “This is very important when it comes to finding unique solutions for our customers. When we combine our skills with knowledge of new materials and the demands that car manufacturers have we can develop a tailor-made process like this one. It is roll-forming, certainly, but it also includes steps such as inserting bolts and nuts, welding and multi punching.”
Ready for delivery
When the details are cut into the right length, in this case for a rear seat component, and after the last station in the line, the product is ready for quality checkand delivery. “Everybody benefits from an automated process where no complementary work needs to be done before final assembly,” Ray Krause explains.This is the key to success for Superior Roll Forming:creative solutions where the delivered products push the limits for what can be done.
Part of this is smart design, but the use of some of the most advanced steel grades on the market is also important. Superior Roll Forming collaborates with SSAB Swedish Steel which manufactures advanced high strength steel, both extra and ultra high strength steel which has become greatly appreciated by car manufacturers. Thanks to the properties of these steel grades, thinner material can be used without sacrificing quality or safety. As a matter of fact, the roll forming process itself increases the yield strength of the ultra high strength steel being used.
High technical content
When Tim and Kevin Synk bought the business from their father in 1993 they decided to specialize in roll forming with added values such as a more advanced technical content in the products.
“Today we are working closely with our customers to support them in their continuous improvement,” says Ray Krause. “Our knowledge about the advantages of the roll forming process makes our products very competitive on the market.”
There is no doubt about that. More or less every car manufacturer in the US is using products from Superior Roll Forming. In addition, increasing volumes are sold to customers in Europe. “The ultra high strength steel that we use is very suitable for roll forming,” says Ray Krause. “Of course this is important for the final results, even though I must admit that from time to time we exceed the limits for the material which has been set by SSAB.” But you could say that this is what you should expect when you hear that the company’s policy is “Go beyond.”
Text: HÅKAN JOHANSSON