Gasparini’s Multi-Profile Technology for Roofing, Cladding and Decking: REVOLVER Roll Forming for Trapezoidal and Corrugated Sheet Metal

Our roll forming technology for trapezoidal and corrugated Sheet metal

Anyone producing trapezoidal and corrugated sheet metal for roofing, cladding and floor decking – whether in-house or as a subcontractor – knows the challenge well: the construction market demands ever more profile variety, shorter lead times and different materials, but on a traditional line, every profile change means machine downtime, manual roll changeovers and lost production hours.

For over 70 years, Gasparini has been designing roll forming systems for the construction industry, and REVOLVER technology was developed precisely to answer this need: to produce more trapezoidal and corrugated profiles on the same roll forming line, changing product in just minutes and without manual intervention on the rolls.

The trapezoidal and corrugated sheet metal sector: roofing, cladding and decking

Trapezoidal and corrugated sheet metal are among the most widely used products in industrial and civil construction, employed in three main applications:

• Roofing – trapezoidal or corrugated panels for the roofs of industrial buildings, commercial and civil structures
• Cladding – facade cladding with aesthetic and functional profiles, often pre-painted
• Decking – structural trapezoidal sheet used for dry floor decking, composite floor decking or as permanent formwork

Each application requires different profile geometries, variations in pitch and rib height, specific tolerances and materials of different thicknesses. A manufacturer working across multiple markets – or one that produces on a subcontract basis for customers with varied needs – has to manage a broad product catalog. This is where the flexibility of our roll forming lines becomes a genuine competitive advantage, not just a technical requirement.

🚀Manufacturers’ need: varying profiles with fast production changeovers

For a manufacturer or subcontractor who needs to respond quickly to different orders – for example, producing a batch of trapezoidal sheet for roofing and a batch of corrugated profile for walls on the same day – this need translates into:

• Reducing machine downtime between one order and the next
• Eliminating the risk of errors in manually assembling roll forming tooling sets
• Increasing competitiveness on small or urgent orders

The REVOLVER system was designed to meet exactly these needs.

How REVOLVER technology works

REVOLVER technology is built around 4 different roll sets on the same shaft. Through the motorized rotation of the roll-carrying shafts, the line automatically selects the correct set for the requested profile, with no manual disassembly and no need to stop the plant for lengthy mechanical intervention. After the automatic profile change, the shear moves to allow a quick change of the cutting die – the only manual step required during a product changeover.

Key points of the technology:

• Up to 4 different profiles manageable on the same roll forming line, through shaft rotation
• Profile change in under 3 minutes, compared to the hours required for a manual roll change
• Fully automated product changeover, managed by software developed in-house by Gasparini to ensure repeatability and long-term reliability
• Optimized footprint: for the same number of profiles produced, the REVOLVER line requires less floor space than multiple dedicated lines or interchangeable cassette systems

In practice, a single REVOLVER system can replace several lines each dedicated to a single profile, while maintaining the productivity and quality of a system designed specifically for each geometry.mantenendo la produttività e la qualità di un sistema progettato su misura per ogni geometria.

⚙️The REVOLVER roll forming machine in production

A REVOLVER line for cladding, roofing and decking is built as a sequence of forming stations, each with multiple roll sets keyed onto the shafts. The automatic rotation of the forming rolls makes it possible to switch from a trapezoidal profile to a corrugated one – or vice versa – while automatic thickness adjustment allows different materials to be handled without compromising profile quality or the flatness of the finished panel, both essential requirements for ensuring watertightness and the aesthetic appearance of roofing.

The profiles produced: trapezoidal and corrugated sheet metal

Sulla stessa linea REVOLVER è possibile realizzare profili con geometrie molto diverse tra loro, tipicamente impiegati in:

• Profili trapezoidali ad alta e bassa onda, per coperture e pareti industriali
• Profili ondulati tradizionali, molto richiesti nel mercato residenziale e nella ristrutturazione
• Profili strutturali per solai collaboranti, con geometrie dedicate a garantire l’ancoraggio del getto di calcestruzzo

I materiali lavorabili comprendono acciaio zincato, acciaio preverniciato e alluminio preverniciato, anche in versione preforata per esigenze di ventilazione o design. La possibilità di gestire spessori e materiali diversi sulla stessa linea, oltre ai profili, amplia ulteriormente la flessibilità produttiva.

The technologies integrated into the roll forming line

A complete REVOLVER line for roofing, cladding and decking is never an isolated machine, but an integrated system of coordinated technologies. Among the main ones:

• Uncoiler for automatic coil feeding
• Scrap-free head-to-tail shear, which eliminates material waste and optimizes material use when a coil is only partially used, with a direct impact on production costs
• Punching to pre-perforate the sheet
• REVOLVER roll forming, the heart of the automatic profile-change system
• Flying shear for cut-to-length without slowing production
• Automated stacking system at the line exit, to form profile bundles ready for shipping

Depending on the configuration requested by the customer, the following can also be added:

• overlap edge forming operations
• embossing of trapezoidal sheet for composite floor decking
• perforation for ventilation purposes
• anti-condensation felt application
• peelable film application
• automatic maximum production speed adjustment based on the length of the profile requested, to optimize plant output under every operating condition

Connectivity and Industry 4.0: roll forming that talks to the factory

Le linee di profilatura Gasparini, incluse quelle basate su tecnologia REVOLVER, sono progettate secondo Gasparini’s roll forming lines, including those based on REVOLVER technology, are designed according to Industry 4.0 criteria. This means the plant isn’t just a production island, but a node connected to the factory’s information system: real-time production data acquisition, batch and profile-change traceability, remote diagnostics and the ability to integrate with the customer’s MES/ERP systems.

For a manufacturer or subcontractor working on multiple orders, this level of connectivity translates into concrete advantages:

• monitoring the line’s real productivity by order
• reducing downtime
• complete traceability of process parameters for every production batch, useful for quality certification purposes too
• the ability to plan profile changes by integrating plant data with production scheduling

The management software developed in-house by Gasparini for the REVOLVER system is designed precisely to communicate with these higher-level systems, ensuring reliable product changeovers and a continuous flow of information between the machine and the factory.

👉Case study: a REVOLVER line for roofing and cladding

A manufacturer active in the walls and roofing sector approached Gasparini needing to expand its production capacity through a single plant capable of producing a diversified range of profiles, without compromising on flexibility and speed.

The context. The customer needed a system capable of producing both trapezoidal and corrugated profiles, working with three different materials, including pre-perforated versions:

• pre-painted aluminum
• pre-painted steel
• galvanized steel

The solution. Gasparini designed a line based on REVOLVER technology capable of producing 4 profiles in the trapezoidal and corrugated sheet category, integrating into the line:

• uncoiler
• scrap-free head-to-tail shear
• REVOLVER roll forming system
• inline protective film application system
• intermittent anti-condensation fleece application unit
• flying cut-to-length shear
• automated stacking system

The technical results. Among the distinctive features of the configuration:

• the scrap-free shear eliminates material waste, maximizing coil utilization and reducing production costs
• integrated production of overlap edges during the forming process, with no additional operations required
• production speed automatically adjusts to the maximum value allowed based on the length of the profile requested, optimizing plant output order by order
• the line automatically calculates the material needed to complete the batch, to minimize scrap

The result is a single plant capable of independently covering a significant part of the customer’s profile catalog, reducing the need for multiple dedicated lines while maintaining high standards of quality and productivity.

When profile variety and precision are key requirements for producing roofing, walls and floors

Gasparini has been designing and building roll forming systems for the construction industry for over 70 years, with an approach that always starts from analyzing production needs and customer specifications before defining the line configuration. For manufacturers of trapezoidal and corrugated sheet metal, this translates into plants sized to the actual range of profiles to be produced, the materials to be worked and the expected production volumes, with the flexibility of REVOLVER technology as a central element of the configuration whenever profile variety is a key requirement.

Frequently asked questions about REVOLVER technology

How many profiles can a REVOLVER line produce?

REVOLVER technology can house up to 4 different roll sets, allowing multiple profiles to be produced on the same line through automatic shaft rotation.

How long does a profile change take with the REVOLVER system?

The profile change takes place in under 3 minutes, automatically and without the need for manual roll disassembly. Simply changing the cutting die is enough, and the machine is ready to produce the new profile.

What materials can be processed on a REVOLVER line for walls, roofing and floors?

REVOLVER lines for trapezoidal and corrugated sheet typically process galvanized steel, pre-painted steel and pre-painted aluminum, also in pre-perforated versions, with widths up to 1600 mm (63”) and thicknesses up to 1.6 mm (0.063”).

Can the REVOLVER line be integrated with factory information systems?

Yes, Gasparini lines are designed according to Industry 4.0 criteria and can be integrated with MES/ERP systems for production monitoring, batch traceability and remote diagnostics.

Would you like to evaluate a REVOLVER roll forming line for your production of trapezoidal and corrugated sheet metal? Contact the Gasparini team to discuss the profiles, materials and production volumes of your project together.