Precision Leveler Helps Give Perforated Sheets a Captivating Look

Perforated sheet metal fabricator Hendrick Manufacturing, Carbondale, PA, has added a new precision leveler from Schnutz GmbH, of the b+s group, to its facility to improve its ability to fabricate perforated sheets for a variety of applications, including adding architectural features to buildings. Leveling the perforated sheets removes any residual stresses and unevenness coming from punching or stamping operations. Hendrick installed the leveler, which processes sheets as wide as 1600 mm at speeds to 20 m/min., in November 2022.  

Describing the leveler’s capabilities, Schnutz GmbH managing director Dr.-Ing. Lutz-Stefan Heinrich, says: “We design the drive area to be particularly compact in order to keep the footprint as small as possible. Leveling and backup rolls are installed with their bearings in cassettes that can be removed and replaced as a unit with little effort. This trick makes maintenance easier and allows the use of leveling rolls with different diameters. It also extends the range of applications for our leveler.”

Perforated sheets—even those coated with oil—are fed into the machine manually, with the operator being supported by a special-design feed driver. A cleaning device cleans the leveling rolls without the need for removal, an important feature that reduces downtime. In addition, a special coating on the infeed-side leveling rolls optimizes grip. 

Adds Hendrick manufacturing engineer Alex Tonkin: “Other leveling machines would leave marks in the material, especially in the places where the sheets first enter the leveler. We therefore often had to leave extra material on the sheets and cut it off after leveling to remove the marks. This does not occur with the Schnutz leveler.”