Factory Quality in the Field
A Guide to Choosing the Right Field Forming
Partner
By Amy Stokes
 When field
forming or curving metal roofing panels is required, beware
of pitfalls that put you and your customer at risk. In recent years,
it
has become increasingly easy for just about anyone to rent, or even
buy,
portable forming equipment. This trend, while initially presenting a
seemingly cost effective alternative, has actually proven extremely
costly to building owners and design professionals.
Design professionals specify a panel
based on performance. To ensure you
are getting the panel you specified and the performance your customer
is
investing in, consider the following:
-
Has this field-formed panel system
been
engineered
to meet
building
code?
-
Has this
field-formed system
been properly
tested for
resistance to
wind uplift, air & water infiltration? Is test documentation
available
for review?
Some manufacturers may have conducted testing on panels
manufactured
in the plant. Unless the field forming equipment is of the same
factory-quality, however, plant-fabricated and field-fabricated panels
may differ significantly.
-
Is the owner or operator of the
portable roll former registered with the appropriate testing
agencies, such as UL?
In some cases, while the portable roll forming equipment
is approved by testing agencies, if the operator is not listed then
the panels will not be considered "approved" by the testing
authority.
-
 Are
the
on-site fabricators
qualified to operate the roll-former? Have
they been factory-trained to manufacture the panel system?
Field formed panels should be made by the same fabricators who
make
panels in the shop to ensure panel quality and performance.
Contractors
have limited experience operating roll-forming equipment. And while
crews may be talented installers, they typically are not metal
manufacturing experts.
-
Is the forming equipment
full-service
factory-quality equipment, or is
it a scaled-down secondary model?
Some “portable” machines are designed for ease of transportation
rather than quality of production.
-
Does the forming equipment undergo
routine and documented preventive
maintenance?
Contractors who have acquired portable roll formers may not be able
to
replace worn parts or rollers when needed
-
When not in use, is equipment stored
in a clean, controlled factory
environment, or out in a contractor’s yard?
-
Does the forming equipment offer a
sufficient number of roller
stations?
Some portable machines have fewer roller stations, which can cause
oil
canning
 But perhaps the most important
thing to consider is whether or not your
customer’s investment is sheltered by the roof you select. If the
panels
fail, who will pay for damage to your customer’s
property, and who is
responsible for replacing any damaged or defective products?
What will
the roof’s ultimate cost be?
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