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Johnson Bros U-Channel & J-Channel thicknesses can range from .003" thick up to .150" thick. On 1/4 & 1/2 hard Aluminum, thicknesses may be as much as .250" thick. Many different decorative pre-coated metals are not generally recommended when more than .030" thickness is required unless larger than normal corner radii can be used. Some coatings can be used, however, up to .125" thick such as a pre-finished Hot Dip Galvanized coating. Standard Tooling is available for most sizes. Our Capacities on U Channels and J Channels are: Using up to .075" maximum thickness, Legs can be up to 5.5" O.D. High and Web widths can be up to 19" O.D. wide. Using up to .156" maximum thickness, Legs can be up to 4" O.D. high and Web widths can be up to 14" O.D. wide. Aluminum U Channels & Aluminum J Channels will have higher maximum thicknesses.
Some additional tooling costs may be required for: Special Corner Radii, Amco Bronze needed for highly polished stainless steel that is not allowed to be coated with a protective strippable PVC Covering, Legs bent more or less than 90 degrees, and other more sophisticated forming requirements.
Lengths may be from 3" thru 40 feet long with close tolerances. Many different lengths can be put on one purchase order.
Extra Inline fabrication during Roll Forming is frequently part of the manufacturing process for U Channels and J Channels, such as:
In many situations our modernized inline post fabricating can include many die operations in what used to be only a flying Cutoff Die operation. Our inline post fabrication dies now can do the entire hole punching and other notching required that in the past was done in the pre-punch operation. This reduces the number of dies required allows closer tolerances on the locations of the notching without the distortion that would occur if fabricated with a pre-punch press and then bent into the U Channel or J Channel. Sophisticated inline Flying Die Accelerators and Die Boosts utilizing close tolerance length measurement systems in the Post-Punching and Pre-Punching Presses are critical for close tolerance, higher speed, inline fabricating. The Die Accelerator can allow as many as 12 different functions to be carried out in the same die and can operate both Pre-Punching & Post-Punching/Cutoff presses at the same time.
U-Channels & J-Channels are used in almost all industries for any possible applications such as in this brief summary of other Channel terms:
Standard tooling for a U Channel and a J Channel with Legs at 90 Degrees is very common and rarely is there any tooling costs associated providing it meets our minimum order requirements of 2,000ft except on pre-production samples. Lower quantities with lot charges can be negotiated. Our Roll Die & Straightener Tooling is adjustable and can easily be changed or added to without cost. Our In-line Cutoff Tooling has smaller, inexpensive inserts making any tooling that we may have to make, (which is rare), very inexpensive and it's most often donated. Johnson Bros. even has existing Adjustable Roll Dies that can produce Hems on the inside or outside of the legs on these U channels & J channels. U & J Channels with other than 90 Degree bends with legs Tilted In or Tilted Out, may require very little or no extra tooling as most of the tooling used comes from a regular set of 90 Degree bend channel tooling and standard hemming rolls. Hems are generally .250"-.125" and sometimes smaller.
Johnson Brothers offers High Speed Roll Forming. Greater Length Tolerances allows faster production; however, our modernized length control system allows normal production speeds at close tolerances as well. Tolerances on legs and web of +/- .032 are common with +/- .005 and sometimes less are possible. Highly Accurate Roll Straighteners and Die Boosts allow for very straight parts without kinks from the cutoff operation.
Minimum orders are generally 2,000 feet total and up as parts are produced to order and not kept as a stock list to choose from on a shelf. Exceptions can be made for sample requirements, Blanket Order Releases or for other unique circumstances.
