Top Chord
As experts in custom roll forming parts, we know that it takes experience and innovation to provide you with the right solution for your unique project. At Cargowall, we have been in the business of custom roll forming for over 20 years and developed extensive experience across many industries. No project is too simple or too complex. Our dedication to excellence has given us a long standing reputation for custom, high quality roll formed parts in both the trailer and agricultural industries.
We recently had the opportunity to work on the challenging project of creating new top chords for use in greenhouse construction. In a greenhouse, the top chords are part of the truss, the structural component that supports the weight of the roof. The top chords are key components in the structural integrity of the greenhouse.
Each top chord was 4.013” high and varied in length up to 35 feet long. The chord’s material thickness was 0.075”. In the final assembly process, dimensions on the opening were especially critical and had to be held within a .010″ range. Considering the narrow range, prior to any welding and any value added services, we noticed that the tolerance would not be maintained utilizing the previously selected steel, so we produced the chords with steel that had half the tolerances on the thickness. After production with the new steel, welding operations and post-dip galvanizing were performed on the pieces before piercing.
Multiple holes were punched along the length of each chord, with the goal of aligning holes in flange A with the holes in flange B. Because this critical area needed to be inspected every two feet along the length of the chord to assure adherence to the specification, GO/NOGO gauges were developed and manufactured for inspection purposes.
The customer was present for the entire production part approval process (PPAP). Cargowall made sure to implement a thorough inspection for this component to ensure product conformity throughout the production run. Also, prior to PPAP, the products were reviewed to ensure quality control once through the welding and post-dip galvanizing processes.
Special packaging was used to maintain the chords’ dimensional integrity during transportation. Today, we still develop parts for this customer.
This case study is a small example of the type of work we specialize in. No matter how complex your problem, at Cargowall Limited our experience and ingenuity will provide you with the quality roll formed parts you need. Contact us to learn more about how we can serve you.