In sheet-metal fabrication, flanging forms a controlled lip on an edge so the part can be strengthened, sealed, rolled, welded, or assembled with predictable fit. The main decision is often shape-driven: are you flanging a straight tube or drum, or a conical transition that changes diameter along the length? ZHUOSHENG builds both types and designs the forming system around the geometry, so edge quality stays stable as speed and thickness increase.
A cylinder has a constant radius. During flanging, the roller path and pressure can remain consistent around the full circumference, which makes it easier to hold repeatable flange width and perpendicularity.
A cone has a changing radius from one end to the other. That single difference forces the machine to manage varying tangential speed, contact angle, and support conditions as the roller travels. If the machine treats a cone like a cylinder, the flange mouth can become uneven or the edge can wrinkle because forming strain is not uniform across the circumference. ZHUOSHENG’s cone-capable designs emphasize controlled curling and sealing on conical barrels, and can integrate curling, trimming, and punching modules based on the part’s requirements.
| Item | Cylinder flanging machine | Cone Flanging Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Best-fit workpiece | Straight tubes, drums, motor housings, round ducts | Conical barrels, transitions, fan cones, taper shells |
| Radius behavior | Constant radius, stable roller contact | Radius changes along length, roller contact must adapt |
| Typical risk points | Out-of-roundness, burrs, inconsistent width if clamping is weak | Wrinkling, uneven mouth, thickness variation near the small end |
| Tooling strategy | More standardized rollers and fixtures | More geometry-specific rollers and support, more tuning points |
| Process control focus | Coaxial alignment, constant feed, stable clamping | Feed-pressure coordination and support across varying diameter |
| Expansion modules | Trimming, curling, beading, inner flanging | Curling, trimming, punching, flaring, combined operations |
This is why the “right” machine is not only about capacity—it’s about how the machine maintains contact stability while forming.
Most flanging systems rely on the same core variables: spindle speed, roller feed rate, feed ratio, lubrication, and temperature control. These parameters are commonly highlighted in metal spinning and flanging practice.
Where cones differ is that the effective surface speed and contact angle change with diameter, so the machine must handle a wider “process window” without losing stability. In experimental flanging work, typical test conditions included feed rates around 0.3–0.5 mm/rev and rotational speeds from about 76 to 305 rpm on thicker sheets, illustrating how speed/feed selection directly affects load and quality outcomes.
For a cone, those same ranges can produce different results at the big end versus the small end, so a cone-capable design must control the forming path and support more carefully.
Cylinder flanging is often selected for high-throughput “repeat geometry” parts: motor casings, drums, cylindrical housings, and welded duct sections. For this type of work, buyers typically prioritize:
Diameter range and height range for the part family
Flange width range that matches downstream joining or sealing
Thickness capability by material type
Repeatability when tooling runs for long cycles
A ZHUOSHENG example built for motor casings lists a 100–400 mm working diameter, 10–40 mm flange width, workpiece height 200–1000 mm, and thickness capability up to 1–4 mm for iron and 1–2.5 mm for stainless steel, with a stated precision target of ±0.5 mm for this application-focused system.
For many production lines, those practical ranges are more decisive than “maximum tonnage” because they determine whether you can keep one setup running across a whole part series.
Cone and transition parts often sit at the intersection of forming and assembly. The flange is not only an edge—it’s the locating feature for welding, sealing, or joining to another section. That makes edge smoothness and mouth uniformity especially important.
A ZHUOSHENG cone-capable hydraulic model describes processing diameters roughly 200–1300 mm, with material thickness ranges such as 0.8–4 mm for carbon steel and 0.8–3 mm for stainless steel, and hemming widths around 20–50 mm. It also emphasizes combined operations in one workflow, including curling and S-shaped sealing for cylindrical or conical barrels.
When you evaluate cone flanging, look beyond “can it form a flange” and ask whether the machine keeps the mouth consistent across the full cone angle, especially if you weld afterward.
Cone parts often require multiple edge steps: curl + seal + trim, sometimes punching. ZHUOSHENG positions some cone systems as dual-unit hydraulic operation that completes curling and sealing in a single cycle and cites throughput that can exceed 600 pieces in 8 hours in a stated application scenario, compared with lower single-machine throughput in traditional workflows.
Even if your part is simple today, choosing a platform that supports trimming/curling add-ons can reduce future changeover cost—especially for OEM/ODM programs where geometry variants appear frequently.
A quick practical rule:
Choose a cylinder flanging machine when your SKUs are mostly straight-wall parts, your goal is repeatability, and fixtures can standardize clamping across a family of diameters.
Choose a cone flanging machine when your parts include tapers, transitions, fan cones, or conical barrels where diameter changes along the forming path and support control is critical.
If your production includes both, a cone-capable system that can also handle cylindrical work may simplify training and spare parts, but you should confirm cycle time and fixture strategy for your highest-volume cylinder SKUs. ZHUOSHENG explicitly supports custom configuration and can pair flanging with rolling and straight-seam welding equipment for a more stable end-to-end workflow.
When flanging quality becomes a bottleneck, the winning solution is usually not a “bigger” machine—it’s a better-matched forming system. ZHUOSHENG offers a wide flanging-machine range (cylinder and cone categories) and highlights customization, modular functions, and production-oriented controls for different workpieces.
If you are planning a bulk order program or expanding a part family, the most efficient path is typically to send your drawings and target flange spec early, so the tooling, travel, and optional modules are designed around your real assembly needs.
Recommended starting points to compare platforms:
ZHUOSHENG Cylinder Flanging Machine lineup
ZHUOSHENG Cone Flanging Machine lineup
Flanging definition and typical 90-degree flange description: Toledo Metal Spinning overview.
Key spinning/flanging process parameters (feed rate, speed, lubrication): MetalForming Magazine (metal spinning processing considerations).
Example experimental ranges for flanging feed and rotational speed: published study PDF reporting feed rates 0.3–0.5 mm/rev and speeds 76–305 rpm.
ZHUOSHENG product capabilities and sample specifications referenced: official ZHUOSHENG product pages.
