Tank Turning Rollers – The Comprehensive FAQ Guide

If you are trying to look for tank turning rollers that can get you the job done in the fastest and most efficient ways possible? Don’t worry, we got you! Here at MISA Welding, we offer not only the best qualities of welding equipment, but also our excellent customer experience, too!

So, in this post, we’ll help you gain a better and a more fruitful understanding of what tank turning rollers are, as well as enumerate some of the pros and cons of it so you know what you’re dealing with!

Without further ado, let’s hop right onto it!

What Are Tank Turning Rolls?

Tank turning rolls, in the fastest and simplest way we can define them, are wheels that are made out of durable material coupled and masked with rubber and/or steel that continuously rotate a weldment or a workpiece, aiding the welding process.

This ability, the rotating of the round or circular workpieces or cylindrical objects is quintessential to the welding process because it allows the welder or the operator to focus on the weld fully and not worry about the positioning and angling of the workpiece to the tank turning roll.

Are Pipe Turning Rollers the Same as Tank Turning Rollers?

Technically, they are the same equipment. If you look at them by definition, tank turning rollers and pipe turning rollers are pretty much the same thing. The difference between them is the size of the workpiece or weldment they accommodate.

Pipe turning rolls are what you want to use for small to medium-sized pipes, tubes, vessels, and other standard cylindrical objects, whereas tank turning rollers are what you use for big or oversized workpieces that regular pipe turners wouldn’t be able to handle.

Are Tank Turning Rolls Welding Rotators?

Yes, in fact, welding rotators can pretty much define and embody either pipe turning rollers or tank turning rollers. They can be deemed and tagged as welding rotators because of their effects, as well as what they are purposely used for.

What is the Primary Use of Tank Turning Rollers?

Tank turning rollers are primarily used to aid and streamline the welding process in order for oversized pipes, tubes, and tanks to be worked on with ease. The idea is that the tank turning rollers would be the machine to hold and keep the equipment or the workpiece stable and in place for the welder or operator to finish and work on it.

You can visualize it like the tank turning roller operating and holding the workpiece or weldment and the welder or operator putting more focus and emphasis on the welding process, not in keeping the workpiece aligned and in place.

Other Uses of Tank Turning Rollers

Apart from being used as a welding supplement, tank turning rollers can also be used for other purposes and tasks, too!

For one, you can use it as an alternative positioner where you can hold and mount the weldment or workpiece for temporary storage.

Furthermore, you can also use it as a type of machine that you can use for the assembly of parts and components to help by rotating or revolving the workpiece continuously to see which area has not been assembled yet.

Tank turning rollers are excellent pieces of machine that you can use for a variety of reasons – the main one being for the purpose of assisting the welding process. It is one of those machines that are typically multipurpose, but are not just used randomly.

These are some of the uses you can get tank turning rollers for, but, along the way, you will find more!

How Do You Use Tank Turning Rollers?

Ever wondered how to use these tank turning rolls? Do you want to know and find out the correct way of how to do so? Don’t worry, we got you! If you want to learn the process of setting it up, using it, and then putting it to work, here is how you do it:

1. Ensure that the tank turning roller is placed in a space where it does not feel like it’s forced. The larger the space where it is, the better!
2. Once you’re all set to where you want it to be placed, you can now start to mount the workpiece or weldment to the turning roller. Place it carefully to avoid dents, scratches, or markings on it.
3. Then, turn the tank turning roller on and activate it. Let the gears heat up a bit, and then proceed to the operation you plan on doing.
4. Continue the process until you complete what’s needed for the part or the component.
5. When done, an inspector will check the completed part for any mishaps or errors and if it’s good to go, the entire piece will be dislodged or dismounted from the tank turning roller, making room for other pieces or projects.

This is the simple process of how you use tank turning rollers for your projects. Of course, not all businesses or companies follow this same process religiously, but this is how the skeletal structure is.

JMT USA Tank Turning Rolls

One of North America’s top and best choices for tank turning rolls is JMT USA. The company has been ins service for the longest time now, and they’ve been producing the best and highest quality of tank turning rollers for businesses and companies globally.

Like us here at MISA Welding, JMT USA has a complete lineup of tank turning rollers that are adjustable and are modifiable to the extent that you can customize it to the application that you’re looking for.

One of their best and most sought-after choices is the JMT-DZG tank turning roll. It is a self-adjusting machine that can be modified all according to the workpiece or the weldment. It can support by either small or large cylinders – that’s how adjustable and modifiable it is!

The only problem with them would be the price range that they have – unlike here with us at MISA Welding, JMT USA’s tank turning rollers are priced quite lucratively, since, they’re from the US. Nevertheless, you really wouldn’t worry about quality when you work with them.

Advantages of Using Tank Turning Rolls

Using tank turning rolls have a too few sets of advantages and benefits. These pros can be for the benefit of your other equipment, the workpiece, or the welder.

Less Worker Fatigue

The main thing that businesses consider when going with a tank turning roller would be the fact that it will result in less worker fatigue. Try to imagine a welder welding a 30-foot-tall lamp post – how do you think the welder or worker would react to that?

With a tank turning roller, the welder can just focus on the quality of the weld and the overall safety of the project. Welders don’t need to worry about holding or positioning the workpiece any longer!

Reduced Crane Operations

Cranes, positioners, and other types of heavy-duty machines and equipment are typically used for welding projects like this. They act as a form of support for both the welder and the workpiece, preventing it from falling off.

With a tank turning roller, though, you virtually eliminate the need for low-rise cranes or cranes that support the lower end of the workpiece. Doing so:

• Saves you a lot of time
• Helps you save money by not renting out a crane
• You’ll be able to use your crane (if you have one) for other purposes

Safer and More Secure

Try to think about welding a 60-ton tank without having any type of support – just a crane? Not only is it risky for the equipment to fall off, but it can also impose dangers and risks to the welder who would be working on it.

Using a tank turning roll guarantees safety and security to the worker’s overall wellness.

Faster and More Efficient Welding

Welders can weld faster and more urgently than doing it without this supplemental machine. It is not an unknown fact that tank turning rolls allow welders to be faster without sacrificing quality for it! Ask yourself – would you be able to manually weld a 30-foot tank for oil without any supplemental machine?

More Precise and Accurate Welds

And, of course, tank turning rollers are going to provide better, more accurate, and higher-quality welds since the worker doesn’t have to stress out and force positions from the weldment. The procedure will be overall, systematized and can actually be subject to less and minor wear.

Disadvantages of Using Tank Turning Rolls

And while those advantages seem perfect for any scenario, there are a couple of drawbacks to it. Now, these drawbacks are responsible for a couple of situations, so, without further ado, here are some of the cons and drawbacks of using tank turner rolls!

It Needs a High Initial Capital

Of course, the pros and benefits that come with it, will definitely come with a price. You will need a higher-than-the-usual capital to be able to secure one. You can choose to rent it, but renting it would mean that you will have less control over the equipment.

You’ll Need an Experienced Worker

Another con would be the need of an experienced welder or worker. Now, not a lot of operators are already experienced in operating these types of machines, so, that could mean needing to hire an additional resource to the company, which then translates to higher costs.

A Need For a Bigger Space

If you don’t have enough space in your manufacturing plant, then where can you place and install your tank turning rollers? You will need to have ample space within your manufacturing plant in order for you to have enough space for its operations.

Do note, though, that this space shall solely be used for the operations of the tank turning rollers to avoid problems with the connection of each machines from each other.

Risk For Pausing in Operations

Last but most definitely not least would be the risk of halting operations in case the rollers are malfunctioning. You can use cranes as a substitute, but that would be a lot of work – it can be a little tedious to switch out from tank turning rolls to cranes and vice versa.

What Are the Parts of Tank Turning Rolls?

Tank turning rolls are scattered throughout the market, however, some companies and businesses like us here at MISA Welding retained all the essential components of tank turning rollers, that, without any of these, the turning rollers might not function properly.

So, here are the most important components of tank turning rolls!

• Idler– the base of the machine or the foundation of each tank turning roll
• Rotating Mechanism (Foot Pedals) –it is the controls in which the machine would operate or turn on. For automatic tank turning rollers, this component is eliminated
• Motor –the concept responsible for making the turning roller possible. It sends the signals to the rollers to roll at a specific speed and direction
• Controller –it is the area of the machine that regulates the speed, direction, and intensity of rolling
• Drive Turning Roll –It is the initial contact of the roller to the controller or the motor. The drive is the component that sends pursues the signal from the controller – from the motor to the roller
• Roller –the most crucial of all, the roller is the one that revolves, rotates, or simply “rolls” the workpiece or weldment.  

NOTE: Some manufacturers could add extra parts and components to it. So, remember when I tell you that these are only the essentials of tank turning rolls that without any of these, it wouldn’t operate!

What Industries Use Tank Turning Rolls?

Many different business sectors and industries heed the use of tank turning rolls. With the number of business sectors that use gigantic pipes, tubes, tanks, and vessels today, there will never be a shortage of the sectors and industries that use this today!

The most common of all the many business industrial sectors are:

• Shipyard and shipbuilding industries
• Oil & gas sector
• Coal mining
• Railroad and track industries
• Land transportation industries (buses, taxis, etc.)
• Heavy equipment manufacturing industries
• Lighting and fixture industries and sectors
• And many more!

There are far more business industries and sectors that make use of tank turning rollers other than these! It is just that, these are the most common and most important ones out there!

What Weldments Can Tank Turner Rolls Work On?

The typical or conventional tank turner rolls are predesigned and engineered to work on heavy industrial parts and components. However, because of their shape and form, the only components you could work on would be those that are cylindrical or round in shape.

We’re talking about pressure tanks and vessels, shipyard pipes and tubes, fuses, aerospace components, oil and rig parts, and many more.

What Are Self-Aligning Tank Rotators?

It’s literally a type of tank turning rolls or rotators that aligns the wheel brackets themselves so that it catches the pipe, vessel, or tank automatically every time they’re mounted or loaded onto the section where they’re supposed to be in.

Self-aligning tank turning rollers require highly-advanced engineering and would often be placed in the automated or advanced welding supplementary machineries or equipment.

What to Look For in Tank Turner Rolls

Before you go with a tank turner roll, it’s imperative that you know and understand fully the inner workings of it. That includes knowing the particular specifications and capabilities of the machine so you can align it to the goals and aspirations that you have.

Load Capacity

The load capacity is the amount or total weight that tank turning rollers can handle. Of course, the greater the amount, the heavier they can manage. You don’t want to get a tank turning roller that’s not able to carry or uphold the workpieces or weldments of your projects – so, choose one that would be able to!

On the flip side, you also don’t want to overdo it and just have a load capacity that’s just slightly above the recommended.

Roller Material

The roller material is the type of material that’s used to roll, revolve, and rotate the workpiece to achieve the angle and overall positioning of the workpiece so that the welder can be more comfortable and be in convenience with his or her position.

Roller materials vary, and they’re actually dependent on the type of workpiece you are handling. The most common would be polyurethane because it is the most flexible and versatile material. Other suppliers and manufacturers use steel and even phenolic material for it, too!

It’ll really depend on the application!

Motor Type

DC would be what most businesses and companies would choose simply because of how easy and low-maintenance it is. However, you can also opt to get AC-geared motors for stepless variations.

Size and Measurement

Another thing to note is the overall size of the tank turning rollers. You will find big tank turners that are able to operate the biggest and heaviest of workpieces, as well as those that are the most complex. On the other hand, there are also tank turning rollers that are small-to-medium-sized that are usually for assemblies, modifications, coloring, and the like.

Weldment You Will Work On

Last but most definitely not least of all the considerations to have would be the material or the workpiece you will be processing or working on. As many of us know, steel over steel is something that’s not good, especially if the material used would be the same type. Therefore, you’ll have to consider getting something that would not be harsh or rough to the workpiece when it’s constantly scratched by the roller.

These are among the top things you need to consider before you choose a tank turning roller. Remember, not all tank turn rolls are manufactured the same – some will be better than others, while some will be a lot worse. Choose the perfect one for your application!

Is China a Safe Place to Get Tank Turning Rolls From?

Yes! In fact, many businesses and companies in the west go to China for all the welding machines and equipment they need. The reason for this is because of the fact that they are able to offer quality machines without expensive raw materials and products.

Although China’s image has been stained over the past few years, their influence and strength in the manufacturing industry overpowers what people think of them, and therefore, place them in a position where they’re considered the best in the industry.

Which Chinese Tank Turning Roll Manufacturer Can You Trust?

There is a multitude of Chinese tank turning roll suppliers in the market today, but none of them ever peaked the way we here at MISA Welding did. For years, we have been considered by many organizations globally as their go-to for all the welding manufacturing supplies and equipment they need.

From tank turning rolls, welding manipulators, column & boom welding systems to SAW manipulators, welding positioners, and many others more – you can trust us.

Why MISA Welding is Your Best Choice

MISA Welding has been in the industry for over 20 years and not once did we fail to meet the expectations of our clients. We’re able to provide excellent-quality products without going over their local and international standards.

• All our products are OEM and are sourced from China’s top manufacturers and suppliers
• We have a huge selection of welding machines and equipment right under our belt
• MISA Welding is employed with engineers, welding experts, and professional operators to help craft the perfect tank turning rolls for you
• Our Research & Development (R&D) team is ready to help and craft the perfect innovation for you

It doesn’t matter what specific industry you’re in – we’re never OUT when it comes to our clients! Shoot us a message, leave us a voicemail, or contact us and we will be more than happy to help you with what you need!

In fact, we’ll even send a free estimate of your orders so you don’t need to guess how much budget you’ll be needing!