Cable Tray Roll Forming Machine Manufacturers
Perforated, ladder, solid and ventilated cable tray from one line — 1.0 – 2.0 mm strip, 100 – 600 mm width, 14 – 18 stations, inline perforating and hydraulic flying cut.
A cable tray roll forming machine turns steel coil into the perforated or ladder tray that carries power and data cable through a building or plant. It is a deceptively varied product: the same line has to deliver a 100 mm tray for a small riser and a 600 mm tray for a cable corridor, in four different tray types, cut to whatever lengths the site needs.
ZTRFM builds the line around 1.0 – 2.0 mm strip at 14 – 18 forming stations, with the perforating unit on the line and a hydraulic flying cut after it, so hole pitch stays registered to the formed tray and cutting does not stop the line. Everything below is the specification we quote from.
What a cable tray roll forming line produces
All four types run on the same machine with different roll sets and perforating patterns. The difference is the base and how much air the cable gets.
| Type | Construction and ventilation |
|---|---|
| Perforated | Solid base with punched holes — good ventilation. The standard specification for general power and data containment. |
| Ladder | Two side rails with rungs — maximum ventilation. For heavy power cables that need maximum heat dissipation. |
| Solid | Closed base, no perforations — no ventilation. For areas needing protection from dust, water or EMI; often supplied with a lid. |
| Ventilated | Slotted base and sides — high ventilation. The compromise between perforated and ladder where cable density is medium. |
Machine specifications
| Material | GI, pre-galvanised, stainless 304 / 316 |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 1.0 – 2.0 mm |
| Tray width | 100 / 150 / 200 / 300 / 400 / 600 mm |
| Tray height | 50 / 60 / 75 / 100 mm |
| Tray types | Solid, perforated, ladder, ventilated |
| Forming speed | 10 – 20 m/min |
| Forming stations | 14 – 18 |
| Punching | Inline perforating unit, optional |
| Cutting | Hydraulic flying cut |
| Control | PLC + HMI, width presets |
| Power supply | 380 V / 50 Hz / 3-phase standard; other voltages to your site |
| Certification | CE Declaration of Conformity |
| Lead time | 45 – 60 days |
Width and height are listed as the sizes the line is set up for rather than a continuous range: the tray is formed against fixed roll positions, so the useful specification is which widths you need, not the outer limits. The line is quoted against one of these configurations — there is no single list price.
How to choose a cable tray machine manufacturer
Is the perforating unit on the line or a second operation?
The holes are what make a tray a tray: they set the cable fixing pitch and the ventilation area. An inline perforating unit puts them in before the cut, so pitch stays registered to the formed tray. Tray punched afterwards on a separate press is a different production flow, and it is the usual reason a supplier cannot quote both perforated and solid trays off one line.
Which tray types do you actually have to sell?
Perforated is the default, but ladder, solid and ventilated trays are the same line with a different roll set and punching pattern. Four types from one machine is normal; four types from four machines is not. Decide the mix at order stage, because it changes the roll sets and the perforating pattern.
Manual width adjustment or servo presets?
Width is set on the line: manual screws, or servo presets driven from the HMI. Manual suits a shop running one width for weeks — a few widths, changed rarely. Servo presets suit a shop quoting many small orders, where changeover time is the real cost.
Does it need to run stainless?
Pre-galvanised steel is standard. Stainless 304 or 316 is specified for food factories, chemical plants and coastal sites, and it changes the roll material and the handling, so say so before the line is built rather than after delivery.
How is the tray cut and how long is the run?
A hydraulic flying cut lets the line cut to length without stopping, which is what keeps output up on a long run of one length. Cutting is a separate unit from punching — the flying cut comes after the perforating and forming stations.
Can it make covers as well?
Tray covers run on the same frame with an additional cassette, so a shop that supplies tray and lid does not need a second line. It is worth specifying early because it adds a roll cassette and changes the line layout.
Line configuration and options
| Hydraulic decoiler and straightener | Standard, at the head of the line. |
|---|---|
| Inline perforating unit | Optional but strongly recommended — sets the hole pitch before the cut. |
| Cable tray roll forming machine | 14 – 18 stations depending on the tray depth and type. |
| Width adjustment | Manual screws, or servo presets from the HMI. |
| Hydraulic flying cut | Cuts to length without stopping the line. |
| PLC with width presets | PLC + HMI holding the width and length presets. |
| Runtime table and stacking | At the discharge end. |
The perforating unit is the one option worth arguing about. It is listed as optional, but cable tray is perforated by definition — the real question is whether the holes are made on the line or on a second press, and only one of those keeps the pitch registered to the formed tray.
Cable tray machine price — what drives it
- Stations and tray depth
- The line runs 14 – 18 stations depending on the tray depth and the type. Deeper trays and heavier sections take more stations and more drive power.
- Whether perforating is on the line
- The inline perforating unit is a real cost item and the reason one line can supply perforated, ladder, solid and ventilated trays without a second press.
- Manual or servo width adjustment
- Servo presets add cost and remove changeover time. Which one pays depends on how many different widths you quote each month.
- Material and roll specification
- Pre-galvanised steel is the standard build; stainless 304 or 316 for food, chemical and coastal work changes the roll material and the handling equipment.
- Covers and extra cassettes
- A cover cassette runs on the same frame, so it is a fraction of a second line — but it is still a deliberate item to quote.
- Control and voltage
- PLC with width presets, and the power supply built to your site: 380 V / 50 Hz / 3-phase is standard, other voltages to order.
We quote the configuration rather than publish a number, because a line built for perforated tray at one width and a line built for four tray types in stainless are not the same machine.
Factory, certification and lead time
ZTRFM builds cold roll forming lines for the cable containment, roofing, framing, floor deck and highway barrier markets, and every line is assembled, wired and run on our own shop floor before it is packed. The cable tray line carries a CE Declaration of Conformity, runs on 380 V / 50 Hz / 3-phase as standard with other voltages built to your site, and lead time is 45 – 60 days. Machines ship FOB Tianjin and enquiries are answered within 24 hours.