ASTM M180 Guardrail Roll Forming Machine

ASTM M180 (equivalent to AASHTO M180) is the North American standard specifying the geometry and mechanical properties of W-beam highway guardrail. Class A is 2.67 mm (12 ga) nominal; Class B is 3.43 mm (10 ga). Standard section length is 3,810 mm (12 ft 6 in). It is used extensively across the United States, Canada and Latin America.

Class A (2.67 mm / 0.105 in) is the standard residential and rural road specification. Class B (3.43 mm / 0.135 in) is used on high-speed expressways and in higher-risk applications where greater energy absorption is required. The machine runs both classes; only the coil material changes.

Yes. The inline punch press produces 9/16 in (14.3 mm) diameter holes at 400 mm pitch along the beam, synchronised with the forming line speed. The hole pattern aligns with standard MASH and NCHRP post spacings of 1,905 mm (6 ft 3 in).

The ASTM M180 machine is configured for 3,810 mm section length and the US beam geometry. The EN 1317 machine produces 4,320 mm sections with the European W-beam geometry. The two profiles are not identical, so the tooling is specific to the standard. We supply both configurations.

ASTM M180 requires hot-dip galvanising to ASTM A123 or A525, with a minimum average coating weight of 610 g/m2 (2 oz/ft2). This is heavier than the European minimum and reflects the longer service-interval philosophy in North American road maintenance.

ASTM A1011 Grade 50 (345 MPa minimum yield) is the standard. The machine is designed for 2.67-3.43 mm thick high-strength steel and includes a heavy-duty gearbox drive rated for the forming load. Processing thinner or weaker material simply requires no modification.

Yes. Send the profile drawing with the section dimensions, the material and thickness, and the coil width you intend to run. We confirm the roll design, forming stations and line layout against that drawing before quoting, so the machine matches the section you actually sell.

Send the profile drawing or section dimensions, the material and thickness, the coil width, and your target output per shift. Price depends on the profile, the coil and the level of automation, so we quote against your actual job rather than a catalogue figure.

Material thickness runs Class A: 2.67 mm (0.105 in, 12 ga); Class B: 3.43 mm (0.135 in, 10 ga). The roll gap, drive and cutting unit are set for this range, so staying inside it is what keeps the section geometry repeatable run after run.

Forming speed is 8-15 m/min. Treat this as the line speed: real shift output also depends on cut length, coil reloading and how often the profile is changed.

The line uses 18-24 forming stations. Station count follows the section — more bends and tighter tolerances need more forming steps, which is why two profiles rarely share one roll set.

Drive: Heavy-duty gearbox; min 37 kW. Final drive sizing is confirmed against your profile and coil, because a wider or thicker section needs more torque to hold the same line speed.