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Highway W-Beam Guardrail Roll Forming Machine

A heavy-duty line that forms W-beam and thrie-beam highway guardrail with in-line punching and cutting. Two production-tested models — the GR2 two-wave line and the GR3 three-wave line — each tooled to your national standard.

Same machine, built to your standard
Highway W-Beam Guardrail Roll Forming Machine

Technical Specifications

Formed profileW-beam (two-wave) and thrie-beam (three-wave) highway guardrail
Feeding width490 mm
Finished cover width312 mm (W-beam)
Finished profile height90 mm
MaterialGalvanised steel, cold-rolled steel, carbon steel, PPGI, Q235
Material thickness2.5 – 4.0 mm
Yield strength≤ 345 MPa (Q235 / Q345 / S235 / S275)
Output length4320 mm ± 2 mm (EN 1317-2) · 3810 mm (ASTM M180)
Forming speed15 – 20 m/min (GR2) · 25 m/min (GR3)
Forming stations15 fixed driven stations (GR2) · 16 stations (GR3)
Main motor power22 kW × 2 (GR2) · 30 kW Siemens (GR3)
Roller materialGCr15 bearing steel, HRC 55–60 (GR2) · 45# tempered, φ95 mm shafts (GR3)
PunchingIn-line hydraulic punching — bolt slots and fixing holes before cutting
CuttingAutomatic, Cr12 quenched cutter HRC 60–62, length and quantity presets
DecoilerHydraulic, 10 t capacity, coil ID 508 mm
Control systemSiemens PLC + Siemens frequency inverter, touch screen (EN / CN)
StandardsEN 1317 · ASTM M180 · AS/NZS 3845
CertificationCE Declaration of Conformity
Lead time55 – 70 days

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Available Models

Which configuration fits your project

ZTRFM-GR2 — Two-Wave W-Beam Guardrail Line

The standard highway barrier line. The two-wave and automatic two-wave machines in our range share the same core parameters and are supplied as this one model.

Formed profileW-beam, two-wave highway guardrail
Applicable materialsGalvanised steel, cold-rolled steel, carbon steel, Q235
Material thickness2.5 – 4.0 mm (per specification table above)
Feeding width490 mm
Finished cover width312 mm
Finished profile height90 mm
Forming stations15 fixed driven stations
Main motor power22 kW × 2
Forming speed15 – 20 m/min
Length accuracy4320 mm ± 2 mm
Roller materialGCr15 bearing steel, HRC 55–60
Punching & cuttingHydraulic in-line punching and cut; length / quantity presets
DecoilerHydraulic type, 10 t loading capacity, coil ID 508 mm
Control systemSiemens PLC + Siemens frequency inverter, touch screen (EN / CN)
CertificationCE Declaration of Conformity

ZTRFM-GR3 — Three-Wave Thrie-Beam Guardrail Line

The heavy-duty line for bridges, medians and other high-impact locations. Heavier frame, higher tonnage, larger cutting knife.

Formed profileThrie-beam, three-wave guardrail
Formed materialPPGI / GI / aluminium (customised)
Forming stations16 stations
Shaft diameterφ95 mm
Roller material45# steel with tempering
Machine frame400 H steel; gearbox transmission drive
CuttingAutomatic, Cr12 quenched cutter (HRC 60–62)
Motor power30 kW, Siemens
Forming speed25 m/min (depends on profile and thickness)
Voltage380 V / 50 Hz / 3-phase (as required)
Machine dimension (L × W × H)18,500 × 1,200 × 1,500 mm
Weight15 t
ControlPLC automatic — batch, length and quantity presets; multi-language screen
DecoilerHydraulic automatic decoiler (manual decoiler included)
CertificationCE Declaration of Conformity
Output

What This Machine Produces

01

W-beam (two-wave) highway guardrail panels — the standard roadside barrier profile, 490 mm strip in, 312 mm cover out, 90 mm profile height.

02

Thrie-beam (three-wave) guardrail panels — a deeper, higher-impact profile for bridges, central reserves and other high-risk locations.

03

Bolted connection details formed in the same pass: bolt slots and fixing holes are punched in-line, so the panel arrives ready to install — no secondary drilling on site.

04

Panels cut to the length your standard calls for. EN 1317-2 uses 4320 mm; ASTM M180 uses 3810 mm; other lengths are tooled to your drawing. Length accuracy is ±2 mm.

05

Guardrail-to-post hardware positions — hole pitch and slot geometry are set to your national standard drawing, not to a generic pattern.

06

Matching end terminals can be produced on the same platform with an additional tooling set, so a single line covers the full barrier sight.

Line Composition

Recommended Configuration

A complete working line, not just the forming machine. Each item below is quoted as one package.

  1. 01

    Hydraulic decoiler, 10 t

    holds the coil and feeds strip at controlled tension. 508 mm coil ID is standard for guardrail; the GR3 line also includes a manual decoiler.

  2. 02

    Strip leveling unit

    guardrail is run from thicker, higher-strength coil than most profiles, so the strip is straightened before it enters the first station. Without this, residual coil set shows up as twist in the finished panel.

  3. 03

    In-line hydraulic punching press

    punches bolt slots and fixing holes before forming. Doing it here, rather than on the finished section, is what makes the ±2 mm hole-to-hole accuracy achievable.

  4. 04

    Roll forming machine

    15 stations (GR2) or 16 (GR3) on a 400 H steel frame, gearbox transmission drive, 22 kW × 2 (GR2) or 30 kW Siemens (GR3).

  5. 05

    Automatic cutter with Cr12 quenched knife (HRC 60–62)

    cuts to preset length and batch quantity. Guardrail is thick material, so this is a die-cut press rather than a light shear.

  6. 06

    PLC control cabinet

    Siemens PLC and frequency inverter, touch screen in English and Chinese, with batch, length and quantity presets.

  7. 07

    Runout table and stacking

    panels are 4320 mm and heavy; a powered runout and stacking arrangement keeps the line running without manual handling between cuts.

How It Runs

Production Workflow

  1. 01

    Decoiler

    The steel coil is loaded on the hydraulic mandrel (10 t capacity, 508 mm coil ID) and uncoiled at controlled tension.

  2. 02

    Leveling

    The strip passes through a leveling unit that removes coil set and cross-bow before forming. This step matters more on guardrail than on thin roofing profiles, because 2.5–4.0 mm high-strength strip holds its deformation.

  3. 03

    In-line hydraulic punching

    Bolt slots and fixing holes are punched at the standard pitch while the strip is still flat. Punching flat is what delivers the ±2 mm length accuracy on the finished panel.

  4. 04

    Roll forming

    15 driven stations (GR2) or 16 stations (GR3) form the W-beam or thrie-beam section progressively. Rolls are GCr15 bearing steel at HRC 55–60 on the GR2, and 45# tempered steel on φ95 mm shafts on the GR3.

  5. 05

    Automatic cutting

    The Cr12 quenched cutter (HRC 60–62) cuts at the preset length and batch quantity — for example 4320 mm ± 2 mm, 100 panels.

  6. 06

    Output and stacking

    Finished panels leave on the runout table, stacked and ready for galvanising inspection and packing.

Build

Key Components

Hydraulic decoiler
10 t capacity, coil ID 508 mm; manual decoiler included with the GR3 line
Leveling unit
Straightens high-strength strip before the first forming station
Hydraulic punching press
In-line bolt slots and fixing holes, punched on the flat strip
Forming stations
GCr15 rollers HRC 55–60 (GR2); 45# tempered rollers on φ95 mm shafts (GR3)
Machine frame
400 H steel with gearbox transmission drive
Automatic cutter
Cr12 quenched knife, HRC 60–62, for 2.5–4.0 mm material
Drive motor
22 kW × 2 (GR2) · 30 kW Siemens (GR3)
Control system
Siemens PLC + frequency inverter, touch screen, EN / CN
Made To Order

Customization Options

Every line is built to order. These are the points buyers most often change.

ItemWhat can be changed
Profile and standardW-beam or thrie-beam, tooled to your national standard drawing: EN 1317-2, ASTM M180, AS/NZS 3845 or a local specification
Panel length4320 mm, 3810 mm or a custom cut length — this sets the punching program and the cut-to-length arrangement
Bolt pitch and hole patternPunched to your drawing rather than a fixed pattern; the punch dies are made to your slot geometry
Material and thicknessGalvanised, pre-galvanised, cold-rolled carbon steel, PPGI. Confirm minimum and maximum thickness at order stage, because roll loads and press tonnage are set to the range you specify
Forming speed15–20 m/min (GR2) or 25 m/min (GR3), depending on section and thickness
Power supply380 V / 50 Hz / 3-phase standard; other voltages and frequencies to your site
Control languageTouch screen language and units on request
Output arrangementRunout and stacking length sized to your panel length and factory layout
Configuration Options

Guardrail profile standards compared

StandardProfileOutput lengthMain marketsTypical use
EN 1317-2W-beam (two-wave)4320 mmEurope, Middle East, AfricaMainline highway verges and medians
ASTM M180W-beam (two-wave)3810 mmNorth AmericaUS state DOT and provincial highway work
AS/NZS 3845W-beam (two-wave)4320 mmAustralia, New ZealandHighway and roadside barrier
Thrie-beamThree-wave4320 mmBridges, median barriers, high-risk locationsCarries a higher impact load than W-beam
Where This Machine Is Used

Applications

Guardrail & Road Barrier →
Common Questions

FAQ — Highway W-Beam Guardrail Roll Forming Machine

What is a guardrail roll forming machine?
It is a continuous roll forming line that produces highway guardrail panels — W-beam (two-wave) and thrie-beam (three-wave) profiles — from steel coil, with hydraulic punching and cutting carried out in-line. It is one of the heaviest lines in the roll forming range because the material is thick and the finished panel carries an impact rating.
What profiles can this line produce?
Two production-tested models. The ZTRFM-GR2 forms two-wave W-beam with a 490 mm feeding width and 312 mm finished cover width. The ZTRFM-GR3 forms three-wave thrie-beam on a heavier 16-station frame. Both are tooled to your national standard and profile drawing, so the same platform covers EN 1317-2, ASTM M180 and AS/NZS 3845 work.
What material thickness does it process?
The line is built for 2.5–4.0 mm strip in galvanised, pre-galvanised, cold-rolled carbon steel, PPGI or Q235 / Q345. Thickness range is the single most important thing to fix before ordering, because roll loads and press tonnage are designed around it — if you also want to run thin material on the same line, say so at enquiry stage.
How fast is the line?
The GR2 runs at 15–20 m/min with two 22 kW motors. The GR3 runs at 25 m/min on a 30 kW Siemens motor. Actual speed depends on the section and the material thickness: guardrail is a thick, high-strength product, so it runs slower than a roofing line and the practical throughput figure should be confirmed against your own profile.
Does the machine punch the bolt holes automatically?
Yes. An in-line hydraulic press punches bolt slots and fixing holes while the strip is still flat, before it reaches the forming stations. The finished panel comes off at 4320 mm ± 2 mm with the hole pattern already in place, so there is no secondary drilling on site. This is also the reason the length tolerance holds — punching flat removes the drift you get when you drill a formed section.
What is the difference between W-beam and thrie-beam?
W-beam is the single-wave, two-rib profile used along most highway verges. Thrie-beam is a deeper three-wave profile that carries a higher impact load, and it is specified for bridges, central reserves and other high-risk locations. They need different roll tooling; both can be built on the same frame platform, and the GR3 is the configuration we build for thrie-beam work.
Can I run both profiles on one machine?
Yes, with an additional tooling set and repositioned punch dies. In practice most guardrail producers tool the line for the one profile their contracts call for, because guardrail is a long-run, single-profile product and tooling changes stop the line. Tell us the split of your order book and we will advise whether one line with two tooling sets or two dedicated lines is the better purchase.
Is CE certification included?
Every export machine ships with a CE Declaration of Conformity and full technical documentation. Note the distinction: CE applies to the machine. If your project requires the finished guardrail to be certified to EN 1317, that is a product approval held by the guardrail producer and obtained through impact testing of the installed barrier — not something the machine supplies.
What is the lead time and minimum order quantity?
The minimum order is one set. Lead time runs 55–70 days depending on configuration and on how much of the tooling is made to your own drawing rather than a standard pattern. Confirm your profile and standard at enquiry stage, because tooling made to a new section drawing is what drives the longer end of that range.
Can the machine be built for our own profile?
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.
How do we get a price for this line?
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.
How many forming stations does it use?
The line uses 15 fixed driven stations (GR2) · 16 stations (GR3) 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.
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Send us your profile and output target

Tell us the profile and the numbers that matter to you. We confirm the configuration against the specification table above and quote FOB Tianjin within 24 hours.

  • Formed profileW-beam (two-wave) and thrie-beam (three-wave) highway guardrail
  • Feeding width490 mm
  • Finished cover width312 mm (W-beam)
  • Finished profile height90 mm
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