As we strive to combat climate change, sustainable renewable energy solutions have become increasingly crucial. Solar power has emerged as a popular choice for generating sustainable energy, with an impressive average annual growth rate of 24% in the U.S. over the past decade. 

When manufacturing a solar racking system, roll forming can be an excellent option to optimize your setup. However, given the diversity in solar racking configurations, you might be wondering if roll forming is suitable for your specific system. We explore more below. 

Why Roll Forming is a Versatile Solution for Your Solar Racking System 

Roll forming, characterized by its continuous bending operation, offers unparalleled flexibility, making it well-suited for a variety of solar racking configurations. This technology enables the creation of custom profiles tailored precisely to fit individual solar panel installations. The resulting precision fitting enhances efficiency and stability, both critical factors for maximizing the performance of solar arrays. Custom hole/slot punch patterns are available to accommodate specific mounting, drainage, wiring management and module configurations. The flexibility afforded in roll forming ensures consistency and accuracy. It also facilitates seamless integration of solar racking components across diverse applications, from commercial-grade rooftops to large-scale solar farms. 

>>> Read more: How Hynes Industries Helped a Solar Racking Manufacturer Save $500K in Costs and Improve Efficiencies Through a Universal Component Design 

The Benefits of Roll Forming for Solar Racking  

One of the most compelling reasons to choose roll forming for your solar racking setup is its cost-effectiveness. By leveraging efficient manufacturing processes and economies of scale, roll forming presents a cost-effective solution for producing high-quality racking components. Plus, roll forming supports long parts. By partnering with Hynes, you can get roll parts for solar racking and long-haul trailers that are longer than 50 feet in length, which are critical to large, utility-grade solar systems.   

Roll forming is the most economical way to produce these components. This affordability extends its reach to a wide range of solar projects, including fixed-tilt ground mount and tracking systems, commercial-grade rooftop systems, and a wide array of carport and canopy solar energy solutions. With roll forming, you can achieve significant cost savings without compromising on the quality or performance of your solar racking system. 

Roll form fabrication also allows design engineers to customize their profiles with enhanced features that can be produced in-line to avoid costly secondary production operations.    

Material Considerations for Solar Racking Fabrication 

Most solar projects in the U.S. require pre-galvanized steel to ensure longevity of the racking system. Hynes has established long-standing relationships with mill sources and steel service centers and can provide specific galvanized coatings to meet your unique needs.  

Different galvanized coating thicknesses are available to meet specified project needs, depending upon the geographic location of the solar installation. These coatings include G90, G185, and G235 and can be applied to different structural grades of steel (e.g. Grade 50, Grade 80, etc.), depending on the required structural performance criteria. 

 Hynes also procures material that is made and melted in the U.S. from our local mills and service centers, allowing our customers (and their customers) to optimize Inflation Reduction Act incentives and other governmental rebates that require American-made products to qualify. 

 >>> Read More: The Benefits of Reshoring and Onshoring for U.S. Manufacturers  

Types of Profiles for Your Solar Racking Setups 

Now that you understand the benefits of roll forming, let’s take a look at how roll forming caters to specific types of solar racking setups. 

1. Solar Tracker Systems

Solar tracker systems demand precision and flexibility, qualities inherent to roll forming. This process can create intricate, custom shapes and angles crucial for the tracker's movement mechanism, ensuring smooth operation and optimal solar tracking. When selecting profiles for your solar tracker systems, it’s key to find ones like Hynes’ hat channels, which can adapt to and withstand harsh, diverse environments.  

2. Solar Carports

Roll forming can produce strong, durable profiles that can resist wind and snow loads. This ensures the structural integrity of solar carports while enabling sleek, modern designs to enhance their visual appeal. For solar carports, it’s crucial to use profiles that are designed with flexibility in mind. Hynes, for example, offers high-quality pre-galvanized steel L-channels, C-channels, and Z-purlins that can be used across a variety of applications, such as solar carports, parking garages, and more. This can ultimately help reduce SKU count and labor.  

Your fabrication needs can be further streamlined with custom blocking and end caps for solar carports. By leveraging Hynes' various fabrication capabilities, including tailored roll form fabricated profiles, you'll reduce the number of suppliers required to support your fabrication needs. 

3. Utility Rooftops

Lightweight yet sturdy profiles are essential for utility rooftop installations and roll forming can provide just that. This process can fabricate thin, high-strength profiles from materials like aluminum, which is ideal for rooftop setups. Additionally, roll forming's capacity to produce long lengths minimizes joints, enhancing structural stability. When considering a provider for your utility rooftop profiles, keep customization, profile type, and durability in mind. Whether you need pre-galvanized C-channels, Z purlins, box channels, L-channels, strut, or a custom profile, Hynes can cater to your every need. 

4. Fixed-Tilt Ground Mount Systems

Roll forming's ability to create heavy-duty profiles from materials like galvanized steel makes it ideal for fixed-tilt ground mount systems These profiles withstand environmental factors with ease, ensuring the durability and longevity of ground-mounted solar arrays. The process also allows for the creation of profiles with specific angles, crucial for optimizing solar panel orientation. When it comes to fixed-tilt ground mount systems, it's key to partner with a manufacturer like Hynes who can provide you with tailored solutions for large-scale solar installations that meet your energy needs and promise durability and efficiency. 

Overall, roll forming emerges as a versatile and efficient solution tailored to diverse solar racking solutions. Its ability to produce high-quality, consistent profiles positions it as the ideal choice for various solar racking set ups.  

Take Your Solar Racking to the Next Level 

In a world where solar power takes precedence, the demand for customized, durable, and high-quality steel fabricating solutions continues to grow. Meeting this demand requires a partner who not only grasps your unique requirements but also has the expertise, experience, and resources to deliver top-notch solutions. Ready to optimize your solar racking setup with high-quality steel fabricating solutions? Look no further than Hynes Industries, your trusted ally in steel fabrication. Reach out today for a quote or to explore how we can elevate your project to new heights. Your success is our success.