Firm shows mettle
Corrugated steel innovation can be big in housing
A WORLD-first metal bending innovation created in Geelong is set to offer a revolutionary approach to using corrugated steel.
FormFlow’s patented process allows corrugated steel to be cold bent at a variety of angles, creating an attractive, seamless look without gaps or creases and a complete seal against air, water, animals or fire embers.
Uses for the exciting metalbending technology are still being developed but the initial offering is targeting the metal roof and gutter manufacturing market, with the product removing the need for traditional roof capping and flashing.
There is high expectation surrounding the FormFlow Bend, which is set to be officially launched next month, with the company exploring opportunities for partnering with major rolled steel sheet producers to take it into mass production.
Co-founder Matt Dingle said the focus for FormFlow would be in developing new uses of its groundbreaking technology while maintaining the capacity to manufacture in limited volumes.
“What we need to do is develop the technology to the point where it is clear it can be rolled out commercially in their plants,” Dr Dingle said.
In addition to its visually pleasing lines, the FormFlow Bend helps protect homes against bushfires by eliminating debris from being collected around the joins in the corrugated steel and allowing gutters to be removed.
Dr Dingle and co-founder Matthias Weiss, a Deakin academic, have been working in collaboration with their business partners Deakin University and Lyn and Ross George, from Geelong engineering firm Austeng, to develop the process since its initial trial about 18 months ago.
FormFlow has protected its position in the market by securing a patent on the process and registering the design it achieves where the peaks on one side of the bend turn into the troughs on the other side and vice versa.
Dr Dingle, a co-founder of carbon fibre composite wheelmaker Carbon Revolution, said testing at Deakin had shown no weakening in the integrity of the corrugated steel at the bend and no unusual deterioration over time.
Austeng has helped build the prototype machinery and the tooling with which FormFlow is starting to build products and explore uses and Newtown builders Linked Building has been involved in the initial development and testing of the product on a shed at its business.
The company, based at the ManuFutures facility at Deakin, has started talking with architects and builders about possible applications, with future use by high-volume builders also on the radar.
Being based at Deakin allows it to tap into a variety of resources with Dr Weiss leading one of the metal forming research groups, while it has also started to work with other departments such as architec- ture, civil engineering and mainstream engineering.
“We are starting to collaborate with all of them to develop this further. That’s part of our competitive advantage,” Dr Dingle said.
The technology lends itself to a host of applications, with Dr Dingle acknowledging that many of those had not yet been conceived.
“We can grow organically into a range of markets. We will always be producing the next thing,” he said.
“In the future we anticipate retaining FormFlow in Geelong and will continue researching and developing new ideas and products.
“One future application is prefabricated housing. It would be great to establish a house factory in Geelong, say at the former Ford factory, producing houses in much the same way as we make cars today.”