1. Main Production Methods of Cable Tray

At present, there are three main production methods in the cable tray industry:

1) Roll Forming Line (Mainstream Method)

This is the most widely used production method for steel cable trays.

Applicable Products:

• Ladder cable tray

• Perforated cable tray

• Trough cable tray

• Return flange cable tray

• Tray type cable tray

Advantages:

• Continuous automatic production

• High production speed (8–20 m/min)

• High dimensional accuracy

• Low labor cost

• Stable and reliable performance

2) Press Brake Bending Production

Process:
Sheet cutting → Punching → CNC bending → Manual assembly

Characteristics:

• Low initial investment

• Suitable for small batch production

• Low efficiency and high labor cost

• Not suitable for mass production

 3) Extrusion Production (Rare for Steel Cable Tray)

Mainly used for:

• Aluminum cable trays

• PVC cable trays

2. Main Process of Cable Tray Roll Forming Line

A standard fully automatic cable tray roll forming line mainly includes the following steps:

1) Decoiling

The steel coil (galvanized steel, cold-rolled steel, stainless steel) is loaded onto the uncoiler.
Common capacity: 3T / 5T / 10T

2) Leveling

The steel strip is leveled to remove internal stress and ensure straight and smooth forming.

3) Servo Feeding

High-precision servo feeding system ensures accurate material length control.
Feeding tolerance: ±0.5 mm

4) Punching

Punching holes for:

• Bottom holes

• Side holes

• Reinforcement holes

Optional punching types:

• Hydraulic punching

• Servo punching

• Flying punching system (non-stop punching)

5) Roll Forming

Multi-stage forming rollers gradually shape the material into the final cable tray profile:

• Ladder tray

• Trough tray

• Perforated tray

• Return flange tray

6) Length Cutting

Common cutting types:

• Hydraulic tracking cutting

• Flying saw cutting

Common finished length: 2m / 3m / 6m (customizable)

7) Automatic Stacking (Optional)

Finished products are automatically collected, stacked and packed for easy transportation.

3. Standard Configuration of a Cable Tray Roll Forming Line

A typical fully automatic cable tray production line includes:

• Hydraulic decoiler

• Leveling & feeding unit

• Punching system

• Main roll forming machine

• Hydraulic cutting system

• PLC control system

• Automatic output table / stacking system (optional)

4. Cable Tray Types & Corresponding Processes