Method of forming steel cladding construction for buildings

Abstract

A method for forming cladding panels includes providing a panel forming unit comprising an embossing unit, a punch press, a stamping die, a shear press and a roll former, wherein a panel media is moved through the panel forming unit, placing the panel media proximate the panel forming unit and feeding the panel media into the panel forming unit, embossing a texture defined by the panel media using the embossing unit, pressing guide lines and guide indents into the panel media using the punch press, stamping a relief pattern into the panel media using the stamping die such that the texture is defined within the relief pattern, cutting the panel media into panels using the shear press and forming at least one flange on an edge of each of the panels using the roll former, wherein the panels each include a flange, the texture and the relief pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for forming roofing panels in a continuous assembly path, the method including the steps of:
 providing a continuous panel forming unit comprising an embossing unit, a punch press, a stamping die, a shear press and a roll former, wherein a panel media is moved through the panel forming unit;   placing the panel media proximate the panel forming unit and feeding an end of the panel media into the panel forming unit;   embossing a predetermined texture defined by the panel media using the embossing unit;   pressing guide lines and guide indents into a surface of the panel media using the punch press;   stamping a predetermined relief pattern defined by the panel media using the stamping die such that the predetermined texture is at least partially defined within the relief pattern;   cutting the panel media into roofing panels having a predetermined length using the shear press; and   forming at least one flange on an edge of each of the roofing panels using the roll former, wherein the roofing panels each include the at least one flange, the predetermined texture and the predetermined relief pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the panel forming unit includes an uncoiling unit, wherein the panel media is in roll form and the uncoiling unit unrolls the panel media to be moved through the panel forming unit, and wherein the panel media includes a plurality of colored sections, each of the plurality of colored sections including at least one of a plurality of colors. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the panel media is a steel sheet disposed on a rolled steel coil. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined texture is one of a slate texture and a wood-grain texture. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the relief pattern is a shake roof tile pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flange includes at least one attachment flange and at least one nail flange. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the panel forming unit includes an exit conveyor for receiving each roofing panel after leaving the roll former of the panel forming unit. 
     
     
         8 . A method for forming building cladding panels in a continuous assembly path, the method including the steps of:
 placing a rolled media into a continuous cladding panel assembly;   embossing a predetermined texture within the rolled media;   pressing guide lines and guide indents into a surface of rolled media;   stamping a predetermined relief pattern within the rolled media, wherein the predetermined texture is at least partially defined within the relief pattern, and wherein the predetermined relief pattern includes a plurality of sub-sections;   cutting the rolled media into cladding panels having a predetermined length;   forming at least one flange on an edge of each cladding panel along at least one of the guide lines; and   coating each of the plurality of subsections with at least one of a plurality of finishes.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cladding panels are roofing panels. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cladding panel assembly includes an uncoiling unit, wherein an uncoiling unit supports the rolled media and delivers the rolled media to be formed by the cladding panel assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rolled media is a steel sheet disposed on a rolled steel coil, wherein the rolled media includes a plurality of colored courses, wherein each of the plurality of colored courses is configured to cooperate with a corresponding colored portion of the plurality of subsections. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined texture is one of a slate texture and a wood-grain texture. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the relief pattern is a shake roof tile pattern. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one flange includes at least one attachment flange and at least one nail flange. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cladding panel assembly includes an exit conveyor for receiving the formed cladding panels. 
     
     
         16 . A method for forming cladding panels in a continuous assembly path, the method including the steps of:
 providing a continuous cladding panel assembly comprising an embossing unit, a punch press, a stamping die, a shear press and a roll former, wherein a rolled media is moved through the cladding panel assembly, and wherein the rolled media includes a plurality of finishes each disposed on at least one of a plurality of predetermined colored sections of the rolled media;   placing the rolled media on an uncoiling unit proximate the cladding panel assembly, wherein the uncoiling unit feeds the rolled media into the cladding panel assembly;   embossing a predetermined first relief pattern onto the rolled media using the embossing unit to form a patterned media, wherein the first relief pattern has a first maximum depth;   pressing guide lines and guide indents into a surface of the patterned media using the punch press;   stamping a predetermined second relief pattern onto the patterned media using the stamping die, wherein the first relief pattern is at least partially defined within the second relief pattern, and wherein the second relief pattern has a second maximum depth that is greater than the first maximum depth, and wherein the predetermined second relief pattern aligns with the plurality of predetermined colored sections;   cutting the patterned media into cladding panels having a predetermined length using the shear press; and   forming at least one flange on an edge of each of the cladding panels using the roll former, wherein the cladding panels each include the at least one flange, the first relief pattern and the second relief pattern.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first relief pattern is one of a slate texture and a wood-grain texture. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second relief pattern is a shake tile pattern. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one flange includes at least one attachment flange and at least one nail flange. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cladding panel assembly includes an exit conveyor for receiving each of the cladding panels after leaving the roll former of the cladding panel assembly.