PUWER 1998 · Work equipment

Thread Rolling Machine Inspection and Testing

Independent inspection of your thread rolling machine as work equipment, against the PUWER duties, by a competent engineer surveyor.

A thread roller forms cold metal between hardened dies, which raises the first question an inspector will ask: is it a power press in law? We inspect and test thread rolling machines under PUWER, settle each machine's classification in writing, and issue the record of inspection.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
ClassificationMost thread rollers lack the flywheel and clutch that define a Part IV power press
Risk basedMachines outside Part IV are inspected at intervals set under Reg 6
Written recordThe output is a record of inspection, not a certificate
The nipThe die area is a crush and draw in hazard the guarding must close
Work equipment we inspect

Why your thread rolling machine needs PUWER inspection

Thread rolling machines form threads by squeezing a blank between rotating or reciprocating dies, displacing metal instead of cutting it. Flat die machines fire the blank across a fixed and a moving die, two and three die cylindrical machines roll it between rotating rolls, and fastener plants run them at rates a lathe could never touch. Cold forming between dies is exactly the territory where the power press question arises.

The legal test is precise: a Part IV power press is a press or press brake working metal by means of tools which is power driven and embodies a flywheel and clutch. Most modern thread rollers are hydraulic or direct driven and sit outside that definition, but flywheel and clutch machines exist, and the classification changes the inspection regime entirely. We settle it machine by machine and put the answer in the record, then inspect the guarding, controls and dies that the answer demands.

Flat die thread rollers
Two die cylindrical machines
Three die machines
Rotary thread rollers
Die area guards and gates
Feed fingers and rails
Two hand and cycle controls
Clutch and brake units
How it works

How we inspect your thread rolling machine

The inspection settles the machine's classification first, then covers the die area guarding and any interlocked gate, feed finger and rail condition, two hand control timing where fitted, clutch and brake behaviour on mechanical machines, die condition and matching, stop functions, and lubrication and swarf build up around the dies, finishing with cycles run under power.

  • 1

    Classify the machine in writing

    Flywheel and clutch machines follow the power press regime; the rest follow risk based inspection. The record states which, and why.

  • 2

    Close the die area

    Guards, gates and feed systems are inspected so hands cannot reach the dies while the machine can move, which is the whole game on a roller.

  • 3

    Record and set the interval

    The written record carries the findings, defects and the interval a competent person can defend, filed in your SEIS portal.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • The power press classification settled machine by machine, in writing
  • Flat die, cylindrical and rotary machines all covered
  • Controls and guarding tested through live cycles
  • Records and reminders through the SEIS client portal
What we check

Thread rolling machine: what a thorough inspection covers

The classification question

Whether the machine embodies a flywheel and clutch decides its whole statutory regime. We answer it first and document the answer.

Die area guarding

The gap that admits a blank can admit a finger. Guards, gates and their interlocks are inspected against the smallest opening the process allows.

Feed fingers and rails

Worn feed systems misplace blanks and pull hands toward the dies to help. Fingers, rails and escapements are checked along the feed path.

Two hand control timing

Where two hand control is the safeguard, both buttons must be needed, together, within the time window. We test the timing, not the theory.

Clutch and brake condition

On mechanical machines the clutch and brake decide whether the dies stop when told. Engagement, drift and stopping are all proven.

Die condition and matching

Mismatched or cracked dies throw blanks and wreck threads. Die faces, keys and matching marks are inspected with the tooling records.

Intervals and your record

How often, and what you receive

Every thread rolling machine inspection produces a written record of inspection under PUWER, opening with the machine's classification against the power press definition and continuing through guarding, controls, dies and defects with timescales, plus the interval set by our competent person. Machines that do meet the power press definition are moved onto the statutory examination cycle instead, and the record says so. Everything is filed in your SEIS client portal.

No fixed intervalFrequency set by risk and how the equipment is used
After assemblyRe-inspected where safe use depends on correct assembly or relocation
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a statutory certificate
Where it liftsAny powered lifting function is examined under LOLER

Anyone selling a PUWER certificate is using a marketing word, not a legal one. We issue a clear, dated inspection record you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full PUWER inspection service

Thread rolling machine is one of the many kinds of equipment we cover. We inspect the full range, across every sector, as an independent provider, one item or a whole site, anywhere in the UK.

See our full PUWER inspection service
Other services

Other statutory inspections we carry out

Many sites run more than one regime. We can examine all of it, under one independent provider.

LOLER inspectionThorough examination and certification of lifting equipment and accessories. PSSR examinationWritten Schemes and certified examination of pressure systems. LEV testingLEV thorough examination and test of your extraction systems.
PUWER FAQs

Thread rolling machine inspection: common questions

Is a thread rolling machine a power press?
Usually not: the legal definition requires a press or press brake with a flywheel and clutch, and most thread rollers are hydraulic or direct driven. Machines that do meet the definition follow the statutory regime on our power press inspection service instead.
What inspection does a thread roller outside Part IV need?
Risk based inspection under PUWER Regulation 6, at intervals set by a competent person, with the guarding duties of Regulation 11 applying in full and a written record kept each time.
How often should ours be inspected?
That depends on duty: a fastener plant machine cycling all shift sits on a shorter interval than a toolroom machine used weekly. The record states the interval and the reasoning behind it.
What is the most dangerous part of the machine?
The die area, which combines crush force with draw in. The inspection concentrates on whether any part of a hand can reach the dies while they can still move.
Do you check the dies themselves?
Yes, for cracking, spalling and matching, because a failed die at forming pressure is a projectile and a scrapped batch in the same instant.
Will we get a certificate?
No. For machines outside the power press regime PUWER requires a written record of inspection, not a certificate, and that record is the document to keep and produce.
Where is the power press definition set out?
In PUWER 1998 and its supporting guidance on power presses. HSE guidance on PUWER covers the general duties, and our PUWER regulations guide explains how the record, intervals and defects work in practice.
How do I book a thread rolling machine inspection?
Call 0330 043 8191 or use the contact form with the machine types. Rolling machines often share a shop with roller presses, and we can inspect both families in one visit.

Is your thread rolling machine due a PUWER inspection?

Talk to an engineer surveyor, get a quote and book your inspection anywhere in the UK.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote