Apparatus for shaping an advancing formable sheet and method of making the apparatus

An apparatus for shaping a formable sheet advancing in a travel path between sheet inlet and sheet outlet locations on the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

• a main frame having spaced ends and laterally spaced sides;
• a
• subframe on the main frame,
• wherein the subframe is elongate with a length,
• the subframe comprising laterally spaced side walls between which at least one component extends so as to maintain a fixed relationship between the laterally spaced side walls;
• a plurality of driven keel rollers each with a turning axis and a sheet engaging surface,
• a first driven keel roller in the plurality of driven keel rollers operatively mounted to the subframe so that the turning axis of the first driven keel roller is in a predetermined relationship with the laterally spaced side walls;
• a second driven keel roller in the plurality of driven rollers operatively mounted to the subframe so that the turning axis of the second keel roller is in a predetermined relationship with the laterally spaced side walls and the turning axis of the operatively mounted first driven keel roller,
• the operatively mounted second driven keel roller spaced along the sheet travel path from the operatively mounted first driven keel roller,
• the plurality of driven keel rollers configured to cooperatively engage and advance a formable sheet in the sheet travel path;
• and
• a plurality of sheet shaping assemblies spaced along the sheet travel path for progressively shaping the formable sheet from a starting shape at the sheet inlet location to a predetermined, selected end shape at the sheet outlet location as the formable sheet advances in the sheet travel path,
• the laterally spaced side walls and at least one component having a permanently fixed, unitary relationship and cooperatively defining a “U” shape as viewed along the length of the subframe.