Tube Bending- How to Achieve the Perfect Bend

1. Tube Bending- How to Achieve the Perfect Bend 2 4 / 0 3 / 2 0 7

2. Tube bending is a mechanical process but perfect tube bending has always been an art considering the number of factors involved in the process. The Tube Fabrication process which has always been considered as a trial and error work has become an important part of manufacturing these days as tubes are used extensively. Tube bending and tube reduction are processes which involve great precision and experience. From choosing the right machines to the quality of material, tooling, and lubrication, all these factors will have a considerable impact on the end result. Perfect tube bending or tube fabrication is very important as it can affect the performance of the tools and also their longevity. It should always be remembered that incorrectly bent tubes can cause serious financial and performance impact and hence using the correct processes for tube bending and tube reduction is very important. For achieving a perfect tube bending result it is important that you always pay good attention to these four things: Quality of Material Machinery or the Process Tooling Lubrication used Quality of Material All things were not created as equals and this is very true when it comes to choosing the right material and the process to bend it. Different metals have their unique qualities some are brittle, some are malleable, ductile, hard or tough. Some release energy on bending some remain cool and hence all these factors must be kept in mind while choosing the material. The material should also be chosen considering the type of bend required and the permitted tolerance. Copper undergoes relatively lesser radial stainless steel and steel undergoes the 2 4 / 0 3 / 2 0 7 growth than least in all the three and hence this factor should be considered beforehand.

3. Machine The type of machine chosen for tube bending is very important. It should be chosen on the basis on the centerline radius, the outside diameter and the wall thickness of the material as various processes have The tubes experience spring back after bending in the brake forming process and undergo a radial growth. If the material is harder and the centerline radius is smaller than the spring back and resulting radial growth will be proportionately higher and hence these factors need to be considered while choosing the material and machinery. Longitudinal welds are usually required in the tubes. The quality, size, and consistency of the weld seam prove to be a great consideration in tube bending and hence this factor also needs to be considered. The inconsistent joining of two ends, larger weld beads, or other discontinuities are some of the important factors which will affect the tube’s roundness and prove as an impediment in achieving a perfect bend. varied impact on the end result. Tooling A good tooling setup is very important for achieving perfection in Tube Fabrication. If the tools are not chosen precisely as per the material, condition requirement of the bend then the end result can be very unpleasant. It is also important to understand that unbending a tube is a more complex process than bending it and hence rework must be avoided in the first place. You must always have a combination of hard and soft material for the process. For instance, if you have a soft and the workpiece then hard mandrel should be chosen and vice versa for the hardworkpiece. You would also need good tubes with precise welds for draw bending. Wiper’s die also plays an important role in the process and it should always be sharp. It is prone to wear out fast with use and hence you must always have spare ones in advance. The length of the clamping die should also be considered an important factor and they should be three times the diameter of the tube. 2 4 / 0 3 / 2 0 7

4. Lubrication Unwanted friction between the mandrel and the inner walls of the tube can be a very important consideration. The clearance between mandrel shank and the inner diameter of the tube is only .009 inch and hence if there is friction between them, the shape of the tube might get affected. Lubrication is very important for this process to work perfectly. Nonpetroleum Synthetic lubricants in the form of gels or paste are quite popular in the industry as they can be easily diluted to achieve the required consistency. They provide great lubrication and the whole process works seamlessly. However, it should be noted that if you are going to bend thick walls to achieve tight radii then using concentrated lubricant will be more useful. Keeping your wiper dies well lubricated also helps in preventing faster wear and tear of the contact point. Use of technology has made the complex task of tube bending more accurate and simpler yet this should never be forgotten that it is still a very complex process and precision is required to a great extent to achieve the desired results. So if you are trying to achieve perfect tube bending result, keeping these points in mind can help you in a great way. Woodsage is an Ohio based company having specialization in Tube Bending, Tube Reduction, Swaging, Forming, High http://www.woodsage.com/ for more information or call 419-866-8000 for all your Tube Fabrication needs. Volume Cutting, etc. Visit 2 4 / 0 3 / 2 0 7