What are the Basics of Tube Bending?
Working with stainless steel pipes or tubes often requires bending them into specific shapes or angles to fit your needs. But how do you ensure accuracy and efficiency in tube bending? Advancements in technology have greatly improved the process, making it faster and more precise. For instance, service providers now use CNC bending to manipulate tubes ranging from ¼” to 2” to your desired bending angles.
If your project requires tube bending, it’s important to understand the process and its applications to ensure that you’re choosing a suitable shaping service. Here are the basics you need to know:
How does it work?
Tube bending aims to permanently shape tubing or pipes using an automated machine. This machine can create various multiple or single bends, depending on your specifications, and the results should ensure the steel is shaped to your exact design requirements.
It sounds simple, but it requires knowing the material and properties of the pipe or tube you want to use. Pipes typically transport air or fluid, and they are specified by their nominal size. However, you must consider their outside diameter, wall thickness, and centerline radius as critical variables when specifying them for a bending machine. Additionally, each pipe schedule bears a nominal wall thickness, with a tolerance that makes it vary slightly. So, don’t forget to consider the variation, especially when using tight-fitting and precise tooling when bending small bend radii.
How are tubes and pipes bent?
Tube bending can be done in different ways with the most advanced using CNC machines. This way, it’s easier to achieve accurate bends. That said, the fabrication method will depend on your application. So, take the time to discuss your requirements with a stainless steel manufacturer and supplier to determine the best process, such as rotary draw bending, compression bending, roll bending, and ram-type bending.
Get custom steel tubes now
Leave tube bending to our qualified and experienced staff here at NSSC. National Stainless Steel Centre is a trusted manufacturer of stainless steel products in South Africa. Using TUV standards and state-of-the-art machinery and processing, we can deliver high-quality products that meet your requirements in any industry, such as automotive, petrochemical, and agricultural. Contact us through this website or call +27 11 552 8800 for more details or a custom quote!