Tube forming is shaping flat metal into a finished tube form. Tube bending, however, is bending the tube after it has been formed. Tube bending and tube forming are both common metal-forming processes. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Burr Oak Tool Inc.
Sturgis, MI | 269-651-9393We promise that all of our solutions are safe, accurate, flexible, timely and cost effective. Over the years we have reduced our manufacturing time which has resulted in savings for our customers.
Haven Manufacturing
Brunswick, GA | 912-265-7536For over 50 years, Haven Manufacturing Corporation has built a solid reputation as the productivity leader in the tube recutting industry. As our business continues to grow, we have kept the focus on providing new cost-effective machinery and total solutions that increase output without adding additional labor resources. You can trust Haven to provide fully integrated solutions to meet all of your needs for tube loading, precision cutting, deburring, end finishing, washing stacking needs.
Vogel Tool & Die, LLC
Addison, IL | 800-272-8946For over 85 years, Vogel Tool & Die, LLC has been a leader in the tube forming machinery industry. We pride ourselves on all of our tools being made in the USA. Vogel Tool & Die, LLC strives to manufacture high-quality products at competitive prices.
Vernon Tool
Reno, NV | 866-571-1066All of our premier tube forming machinery comes at an affordable rate. These unprecedented items are satisfactory and designed with you in mind. These world class items are beyond compare and we have the expertise necessary to handle all of your requests. We are your one-stop-shop for all of your forming, bending and assembling needs. If you would like to learn more about our deluxe products then please visit our website.
Tube Forming
Roll Forming Equipment
A cold roll-forming machine uses multiple sequentially arranged forming rolls to create special section profiles. The machine horizontally bends metal strips or coils. Cold-formed profiles are increasingly popular because they have polished surfaces and better dimensional accuracy than hot-rolled steel products. Advancements in roll-forming technology have made cold roll-forming machines incredibly efficient and precise.
Tube End Forming Processes
Tube end-shaping machinery shapes tube closures based on their applications. Some of these processes are:
- Reduction tube end forming uses dies and tapered rings to shrink a tube’s diameter.
- Expansion tube forming is used to widen tube ends to accommodate different needs. For example, healthcare equipment or heat pump assemblies may require this process.
- Beaded tube end formation can strengthen tubes for specific applications. In this process, beads are added to the end of the tube. Afterward, tubes are easier to connect to hoses or other things.
- Flare tube end forming creates a tight seal at the end of a tube.
Tube Bending
Tube bending is forming metals and other materials into tubing or pipes. Metal tube bending is used for ferrous metals like stainless steel or other steel alloys. Tube bending and forming require a careful design and development process. Some processes may require a tube mill or roll-forming equipment.
Types of Tube Bending
Form-bound tube bending shapes a piece of metal into a die that is custom-made for its intended use. Manufacturers can do form-bound tube bending manually or with technology. Freeform tube bending is not intended to follow the contours of a die. Instead, manufacturers use presses and tube-bending equipment to bend pipes continuously without breaks. This process works best for final parts fashioned from a single continuous piece, like rollover cages. Roll bending illustrates freeform tube bending, in which a pipe or tube is passed between three rollers arranged in a pyramid configuration to shape the tube.
Alternative Bending Methods
Rotary bending: The tubing is drawn into an apparatus and formed using dies and other tools.
Mandrel bending: A mandrel is a rod that can be inserted into a metal tube and used to shape the tube during the tube-bending process to prevent bend flaws like rippling, flattening, or collapse of the tube. Mandrels are useful when bent material has thinner walls.
Compression bending: In compression bending, a die bends a tube around a secondary, stationary die to complete the final shape.
Roll bending: Roll bending works for large radius bends, where the radius is eight times the material’s thickness. This technique uses dies that can support enormous radiuses or pyramid-shaped rollers.
