Tube Bending: Three Important Considerations for Selecting the Ideal Pipe Products

Industrial & Manufacturing Blog

Bent metal pipes and tubes are necessary for numerous functional and aesthetic applications, particularly in construction and fluid conveyance. If your commercial or industrial operation requires these types of custom products, there are multiple factors that you must evaluate before commissioning the fabrication process. One of these critical elements is the choice of pipe or tube. There are certain aspects which you must think about such as your application and tube size requirements. However, there are other less apparent elements which affect the general quality of the formed bends. Here are the most crucial considerations to help you choose an ideal metal pipe for bending.

Material formability

Metal pipes are made from numerous types of materials, and your choice will determine the ease with which the tubing can be bent. Different types of metals have varying levels of formability or malleability. Some materials such as aluminum are highly malleable, so they are easy to form during tube bending processes. This means that the total project costs will be lower. If a pipe is made from a hard or resilient metal such as steel, it will be harder to form. On the other hand, highly malleable metals do not exhibit high strength like alternatives. Choose a material that balances your strength requirements and formability for your potential application.

Pipe wall thickness

You should think about the wall thickness before choosing a pipe for your metal bending process. This aspect of the tube can affect the quality of the final product and consequently, its long-term usability. In general, a pipe with thicker walls is more preferable, especially if you would like to have tight bends. This is because the outer wall will stretch as the fabricator bends the tube. If the walls are too thin, the integrity of the pipe will be compromised. The entire product will also be damaged if the tube tears. However, if the pipe is too thick, the inner wall will accumulate compressed metal. This means that the tube will not be compact and neat after bending.

Preferred bending technique

Finally, you should consider the forming method which will be utilised during the pipe bending project. Some tubing products will create better, and higher quality bends with specific fabrication techniques. For instance, mechanical bending processes such as rotary and press bending are ideal for strong and non-brittle metal pipes. An alternative method like induction bending utilises localised heat to increase formability, so all types of metal pipes can be used.

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17 April 2017

John's Industrial and Manufacturing Blog

Welcome to my piece of the internet. My name is John, and I imagine you found this blog while looking for information about industrial or manufacturing concepts. I recently decided to start this blog because I needed somewhere that I could share my research. I recently moved to a small town, and I'm trying to attract factory owners to set up shop there. As a result, I have done an immense amount of research into these fields. I figure the more I know the easier it will be to pitch our town to business owners. Anyway, this blog is a separate project to that. It's just a space where I want to share tips and ideas related to manufacturing. I love writing, and I hope that you enjoy reading my posts. More importantly, I hope they help you make your business more productive. Thanks for reading!