From end forming machines to tube cutting tooling, tube fabrication equipment comes in all shapes and sizes. Learn about the most common types of tube fabrication equipment below.
Tube Benders and Tooling
By far the most common types of tube fabrication equipment are benders and tooling. Tube benders come in a variety of sizes with varied capabilities, accessories, and features. Some tube benders are designed to bend very small radius tube and pipe. Some are used for tight radius bending. Some benders are specifically designed to handle very large tube and pipe, like that used in ship building applications. Some benders can perform more than one bend on a single piece, in a single pass through. Other machines can only perform simple, single bends.
Much like the variety of benders, there is also a variety of tooling because every bending machine needs the proper tooling to perform various bends. Further, each type of tube fabrication machine requires its own tooling. So, for instance, a tube cutting machine will require specific tube cutting tooling. It is often recommended that you work with an experienced engineer to match both machine and tooling to your specific application.
End Forming Tube Fabrication Equipment
Another common piece of tube fabrication equipment is an end-former. End formers are used to change a tubes shape. This can be done through various processes that create various finished products. The most common, general, types of end forming include reduction, expansion, beads, flare and thickening. Each of these categories has special requirements and is used in a variety of ways.
Some end forming machines can complete multiple types of end forming process, while other machines are more specialized. Some machines, for instance, specifically chamfer or finish the end of a tube or pipe. When a tube is chamfered, it means that an angle has been cut into the end of the tube. This is typically done to allow for easy joining to another tube, pipe, or another piece.
Notcher Machines and Cutting Machines
Another type of tube fabrication equipment is a tube notching machine. These machines are used to either notch or punch holes into tube and pipe.
Similarly, straight forward are tube cutting machines. These machines are used to cut tube and pipe. Some of these machines are simple saw set ups that quickly and easily perform simple cuts. Other cutting machines are more complex, like a laser tube cutting system. These machines are sophisticated pieces of fabrication equipment capable of completing multiple fabrication steps in one machine.
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Contact us to learn more about our full line of tube benders, tube cutting machines, and tube end former tooling and end forming machines, or let us help you find the right automated solution for your application!