How to Improve Pipe Bending Outcomes

Posted on: 13 February 2018

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Hobbyists who like making their own auto accessories, such as exhaust system components, can check certain aspects of the pipe bending process in case they have been having unsatisfactory outcomes. This article discusses some of the things that you can change in order to produce better results when you bend pipes as you fabricate car accessories.

Check Weld Seams

The first thing that you should check is the quality of the weld seam on the pipes that you use during your projects. The best pipes should be seamless. However, it may be hard or costly for you to procure such pipes. The next best option involves inspecting the pipes which you buy in order to confirm that their weld seams are uniform. Non-uniform seams affect the way the pipe is affected by the forces exerted by your bending equipment, such as rotary drawing or mandrel bending equipment. Consequently, some sections of the bend may become wrinkled while other sections are okay. Avoid these blemishes by selecting pipes with uniform welds.

Change the Clamping Die

Did you know that the clamping die that you select for a task can trigger deformities in the pipe? Short clamping dies concentrate a lot of pressure on a tiny section of the pipe that is being bent. That affected part then becomes prone to deformities, such as overstretching. Longer clamps reduce the pressure acting on any section of the pipe since that pressure is dispersed over a larger area.

How short is too short for a clamping die? Think of the diameter of the pipe you wish to bend as a baseline. The ideal length of the clamping die should be several times (at least three times, for example) the diameter of your pipe.

Examine the Mandrel

The mandrel that you select when bending a pipe can also affect the results of that bending process. Mandrels should be selected for specific pipe materials. For example, select a mandrel made from a softer metal (copper or aluminium, for example) in case the pipe is made from a harder metal, such as stainless steel or titanium. Such a pairing will reduce some of the defects that can result when metals of similar degrees of hardness encounter each other during the bending process.

Pipe bending is a skill that can be improved with practice. Keep tweaking your methods and techniques until you master the skill. Consult pipe bending professionals in case a particular defect keeps showing up each time you bend pipes.