TPT May 2009

T echnology U pdate

seven pieces of cut tube from the hopper. It can then insert these into a multiple hit end- former, drilling stations, or similar process. UTE designed multiple, ellipsoidally grooved bend, clamp and pressure dies to eliminate the mandrel on a 1½ x diameter CLR (centreline radius), which usually requires a ball mandrel and a wiper die. The UTE-designed gravity fed hopper (with agitator) keeps the tubes aligned where they can drop down a chute in multiples to a load position. The 5-axis robot can pick them up and place them in the bend tooling and let go of the tubing. The bend dies then close and the electric servo bend head takes over, bending to the programmed bend angle. After a bend has been made, the robot reaches back into the tooling, recaptures the bent tubing, rotates the tubes for the plane of bend (POB), and then feeds the tube forward for distance between bends (DBB). This is repeated as many times as needed to finish the part. The 5-axis robot can then either discharge the tubing, or perform another operation

within an expanded work cell before rotating back to pick up another one to seven pieces. Production can be anywhere from 500 to 2,500 pcs/hr, depending on number of bends involved. The tube shape and geometry must lend itself to bending multiples at the same time, ie bends must be in the same

plane in order to be loaded and bent in multiples. Electric servo bend heads and robots hold tight positioning tolerances and part repeatability is enhanced. UTE Inc – USA Fax : +1 423 282 8236 Email : sales@universaltool.com Website : www.universaltool.com

Tube bending and forming machines Silkmead Tubular Ltd, UK, is the manufacturer of CNC and mechanically controlled tube bending and forming machines. With 40 years of experience in tube manipulation, the company’s machines have gained popularity in industries including the aircraft industry, automotive (motor racing), and military (UK Ministry of Defence). The company’s EvBend CNC 1000 machine is computer controlled, operator powered, and easily programmed from co-ordinates or ‘taught’ from a sample. Features include 3-axis precision bending of tubes up to 30mm in diameter, data management storage, left or right hand bending and modular construction. The machine has no hydraulics but some pneumatics (with no electrics on the Evbend 200 model). Silkmead Tubular Ltd – UK Fax : +44 1582 609930 • Email : alexb@silkmead.co.uk • Website : www.silkmead.co.uk  The EvBend CNC 100 from Silkmead

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