Tubing Roller Techniques

Tubing rollers are industrial machines used to roll tubes of a variety of materials and shapes. Most are equipped with LED digital displays, which monitor the bending roll and help to achieve precise positioning for greater rolling accuracy. With interchangeable dies, the machines are able to work with a variety of tube shapes such as round tubing, round pipe, channel, square, as well as other profiles. The machines are commonly able to bend tubing anywhere from ¾” to 2”, but other sizes may also be accommodated depending on the tubing roller. Often times, these machines use incremental bending to achieve the precise desired curvature. Tube rollers are used to bend tubes of several different materials from brass and aluminum to stainless steel and titanium.
When it comes to techniques for operating a tubing roller machine, the pipe material must be taken into consideration in order to utilize the appropriate pressures needed to create the required curve. For instance, metals with higher ductility to elasticity ratios are more easily shaped than others. Aluminum and Steel are categorized as ductile materials while glass and cast iron are brittle materials. When it comes to rolling, the machine’s “geometric arrangement creates a cubic polynomial, which approximates an arc between the rollers and section of pipe where force is applied.” This results in plastic and elastic deformation that is mitigated by a spring-back effect after leaving the rollers. This is indicated by the materials elastic compliance in relation to its ductility-the inverse of its stiffness.
Tube rolling or bending is a gradual process but developments in the industry and advances in machine capacities allow for increased production speeds. Effectiveness in terms of stock thickness and gauges of material depend on how the machine power interacts with the stiffness of the material. The best tubing roller for a particular job depends on several considerations such as projected thickness, widths, and tolerances of the material to be processed. Minimum diameters may also be a factor because small-diameter tubes may harden during multi-pass rolling. For more information about tube rolling machines and more specific advice in choosing the best machine for your operations, contact a manufacturer or supplier of tubing rollers today.