How To Choose The Correct Pipe Bending Machine - Understand First !

How To Choose The Correct Pipe Bending Machine - Understand First !

If you want to purchase a pipe bending machine now, if you don't know which pipe bending machine is more suitable for you, then this article introduces some important information about the pipe bending machine of Suzhou SLS Machinery Co., Ltd., hoping to help you make a wise decision on your purchase.

Part One:

Classification of pipe bending machines

Let's first look at the types of pipe bending machines. According to whether the pipe needs to be heated, it is divided into: heat pipe bending machine and cold pipe bending machine. According to the transmission method, it is divided into: manual pipe bending machine, hydraulic pipe bending machine, servo pipe bending machine (electric pipe bending machine), and according to the control method, it is divided into: manual pipe bending machine, semi-automatic pipe bending machine, and fully automatic pipe bending machine.

*  Manual pipe bending machine: Manual pipe bending machine is an ideal choice for small batch production buyers who do not have high requirements for the accuracy and production efficiency of pipes. Its machine is simple to operate and low cost, which is in line with their operation and production.

*  Semi-automatic pipe bending machine: Semi-automatic pipe bending machine is suitable for buyers with medium-sized production needs. It combines manual feeding, manual rotation and automatic bending. The automatic bending is driven by hydraulic oil and driven by the hydraulic system. It has high bending strength and can maintain good stability. It is undoubtedly the best choice for processing large diameter, thick-walled pipes or pipes with high hardness.

*  Fully automatic pipe bending machine: Compared with semi-automatic pipe bending machine, fully automatic pipe bending machine has simpler machine settings, high production efficiency, high precision, low energy consumption, and can bend pipes of various diameters and wall thicknesses, suitable for mass production. Generally, hydraulic transmission and servo motors are used to control feeding, cornering, pipe bending (optional), mold transfer (optional), and de molding (optional). The pipe bending process is completed by pre-setting parameters, driving the feeding trolley, and PLC/IPC control system.

Part Two:

Bend pipe properties

*  Tube material

The strength, hardness, ductility and resilience of different materials are different.

The harder the metal, the stronger its ability to resist external forces. On the contrary, it means that its ductility is poorer, because the hard metal is not easy to be plastic, which limits its ductility. Such metals such as high carbon steel, alloy steel, titanium alloy, etc. are not easy to bend. In the bending process, we usually use stretch bending. If you want to bend into a bend with a larger bending radius, you need to use push bending technology to achieve it. On the contrary, the hardness of the pipe is small, the ductility is relatively high, and it is easier to bend, such as copper, aluminum and other materials.

When bending the pipe, it is necessary to consider the resilience of the pipe. The more ductile the pipe is, the smaller its resilience is. In fact, some materials can have good ductility and resilience at the same time. Therefore, when choosing a pipe bending machine, you must consider the performance of the pipe and continuously test the degree of rebound (angle) to calculate the final parameters (rebound compensation). One thing that must be noted is that the quality of materials varies greatly. Therefore, even for commonly used brands, try to establish the corresponding material performance curve based on the actual test results instead of directly calling the original data.

*  Pipe diameter

Usually, the diameter of the pipe is the key to our choice of pipe bending machine model. In SLS Machinery Co., Ltd., there are many different types of pipe bending machines, and their bending capabilities (capacities) are different. For example, the model 38CNC machine, usually its maximum capacity is to bend a 38mm diameter pipe, but when our pipe wall thickness becomes thicker, the pipe diameter becomes smaller, and the hardness becomes larger, we need to choose a larger capacity model to deal with the bending problem of the pipe. When choosing the capacity, you also need to pay attention not to blindly choose a large capacity, otherwise it will lead to the inability to fully use the expensive mold, reduce production efficiency and increase energy consumption.

*  The wall thickness of the pipe

The wall thickness of the pipe also has a direct impact on the selection of the pipe bending machine. Generally, the thicker the wall thickness of the pipe, the greater the force required for bending and deformation, so it is necessary to consider choosing a pipe bending machine with greater bending force. On the contrary, if the wall thickness of the pipe is thinner, the bending deformation ability is strong, and the required bending force is small. You can choose a pipe bending machine with a small capacity, but it should be noted that the thin wall of the pipe also means the risk of breakage and wrinkles. At this time, the machine must be equipped with anti-wrinkle molds and mandrels to ensure the ideal pipe at the bend.

*  Bending radius

If you want to bend different bending radii on a pipe at the same time, then you need a multi-layer mold to help achieve it. The fully automatic pipe bending machine can stack multi-layer molds, and move the machine head up and down and left and right to automatically switch the pipes to different bending radii and reduce the time required for production conversion.（multi-layer pipe bending machine）

*  Bending precision and quality

When choosing a pipe bender, you should also make a preliminary assessment of the precision requirements for pipe bending and select a pipe bender with the corresponding configuration that can meet the requirements. A high-precision pipe bender can ensure the consistency and accuracy of the bending (usually we recommend configuring a servo motor). However, if you do not have extremely high requirements for pipe precision, in order to control costs, hydraulic system bending is also a good choice. (Precision pipe bending machine)

*  Tooling

According to the requirements of pipe bending: how many bends are needed, whether the bending is two-dimensional or three-dimensional, and whether the bending radius is large or small, we can choose a single film or a multi-layer film. The multi-layer mold can complete multiple operations with different bending radii in one setting, thereby better improving the bending accuracy and reducing material handling. According to the material and wall thickness of the pipe, we can consider using a mandrel and an anti-wrinkle mold. If your pipe has a thin wall and a small bending radius, then our suggestion is to use a mandrel (to make the pipe bend fuller, and the anti-wrinkle mold is to prevent wrinkles when the pipe is bent).

Part Three:

Budget and cost

*  Purchase cost: This is one of the biggest costs when purchasing a pipe bending machine. The cost of the equipment itself varies according to factors such as the type, specification, function and technical level of the pipe bending machine. You can choose the configuration according to the budget to meet the bending needs as much as possible.

Operation cost; Some times we tend to ignore the operation cost for the purchase cost. For example, if you need to bend pipes of different diameters, you will buy a machine that can meet the maximum capacity of all pipe bending at the same time. This saves the purchase cost on the surface, but in actual operation, it will be found that when a large-capacity machine bends a small diameter, the energy consumption and operation cost will be very large, so this requires us to consider comprehensively and finally choose a solution that suits us.

*  Maintenance cost: If you want the pipe bending machine to have a long service life, it is not advisable to use daily maintenance. The maintenance cost is actually a comprehensive cost, including equipment maintenance, spare parts replacement, repair and overhaul. If you want to control the maintenance cost in the later stage, you should choose high-quality accessories when choosing a pipe bending machine, reduce the frequency of replacement and maintenance, choose energy-efficient pipe bending equipment, and reduce electricity consumption costs.

The cost of purchasing a pipe bending machine includes not only the above purchase cost, operating cost, and maintenance cost, but also the transportation, installation, and training costs related to the equipment. When choosing a pipe bending machine, you need to consider various costs based on your own needs and budget to make the most appropriate purchase decision. At the same time, during the purchase process, you also need to pay attention to choosing a formal company to ensure the quality and after-sales service of the equipment.

Combining our three parts of explanation, choosing a suitable pipe bending machine requires comprehensive consideration of the above factors, pipe bending requirements, production scale and frequency, pipe bending accuracy and quality, pipe bending material, pipe diameter and wall thickness bending radius, and machine mold configuration budget cost. If you want to know more, or want to consult a professional to help you choose a pipe bending machine, then SLS Machinery Co., Ltd., which has 30 years of experience in pipe processing equipment, can help you make decisions quickly and choose the right machine according to your production standards.