CNC machining has revolutionised manufacturing but there is one area that it has not has a big impact on: tubing. Tubes are still best made using more traditional techniques such as bending, rolling and manipulation. These allow products to be made efficiently, to a high standard, and cost effectively.

When manufacturing tubing it is important to set up machines properly before work begins. This will ensure that the products are precise, reduce wastage and ensure the final quality suits your needs. Careful setup will also prolong the longevity of machinery and extend tool life.

If machines are not set up in the correct way you can encounter many different problems. These include:

– Mandrel nose problems such as ovality, excessive drag and issues with both the inside and outside radius.

– Direct pressure flaws like wrinkling on the inside of the tube or excessive flattening on the outside.

– Assist pressure flaws like excessive wall thinning, humps on the outside radius or excessive flattening.

– Hump or humps on the inside radius close to the bend (this only happens when there is a problem with the wiper tip).

When machinery is properly set up, these issues are less likely to occur but there are still a few things that can cause them. Amongst these are worn tools, lack of lubrication, inconsistent pressure, wrong dimensions or incorrect materials hardness. Each one of these factors can cause flaws in the tubes and ruin the finish so it is important to account for them beforehand.

At Multiform Tubes we specialise in tube reduction, expansion, bending and all other forms of manipulation. We use a combination of traditional techniques and modern machinery to produce great results and maximise precision. We can manufacture tubes in all kinds of dimensions, from small scale pieces to much larger ones. Before each service we ensure machines are properly set up, and we monitor quality throughout manufacturing to make sure we maintain excellent quality.