Tube bending can be done to create metal tubes of different sizes using a variety of different methods. Although no tube bending method is superior, the one used largely depends on the specific needs of the project. Here is a brief glimpse into some of the most common tube bending methods used today and how they work:
- Sawing–This is one of the most versatile ways to cut metal tubing. Although every sawing application is unique, it is generally used when a low-volume project needs to be completed. There are also a two types of sawing that can be used: cold sawing and band sawing.
- Lathe cutting--Lathe cutting is an advantageous method of tube bending because it can cut many types of metals, including stainless steel, bronze, copper, and aluminum. It can also be used to cut pipes with many different diameters. Additionally, this method of tube bending is very efficient.
- Rotary cutting--Used in the industry for more than 50 years, the tube is held in position on a set of backup rollers while the rotary cutting blade rotates and cuts into the tube. One of the main benefits of rotary cutting is that there is no material loss between the cuts and it can cut softer materials, like copper and aluminum.
- Supported shear cutting--Similar to the cutting action of scissors, when supported sheer cutting is used, the material is moved between a movable and stationary tooling section. This process is beneficial because it produces a high quality cut, and all types of materials can be cut.