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Tube bending CAD/CAM software accommodates laser tube cutting

A new version of TubeWorks tube bending CAD/CAM software, which provides tubular metal fabricators with preproduction tools for laser cutting as well as tube bending, is available from Unison.

Developed by the software consultancy 3DCompound, the software is an add-in module for the SolidWorks® mechanical CAD package. It combines visualization capabilities with automatic code extraction and file generation. The time required to develop programs for CNC tube bending and laser tube cutting machines typically is reduced from hours to minutes, the company states.

For tube bending, the software automatically extracts key manufacturing information such as bend angles and rotations from a native SolidWorks model or a common CAD file such as STEP, IGES, or ParaSolid and creates the bend table for immediate use on a CNC bending machine, as well as the XYZ coordinates and a 2-D drawing of the modeled tube.

Version 2.6 of the software extends this functionality by enabling users to unbend the CAD models of bent tubes into flat (or straight) configurations containing full details of all holes and cutouts to provide the input data for laser tube cutting machines.

The software also offers numerous functions to help users minimize the preproduction design time of machine-based tube cutting and bending. These include automated centerline creation through tubular geometry (for both round and nonround profiles) and automated conversion of imported tube models into native SolidWorks models for centerline radius modification.