The best material for a tube bending tool is the most cost-effective in terms of the ratio of tool life to tool cost. A cost-effective tool tends to wear out rather than break at the end of its service life. This article addresses choosing the optimal material for a rotary die tube bending machine's full toolkit.

Plasma cutting has come a long way since it was developed in the1950s. Includes a sidebar that reflects some tube and pipe trends and a maintenance sidebar.

Many seamless tube producers in North America use cross-roll piercing mills built in the 1950s that were based on designs from the1930s. While it would be advantageous to replace such aged equipment, that isn't always necessary. A minor equipment upgrade can do wonders. Improving the bar steadiers—the devices that hold the mandrel the steady as the pipe exits the mill—can greatly improve the mill's output and reduce the pipe's wall thickness variation.

The tube and pipe bending process is full of variables and options, all of which you must understand and manage successfully to make the end product.

Extrusions can be tricky to bend and handle. Paying close attention tobender selection, die design, programming, and material handling can help to ensure efficient and productive bending.