Pipe bender eliminates outsourcing, reduces stock volume for hydraulic hose manufacturer

The manually operated, 3-axis EvBend 2000 offers multiplane bending of tube and pipe up to 50 mm OD.

Situation

Morse Hydraulics, a Fremont, Calif.-based provider of high-pressure hydraulic hoses and fittings, required a pipe bending machine that would offer uncompromising levels of accuracy and repeatability, yet would be well-suited to a manufacturing environment specializing in both one-off and small-batch runs.

“Our goal was twofold,” said Richie Damian, owner. “First and foremost, we wanted to carry out pipe bending in-house, to enable us to respond even more quickly to the varied needs of our customers. Secondly, as a knock-on benefit, we also wanted to reduce the significant levels of bent pipe fittings that outsourced production meant we were having to hold in stock.

“Our search for the right pipe bending machine was proving challenging,” he continued. “Many of the lower-priced machines we saw simply didn’t offer the levels of accuracy we were looking for, whereas other fully automated CNC machines were either prohibitively expensive or offered capabilities we would never use.”

Resolution

The company shared its pipe bending requirements with Stuart Singleton, vice president at Unison Tube LLC, who recommended the EvBend 2000 power-assisted CNC bender. Designed for precision manufacturing companies that require low-volume, high-accuracy tube and pipe production and prototyping, the manually operated, 3-axis bender offers precise, multiplane bending of tube and pipe up to 50 mm OD.

“Since the [bender] was installed at our facility in Portland, Ore., we have completely removed our reliance on outsourced pipe bending and have been able to significantly reduce our stockholding,” Damian said. “With bending on site, we are better placed to deliver the high-quality hydraulic tube fittings our customers demand, as well as custom bend even the most hard-to-find fittings and connectors. Unison’s thorough training ensured we were producing saleable bent components from day one.”

With in-house bending capabilities, Morse Hydraulics no longer relies on outsourced pipe bending.