Induction Pipe Bending: What are the Benefits?
Posted on: 17 January 2017
The process by which pipes made of electricity conducting materials (such as copper) get bent for various purposes is known as induction pipe bending. The technology initially got introduced in the 1960s, and today it is one of the most common types of pipe bending used in various industries.
The induction pipe bending process involves using high-frequency induction heating by exposing a tube to eddy currents produced by a fluctuating electromagnetic field.
As a result, manufacturers can get precision control of the pipe thus facilitating easy tube steel bending. The uniform application of induction heat on the tube is regulated by a computer system so as to prevent the pipe from overheating; furthermore, the entire heating process gets monitored via infrared cameras.
Below are some of the advantages that have led to the broad adoption of this technology.
• Uniformity in shape and quality of the pipe
Since its introduction in the 1960's, induction pipe bending technology has witnessed significant improvements ranging from automation of the heating process, the application of induction bending on pipes with minute radius to an array of bending dimensions and shapes.
Due to these improvements, manufacturers can produce a tube with uniform shape and quality primarily because they have made it possible to precisely control the heating and cooling of the tubes even in the narrowest sections.
• Ability to make multiple curves as well as structures
The introduction of Computer Aided Design (CAD) technology in the induction pipe bending process has facilitated the designing of complex curves for various structures. For instance, structures such as foot bridges, pavilions and arches are all constructed with pipes that have complex curves. These curves get created via a combination of CAD and induction pipe bending.
• Significantly reducing the wage bill
Bows and elbows get utilized in the induction pipe bending process thus eliminating the need to weld angles into place. Eliminating the need for welding means that there is no point in hiring welding contractors thus reducing the overall cost of labour.
Welded sections of a pipe tend to cause defects, and thus the pipe will often break or leak. However, by not applying welding on a pipe induction pipe bending not only guarantees the pipe is defect free, but it also eliminated future repair costs in fixing flaws.
• Guaranteed stability in dimensional accuracy
In cold bending, the spring back effect typically alters the radius of a tube after the bending process. However, in induction pipe bending the precision of the controls reduces the spring-back effect thus ensuring that the radius and the bend angle don't get altered. As a result, a stable dimensional accuracy is acquired thus negating the need to use curling die.
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