Tooling Design

1. Bend Die

• Hardened tool steel or alloy steel, heat treated and nitrided
• Clamp insert is secured with cap screws and dowel pins
• Drive key must be parallel to clamp insert
• Bore should have a slip fit over centering ring or spindle

Note: Bend dies may have special tube grooves with captive lip or Empty Bending

2. Clamp Die

• Hardened tool steel or alloy steel, heat treated and nitrided
• Preferable length is 3 X tube O.D.
• Tube groove is grit blasted or may be serrated if less than preferred length
• With tube held in bend die, advance clamp die and adjust for vertical alignment
• Adjust for parallel contact with entire length of clamp
• Adjust for pressure

3. Pressure Die

• Alloy steel and nitrided
• Tube groove must be parallel to back of die
• If follower type pressure die is used, length equals 180 degrees + 2 O.D.
• If a boosted system is used, groove should be grit blasted
• With tube clamped to bend die, advance pressure die and adjust for vertical alignment
• Start with minimal pressure and increase as required in small increments

4. Mandrel

• Type of mandrel and number of balls indicated by Tooling Selection Guide
• Aluminum/Bronze, chrome, or Kro-Lon mandrels for ferrous tubing. Only chrome mandrels for non-ferrous
• Gain best results with most mandrels when shank projects a small amount past tangent (bend and try)
• Lube I.D. of each tube

5. Wiper Die

• The Tooling Selection Guide indicates when a wiper may be required
• Push tube over properly located mandrel and bring clamp and pressure dies up to bending position
• Slide wiper along tube as far as possible into bend die then secure to holder
• Unclamp pressure and clamp dies, tip of wiper should be “very close” to tangent
• Adjust for rake and vertical alignment
• Lube each tube and the wiper