Material grain size matters in sheet metal bending Grain Size Image – (C) The Fabricator 8 ways material grain size affects how metal parts form

The Fabricator recently ventured to put together a comprehensive list on the ways that material grain size can affect the process of metal forming.

Eight Factors

During forming, sheet metal expands on the outside of the bend and compresses on the inside of the bend. How well the metal responds to the expansion and compression during bending determines the amount of unexpected deformation.

There are eight main factors that affect deformation during sheet metal forming related to material grain. A deeper understanding of these factors allows manufacturers to make corrective action that reduce variations during a part run. Analysis and insight into these eight factors, operators should see errors diminish and product quality improve.

The eight factors identified by The Fabricator article include:

1. Work Hardening. Plastic deformation causes dislocations within the metal’s structure, which in turn generates additional dislocations. 

2. Hardness Variation. Steelmakers make sheet metal within a tolerance zone for hardness. 

3. Thickness Variation. The same thing goes for material thickness, specified within a tolerance zone that corresponds to a given material gauge.

4. Bend Line Location. A feature near a bend changes the way that the metal expands, compresses, and deforms. 

5. Forming Method. The common bending methods on the press brake are air forming (or air bending), bottoming (or bottom bending), and coining.

6. Bend Length. The length of the bend is proportional to the tonnage required to make the bend. 

7. Grain Direction. During the process of turning ingots of metal into sheet at the mill, the metal is forced between a set of rollers. 

8. Grain Size. Grain within the material influences its strength. The borders between grains act like a barrier to dislocation movement. 

Further details about these eight factors and information on identifying grain is available in the full article available on The Fabricator: https://www.thefabricator.com/thefabricator/article/bending/grain-size-part-i-material-grain-size-matters-in-sheet-metal-bending

Reducing emissions and finding ways to produce energy more cleanly has been a priority for manufacturers for years. As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regularly updates requirements to improve the safety and purity of emissions from engines, companies have been scrambling to keep up without sacrificing efficiency.

The latest Tier 4 Final emissions standards apply to both on-road and non-road engines – so many more manufacturers are now impacted by the rules, not just those associated with locomotive equipment like trucks and trains. Now, engines found in power generators and other stationary equipment will be under scrutiny as well. This especially impacts companies working in the oil and gas sector.

The main purpose of Tier 4 Final regulations is to cut back on the amount of particulate matter (PM) by 80% and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 45% more than previous regulations. To meet this requirement, companies such as Cummins have already taken steps by implementing a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment solution for engines. There’s a long line of chemical reactions that go on during this process, and in the end, ammonia and water vapor create the catalytic reaction that results in the reduction of NOx into a harmless gas. Full details on the chain reaction can be found on EngineerLive.

We’ve been working with companies to ensure that our tubes meet their requirements for Tier 4 Final standards. This requires the use of Stainless Steel materials and sufficient insulation on the outside of the tube to keep the gases inside hot (extreme heat is an essential component of the catalytic reaction). The number and severity of bends in a tube can impact heat loss, so we make a conscious effort to reduce the number of bends and ensure smooth transitions to retain the most heat possible.

Learn about our tube bending and Tier 4 capabilities and how we can assist you in meeting Tier 4 Final requirements, feel to contact us or call 440-974-2500.

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Tier 4 Standards

We have already discussed the EPA’s new emission standards, which dictate that manufacturers must product engines that help  control exhaust emissions. We are now in the final stage of the requirement, Tier 4 Final Standards, which mandates that all  diesel engines that are put into service from 2015 and beyond must adhere to the EPA’s requirements.  Engines must now run  clean and tubes will need to be insulated to work properly. Tier 4 Final affects a variety of industries as diesel engines are used  in trucking, agriculture, road equipment, and more.

In the 1970s, manufacturers put catalytic converters in cars, which reduce unburned hydrocarbons through a catalytic reaction to water and CO2. In order for this process to work the exhaust gases must be kept at high temperature to enable the catalytic reaction.

To help engine manufacturers meet Tier 4 Final standards, Precision Bending now offers insulated Tier 4 Final tubes. The insulation helps ensure that the exhaust is kept hot as it moves through the tractor tubes.

As before, all of our Tier 4 tubes are cleaned to meet the engine manufacturer’s requirements and are packaged in a heat sealed bag to ensure our customers receive a perfectly clean tube.

Reducing emissions and finding ways to produce energy more cleanly has been a priority for manufacturers for years. As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regularly updates requirements to improve the safety and purity of emissions from engines, companies have been scrambling to keep up without sacrificing efficiency.

The latest Tier 4 Final emissions standards apply to both on-road and non-road engines – so many more manufacturers are now impacted by the rules, not just those associated with locomotive equipment like trucks and trains. Now, engines found in power generators and other stationary equipment will be under scrutiny as well. This especially impacts companies working in the oil and gas sector.

The main purpose of Tier 4 Final regulations is to cut back on the amount of particulate matter (PM) by 80% and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 45% more than previous regulations. To meet this requirement, companies such as Cummins have already taken steps by implementing a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment solution for engines. There’s a long line of chemical reactions that go on during this process, and in the end, ammonia and water vapor create the catalytic reaction that results in the reduction of NOx into a harmless gas. Full details on the chain reaction can be found on EngineerLive.

At Precision Bending, we’ve been working with companies to ensure that our tubes meet their requirements for Tier 4 Final standards. This requires the use of Stainless Steel materials and sufficient insulation on the outside of the tube to keep the gases inside hot (extreme heat is an essential component of the catalytic reaction). The number and severity of bends in a tube can impact heat loss, so we make a conscious effort to reduce the number of bends and ensure smooth transitions to retain the most heat possible.

Learn about our tube bending and Tier 4 capabilities and how we can assist you in meeting Tier 4 Final requirements, feel to contact us or call 440-974-2500.

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Rotary Draw Bending vs. Compression Bending

When it comes to tube bending services there are several methods, including compression bending and rotary draw bending. We’d like to talk a bit about each of these methods and uses for each.

Compression bending is a rather simple method that is often used on construction sites for bending electrical conduit. However, this type of bending is limited as it can’t make tight (small radius) bends because the pipe will buckle or break.

Rotary draw bending on the other hand allows for more control during the tube bending process as you use mandrels and dies inside the tube. This control allows us to make a very tight bend and can be used to make small dimensional tolerances. Additional benefits of this method include a smooth, aesthetically pleasing appearance which makes it an ideal for applications in which bend cosmetics are important. Rotary draw bending can also be used to bend square and rectangular tube and pipe, channel and extruded shapes.

To learn more about our all our tube bending services, visit our website.

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Discover the Significance of Working with Precision Bending for World-Class Custom Tubing Solutions for Manufacturing and Industry

One of the definitions of the word “significance” in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary is “the quality of having notable worth. Over the years, our experience has shown that it’s worth a lot to manufacturers and industrial companies to have access to world-class custom tubing solutions from Precision Bending Technology Whatever the industry or application – oil & gas, commercial HVAC, construction, sanitary & food, military and more – our ability to provide an extensive range of custom tubing and piping solutions to our customers has played a significant role in the success of many types of manufacturing scenarios and industrial projects. Overall, that’s the real value – and the “notable worth”  – of working with Precision Bending.: Flexibility in our range of services, our ability to work with all shapes and sizes, and our capabilities to handle many types of materials.  

It doesn’t matter whether we’re working with carbon steel, aluminum alloys, stainless steel, brass, copper, aluminized or galvanized steel, or titanium. We’re able to work with all types of materials, and the end results are always successful for us, and for our customers. For more than four decades, we’ve been partnering with world-leading brands and industry leaders to deliver tubes, pipes and parts of all shapes and sizes, bent to exact specifications, which are used for a variety of applications. Food processing, sanitary and construction equipment, specialty vehicles, petroleum transport… the list goes on and on. You can name just about any industry and any application, and we can tell you how we’ve successfully worked with that type of manufacturer or someone within that industry at some point in our 40+ years of experience.

Piping and tubing are commonly needed and used in all types of industries. From agriculture to aerospace to construction to manufacturing and so on, piping is required to transport fluids or gases through mechanical, and processing systems and piping/tubing is often used for other applications, too. What makes Precision Bending Technology different from other tubing and piping sources is our ability to work with a great range of specifications and piping diameters. Our custom tubing solutions go well beyond the “standard” 3-inch piping, and that’s what makes us stand out. We are NOT limited by diameter sizes and tolerance requirements, and there’s nowhere else to turn for the type of flexibility, quality and precision that we offer.

We’d be happy to tell you more about the significance of working with our team for world-class custom tubing solutions for manufacturing and industry! And we can discuss exactly what we can do for you, based on your company’s needs and applications. Reach out to us through our website, or give us a call at 440-974-2500.

Tube Bending Examples

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Construction Sector Optimism Highest In 20 Years

A recent survey of equipment distributors and industry contractors by Wells Fargo Equipment Finance is suggesting that construction industry executives are more optimistic about commercial construction activity than they have been since this century began.

John Crum, senior vice president and Construction Group national sales manager at Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, confirmed that many of the survey respondents believe that 2018 could be one of their best years ever.

While most contractors and distributors had a positive outlook on construction activity and industry expansion, fewer expect that growth will continue at the same level. This doesn’t mean that they don’t believe the industry will expand: 73% of contractors predicted expansion in the next two years while those who believed that things would remain the same came to only 19%. Only 9% of distributors and 9% of contractors expected less activity.

2017 was a good equipment sales year, and 2018 is expected to hold further improvements. 76% of distributors said that they expected their new equipment sales to increase while 78% predicted that their used equipment sales would increase. With contractors, 37% indicated that they will buy more new equipment while 27% said they would buy more used.

Rental companies and distributors indicated that they would increase their rental fleets this year, with 55% confirmed that they intended to expand. Only 7% said they would decrease their fleet sizes.

The survey also asked companies that rent construction equipment what they would do if the cost of renting went up. Respondents replied that if rental costs increased from 5 to 15% would make 63% of them consider buying equipment instead of renting.

This forecast can create a need for more construction equipment to be manufactured.

Precision Bending Technology (previously Stam) in Mentor, Ohio, supports all construction products with engines by providing custom tube bending as well as tubing to convey fuel, hydraulic fluid, intake air, and exhaust gases from the turbocharger to the charge air cooler. Recent Tier 4 emission requirements call for new tube coupling systems, high levels of cleanliness, low leakage, vibration isolation, and flexible hose:

We ensure that all Tier 4 tubes are delivered in accordance with the new requirements and even includes custom tube bending to minimize the risk of leaks.

The Wells Fargo survey also showed that the construction sector net profit expectations are generally positive, but sourcing and paying for skilled labor remains, along with healthcare costs, one of the top concerns that will affect net profits. Concerns over equipment costs and equipment rental costs were also cited by distributors.

Overall, the construction industry is feeling increasingly positive about profits. Approximately 92% of respondents said that net profits will either remain constant or increase from 2017, with 61% anticipating an increase in profitability.

The report results, which were presented in the Construction Industry Forecast for 2018, marks the 42nd year in which Wells Fargo Equipment Finance and its forerunners have carried out a survey of executives in the construction industry to obtain insights into present business trends and conditions, and to assess their outlook on construction activity in the year to come.

 

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