How to Use a Hydraulic Pipe Bending Machine Correctly?

Posted on Sep 2, 2021

Hydraulic Pipe Bending Machine

Tube and pipe bending machines are used in manufacturing plants and production lines for the construction of rolling stands, gates, and various sheet metal fabrication projects. Hydraulic pipe benders are applied most commonly in the automotive and mechanical industries to process high-grade steel.

It is very important to understand how hydraulic pipe bending machines work before putting them into operation. In this article, we will walk you through the pipe bending process and teach you all the things you need to pay attention to about this machine.
 

Inspection

Before putting the hydraulic pipe bending machine into use, a thorough machine inspection is necessary. Below is a checklist for the machine operators to follow.

  • Check your hydraulic pipe bending machine before each use to reduce the risk of severe electric shock injury, collapse accidents, and avoid damage to the machine.

  • Clean blood, grease, or dirt from the handles and controls. This allows for better control of the hydraulic pipe bending machine and prevents the machine or control from slipping out of the holder during use.

  • Inspect for hydraulic leaks. Check the fluid level and also check for any broken, cracked, bent, missing, or stapled parts that may compromise the safe operation of the machine.

  • Make sure the power cord and plug are in a good state. If any problem is found during the inspection, do not operate the machine until the problems have been resolved.

 


Parts, Functions, and Operating Procedures of a Hydraulic Pipe Bender, Donah Divine
 

Feeding

Feeding the material into a bending machine is not very complicated but there are a few points you should pay attention to. Here we break down the feeding process into 5 steps. Following the steps ensures a successful operation. 

  1. Make sure the machine and the work area are properly set up and free from bystanders and distractions. The on/off switch should be in the OFF position initially. Mark the pipe to bend in a suitable location if necessary and open the upper frame.

  2. Select the appropriate bending form for the pipe. The forms are marked with their size and catalog number. Put the former on the end of the ram.

  3. Place the pipe in the frame and place supports under the pipe to keep it in the correct bending position if needed. Support the pipe properly to prevent the pipe and hydraulic pipe bending machine from tipping over during use.

  4. Make sure to spread some grease on the side of the corner bracket where it contacts the pipe. Place the brackets in the appropriate holes as marked on the bending frame. The corner supports must be in the correct symmetrical holes; otherwise, the machine may be damaged.

  5. Finally, shut the frame and insert the support pins in the corner via the frame wings. Align the corner brackets so that the zero marks on the angle indicators line up with the mark on the top wing. Open-wing bending machines do not have angle indicators. Make sure the pins are fully inserted into the lower leaf and make sure the machine and pipe are stable.


Here is an example of operating a hydraulic pipe bending machine. Check this video to see how it actually works!


Air/Hydraulic Tubing Bender Deluxe Kit, Trick-Tools.com

 

Safety Baselines

Once the hydraulic pipe bending machine is running, there isn't much to do for the operator. However, there are some safety precautions that are important.

  • Stand next to the cylinder on the same side as the release knob. Do not reach over your bending machine while it is running. What the operator does here is to support the pipe as the machine bends.

  • Do not place fingers, hands, or any part of the body in a position that could trap or pinch them. Make sure the corner brackets are in the correct position to bend the pipe and the pins are fully inserted into the frame.

  • Make sure the ends of the pipe extend beyond the corner brackets enough to prevent the pipe from slipping when bent. Keep away from the moving pipe.

  • Watch as the ram expands. If you can see a small groove in the cylinder, stop the cylinder from moving to prevent hydraulic leakage and damage to the cylinder


Considerations

To achieve the best results of a bending process, in addition to the safety baselines, there are some other considerations to take. 

  • Some pipe sizes require a slider extension to create a 90-degree bend. When the groove in the actuator is visible, stop moving it.

  • Make sure the pipe is properly supported to prevent it from moving or falling off. Turn the release knob of your machine to the retracted position and retract the actuator far enough to allow the extension to be inserted.

  • After reaching the desired degree of bending, stop moving the slider. Do not try to make bends greater than 90 degrees. This can cause the pipe to kink or other problems.

  • When the actuator is retracted, the pipe may pop off, so a little compensation may be needed to achieve the desired angle.

  • After making a turn, move the power switch of your hydraulic pipe bending machine to the OFF position. Retract the actuator by turning the release knob to the retracted position and remove the pipe from your hydraulic pipe bending machine.


Conclusion

The hydraulic pipe and tube bending machine render a wide range of applications, such as handrails, handrail elbows, wall returns, furniture frames, roll cages, and more. Besides these manual hydraulic pipe and tube benders, there is also high-end CNC pipe bending machines available. They can handle the production of tubes and pipes that require tight tolerance and precision. They are also more efficient when processing challenging materials.

At the end of the day, choosing the right tube bending machine for the shop is a matter of budget, application, and requirements. The CNC machines are more powerful but with much higher costs. On the other hand, the manual benders are less costly but cannot meet the high-precision and top-quality requirements. But they are reliable for small-scale productions and are easier to maintain. IMTS works closely with experienced tube and pipe bending machine manufacturers such as Han Jie. Feel free to contact us and we will offer the best solution for your business!
 

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