Custom Tube Bending Techniques: Rotary Draw Bending

Rotary Draw Tube Bending Services

December 2, 2021

Rotary draw tube bending is a popular and versatile method of bending metal tubes and pipes that allows varying degrees of bending while maintaining a constant centerline radius (CLR). The rotary draw pipe bending technique is slower than other methods but has significantly fewer limitations. This pipe bending technique provides the control and flexibility to bend tight or loose radiuses and creates smaller center line radius bends.

How Rotary Draw Tube Bending Works

The rotary draw tube bending process involves clamping a piece of tubing and forming it around a die until you achieve the desired bend radius; the size of the bend die is what determines the bend radius. Rotating the metal tube allows the creation of different bend angles to create simple or complex designs. Other components of a rotary draw bending machine, including:   

  • Clamp Die: holds the tubing in place against the bend die and the pressure die applies the appropriate amount of force needed to bend the tube.
  • Mandrel: sits inside the tube and helps prevent wrinkling or collapse that sometimes occur, especially when bending a tight radius.
  • Wiper Dies: sits inside the tube bend to prevent wrinkling

View our project gallery to see examples of our rotary draw tube bending capabilities and browse our FAQ section for fast answers to our most common questions.  

Rotary Draw Tube Bending Techniques and Capabilities

Whether your project requires one or more pipe bending techniques, we have the machinery, tooling, and expertise to produce your desired results. We specialize in OEM projects in the qualities of hundreds to thousands and bend tubes up to 1” diameter. We also provide several secondary services and finishing operations to complete your design.

Rotary draw tube bending is ideal for gas appliance tubing, decorative light fixture tubing, and other projects requiring a small CLR. After reviewing your design, we determine which tube bending process will deliver the right results. Several criteria determine the technique and tools needed for a metal tube bending project, including:

  • Bend radius (inside, outside, and centerline)
  • Wall thickness
  • Outside diameter
  • Bend angle

Material Options for Rotary Draw Tube Bending and Pipe Bending

Rotary draw bending is compatible with all the tubing materials we offer. Material selection depends on your project design and requirements for conductivity, corrosion resistance, and wear. We work with the following materials and can help you select the right option based on your operational and aesthetic needs:  

Contact Us to Discuss Your Tube Bending Project

Triad uses rotary draw tube bending and several other techniques to bend metal pipes and tubes to your specifications. Submit your design to get a project quote or contact us for additional information.