Pipe bending machines are used in many areas of daily life. For instance, the automotive industry relies on them for production—a necessity driven by social development, technological progress, and rising living standards, which have led to a surge in private car ownership. They are also utilized in the manufacture of bathroom fixtures and in the construction of entertainment venues; indeed, the application of pipe bending technology is closely intertwined with our daily lives.
Anti-corrosion pipes—typically steel pipes treated to prevent or slow down corrosion caused by chemical or electrochemical reactions during transport and use—are widely employed in domestic pipeline projects. These include sectors such as petroleum, chemicals, natural gas, district heating, sewage treatment, water supply, bridge construction, and steel structures. Pipe bending machines can also be used to bend these anti-corrosion pipes. The process begins by aligning the pipe correctly within the assembly of the mold, base, and wedge block; this requires the use of two handles—one to control the base and the other the wedge block. Once the pipe is positioned, the wedge block pressure is raised to 210 bar.
Next, the base control handle is pressed to raise the main hydraulic cylinder. Upon reaching the desired height, the handle is released, and the machine pauses for 1–2 seconds to minimize spring-back. At this stage, the cold-bend angle is measured. Then, the base control handle is lifted to release cylinder pressure, and the wedge block control handle is lifted to release pressure on the wedge cylinder. A subsequent measurement reveals the change in angle caused by the steel's elasticity. To understand the material's spring-back rate: typically, when the machine bends the pipe to a 1-degree angle, the actual "natural" angle achieved is only 0.5 degrees.
When cold-bending a pipe, measurements are taken at the beginning (the first two bends), the middle (one bend), and the end (the last two bends) to mitigate the impact of various factors—such as material properties—on the bending angle. While the working principle of a pipe bending machine is straightforward, its range of applications is incredibly broad.
