Tube swaging and pipe forging are metal forging processes used to create custom shapes and diameters for precision machinery. Pipe crimping can involve both internal and external shaping. Rotary swaging is a cold process that uses dies to shape metal pipes, with two types of rotary presses available.
Precision machinery requires precisely manufactured parts. When a machine requires metal tubing, it may not be necessary for the tubing to be the same diameter along its entire length. Using a metal forging process called tube swaging, a tube can be custom designed so that its diameter is changed to meet a machine’s specific requirements. The word swage can apply to both the swage process and the tools used to complete the swage.
Pipe forging is a type of metal forging that uses dies to create the specific shape. The term die generally refers to a custom shape that cuts or alters the shape of a piece of metal. In case of pipe pressing, dies can be used to increase or decrease the diameter of the pipe. To increase the diameter, a die is inserted into the opening of a pipe and forced into the shape of the die. To reduce the diameter of the pipe, dies are used as hammers on the outside of the pipe to condense the material and shrink the overall diameter.
In some cases, pipe crimping may include both internal and external crimping. In other words, a pipe may need to have one shape on the inside and another shape on the outside. For example, some pipes need to fit and lock onto another distinctly shaped part, but still need to have a typical tubular shape on the outside. Forging can be used to change the internal shape of the pipe while changing the outside diameter to the size you need.
Rotary swaging is a common type of pipe swaging that uses a cold process to shape, taper, or point a metal pipe. As the tube is rotated on a mandrel, the rotary press uses a series of dies that repeatedly open and close up to 2,000 times per minute. There are two types of rotary presses: a standard or labeling machine and an overhead press. The standard machine works by enclosing the entire length of the tube in the dies, while a head presser closes the dies on the metal tube only when indicated by the operator. This is usually accomplished with a foot pedal and results in a tube that is weathered at both ends or at multiple points along the length of the tube.
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