The present invention provides a new bending apparatus and bending method of a tube material which makes it possible to achieve all of bending by a large bending radius not requiring large scale equipment or die, bending resistant to wrinkling and buckling at an inner side of the bending, and bending with a high productivity, that is, a ram bending apparatus using a punch 12 and a set of rolls 13, 13 for three-point bending of a tube material wherein the punch 12 has a groove 12a of a width of the width of a circular tube 11 or more and wherein the set of rolls 13, 13 are supported by a frame 14. The rolls 13, 13 can freely move on the frame 14 in directions away from each other in a state contacting the punch 12. The frame 14 has a hollow space 14a enabling free movement of the descending punch 12 and the circular tube 11 bent along with this during the bending of the circular tube 11.

Benders are disclosed relating to the convenient, accurate, and precise bending of tubing. Example benders include features such as a mandrel, adjustable mechanical stops, and scales having relatively high resolution along with significant distance from a central axis of the mandrel. Certain benders may include separate fine and coarse adjustments to bend angles and support mechanisms for controlling the bend plane angle.

Benders are disclosed relating to the convenient, accurate, and precise bending of tubing. Example benders include features such as a mandrel, adjustable mechanical stops, and scales having relatively high resolution along with significant distance from a central axis of the mandrel. Certain benders may include separate fine and coarse adjustments to bend angles and support mechanisms for controlling the bend plane angle.

The invention relates to a system for positioning at least one spacer in a longitudinal pipe having an outer duct and an inner duct mounted in said outer duct, the system including a bracing module configured to maintain a pipe longitudinally along an axis while maintaining positioning clearance between the inner duct and the outer duct, and an insertion module having a pusher member, guided longitudinally along said axis, that is configured to move at least one spacer in the positioning clearance of the longitudinal pipe.

A forming tool and a method of operating thereof for producing a hollow component by sheet-metal forming is disclosed having an upper tool and a lower tool, a mandrel that is driven into the hollow component to be formed and an auxiliary mandrel that is repositionable relative to the mandrel are positioned on the upper tool. The mandrel and the auxiliary mandrel are coupled to the upper tool by one spring-elastic actuation element in such a manner that the mandrel, when the upper tool is being lowered, is driven into the hollow component to be formed and comes to bear therein. A further lowering of the upper tool causes a compression of the coupling element, and the auxiliary mandrel carrying out a movement relative to the mandrel and being driven further into the hollow component.

A forming tool and a method of operating thereof for producing a hollow component by sheet-metal forming is disclosed having an upper tool and a lower tool, a mandrel that is driven into the hollow component to be formed and an auxiliary mandrel that is repositionable relative to the mandrel are positioned on the upper tool. The mandrel and the auxiliary mandrel are coupled to the upper tool by one spring-elastic actuation element in such a manner that the mandrel, when the upper tool is being lowered, is driven into the hollow component to be formed and comes to bear therein. A further lowering of the upper tool causes a compression of the coupling element, and the auxiliary mandrel carrying out a movement relative to the mandrel and being driven further into the hollow component.

A method may be utilized to produce a steering spindle part configured as a hollow shaft and having a connecting portion at its end. At least a part of the connecting portion includes increased wall thickness relative to a portion of the steering spindle part adjoining the connecting portion. The method may involve providing a circular, hollow cylindrical tube with an inner surface that is smooth in a circumferential direction, providing a circular, hollow cylindrical sleeve with an outer surface that is smooth in a circumferential direction, inserting the sleeve into an end portion of the tube, and jointly deforming the end portion of the tube and the sleeve such that a flow of material occurs. This flow may form positively locking elements on the tube and the sleeve that engage into one another in the circumferential direction and generate positive locking in the circumferential direction.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a pipe material and to provide a mandrel with which resistance between a member to be processed and the mandrel during bending processing can be reduced and overall processing time can be shortened. The method for producing a pipe material includes: a step for inserting a mandrel, which is provided on the inside thereof with a flow path through which dry ice powder flows and spray holes at the tip thereof for spraying the dry ice powder, inside pipe material; a step for spraying the dry ice powder from the spray holes inside the pipe material; and a step for performing bending processing on the pipe material wherein the mandrel has been inserted.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a pipe material and to provide a mandrel with which resistance between a member to be processed and the mandrel during bending processing can be reduced and overall processing time can be shortened. The method for producing a pipe material includes: a step for inserting a mandrel, which is provided on the inside thereof with a flow path through which dry ice powder flows and spray holes at the tip thereof for spraying the dry ice powder, inside pipe material; a step for spraying the dry ice powder from the spray holes inside the pipe material; and a step for performing bending processing on the pipe material wherein the mandrel has been inserted.

A bending wheel of a tube bending apparatus includes a tube-accepting recess, proximal and distal wheel faces, and a rotation recess. The proximal wheel face includes a lever pivot anchor. A cam insert includes a shaft having a tool driving feature. The shaft is configured for selective insertion into the rotation recess. The cam insert includes a camming flange, which includes a lever urging feature. A keeper lever includes a keeper finger rigidly connected to a laterally extending lever arm and extending longitudinally from the proximal wheel face. An anchor end of the lever arm includes an arm pivot feature and a spaced-apart cam following feature configured to interact with the lever urging feature. Rotation of the cam insert causes rotation of the lever urging feature to drive the cam following feature of the keeper lever and pivot the lever arm in the same rotational direction.