WHAT IS MANDREL BENDING?

We often talk about our aluminium pipes having mandrel bends, which offer the tightest bend radius on the market, but what does this mean?

What is mandrel bending?

Mandrel bending is a method where a steel rod is inserted into the tubing as it is bent. This technique perfects the tube bend without wrinkling or breaking it at the bending point. Mandrel bending is performed by a machine such as a CNC tube bender. This bender is the ideal choice for bending thin tubing without any deformities on a tight radius and why we can offer you top of the range products.

Why is it important?

The best way to look at pipe bending is to compare it to a straight plastic straw. If the straw is completely straight, it’s very easy to blow air through the straw due to there being no restrictions. However, let’s say you decide to bend the straw 90 degrees into an “L” shape. Now, blowing air through the straw will be very difficult, as the opening at the straw’s elbow will have changed from a circle to a very narrow slit. This is exactly how the pipes in your car’s intake and exhaust system work.

Mandrel bending works much like a flexible straw. When the straw is bent, a flexible section of the straw expands to maintain the round opening no matter how much of an angle the straw is bent at. When an exhaust or downpipe is manufactured with mandrel bends, the steel is allowed to stretch on the outside of the bend and compress on the inside of the bend, maintaining the nominal pipe diameter.  Exhaust gas follows fluid dynamics so if you want to eliminate backpressure while maintaining exhaust gas velocity mandrel bending allows the hot exhaust gases to flow with less turbulence.

Our mandrel bend radius

Our mandrel bends have the tightest bend radius on the market; most of the mandrel bends are 1.2D. They have been specifically designed to avoid the issue of wrinkling along the inside of pipes and tubing, during their manufacturing process. The mandrel stays in a fixed position as the outer radius of the tube experiences pressure, causing the pipe to stretch into the desired bend. Overall, maintaining the shape that we have to offer you.

As mandrel bending is one of the most accurate and cost-effective metal forming processes, our pipes are suitable for almost anything. From, joining hoses for Intercoolers, Radiators, Air induction, Superchargers, intercooler systems to making any D.I.Y system.

Our Products

Our team of experts deliver high-quality results to our clients needs with a huge range of aluminium mandrel bends which are polished and ready to go. Whatever you need, we have the pipes for you.

Click here to view our high quality pipes or get in touch with our team.