Selmach’s range of Morgan Rushworth horizontal bending press machinery (HBM) comes in a wide range of tonnage, from 10 to 100 tonnes. With their compact size and simple controls, these machines are capable of performing a variety of bending applications. In fact, with specialist tooling they can be adapted to a wide range of tasks.

As the name implies, the first and foremost usage of HBM is for bending and forming brackets and cleats. The standard tooling on the machine allows for a wide variety of angles. Selmach can supply an assortment of different radius punches, Vs and multi-Vs to suit requirements.

Beyond bending and forming, HBM can perform a number of other useful roles. For instance, many times a fabrication shop will need to straighten material, such as when a workpiece bows after punching holes on a steelworker. With the stroke and return set correctly, users can rectify any bowing and get the workpiece back to a usable condition. It is possible to use standard tooling options or a separate bar straightening tool if bowing is a regular occurrence.

Another tooling option available is a pipe bending attachment. While not a substitute for a dedicated tube bending machine, if shops have the occasional need for bending pipe, this attachment could be perfect. It does not use extra floor space that another machine would consume, and is much cheaper.

Given the versatility of these machines, specialist and one-off tooling can be manufactured if a shop has a particular need. Whether it is for forming a complex part, prototyping, or replacing an existing manual process, Selmach may be able to help.

For further information
www.selmach.com

Electric mobility is on the rise – and the effects of this are also evident in the supply chain. The key trends in tube bending include lightweight construction, customised machine configuration and automation.

For instance, tube bending machine manufacturer Schwarze-Robitec is witnessing a substantial increase in orders that go beyond the bending of typical round tubes. Instead, lightweight construction increasingly requires complex, asymmetrical shapes with diverse cross sections. And the differences do not end there.

With the shift towards electric mobility, the traditional standard tube bending machine with predefined performance parameters is increasingly giving way to product-specific special machines that can be customised according to client needs. Bending performance, geometric measurements such as bending radius and tube length, tool installation space and software can increasingly be aligned with client and product requirements.

Manufacturers of tube bending machines need to respond to the challenges of their target industries by supplying high-performance machines that are tailored precisely to customer needs. To achieve this, Schwarze-Robitec is relying on multi-level technology. Used in combination with customisable multi-radius bending tools, this technology facilitates simple and precise bending with only short lengths of tube between individual bends. The effect is clearest to see when different radii, bend-in-bend systems or complex tube systems are being manufactured, as even a few seconds saved per component can have a huge positive impact on production efficiency.

In view of the shift toward alternative powertrains, the frequently used buzzword ‘automation’ is more relevant than ever. Manufacturers of tube bending machines need to focus on extensive automation and increasingly integrate work processes that go beyond bending. This is not just the case for tube bending processes in large-scale series production, but increasingly for very low-volume batch work.

For further information
www.schwarze-robitec.com

When Daniel Twigden got the call to create his own class at the Manteca Adult School in Manteca, California, he organised one of the few chopper building classes in the country to his knowledge.

“We teach you how to build rigid frame choppers, like a 1948 Panhead, and other traditional style motorcycle frames,” says Twigden.

A passionate metalworker, Twigden says that passing along his knowledge gives him true fulfilment in his industry. And the skills he shares provides his students with a chance to learn a metalworking craft that brings both joy and potentially income down the road.

In the shop at Manteca, visitors will see a range of Baileigh Industrial machines contributing to the learning environment.
“As a class, Baileigh tools enables us to expedite the process,” says Twigden. “You can do all of these same tasks by hand with hand tools or tools that aren’t set up for volume manufacturing. So, having these big tools just enables me to teach what would take weeks, in days, and what would take months, in weeks. Really, it’s invaluable as a teacher to have these tools.
Specifically, Twigden calls his Baileigh RDB-175 tube bender the backbone of the chopper class, with its ability to cut all of the tube bending down from a week or so to just a few lessons.

The Manteca shops also feature an SH-12010 sheet metal shear, SR-5016 slip roll, HSP-66M-HD hydraulic press, and an BB-9610H heavy-duty hydraulic box and pan (finger) brake.

“Across all the campuses here at Manteca Unified School District, we’ve found Baileigh is one of the most reliable tools out there,” concludes Twigden.

For further information
www.baileigh.com

With a history that dates back over seven decades, Teksign based in Brantford, Ontario, makes signs for the petroleum, automotive, hotel and agricultural equipment industries. For its forming needs, the company was using an older press brake that was labour-intensive.

“With the press brake, the operator would have to set up for every single bend, every time,” said Jim Hahn, production control manager at Teksign. “It would take two operators to manage the bends on a number of jobs we did.”

The company decided it was time to update its forming capabilities. Teksign has high-mix/low-volume production needs, and several of its projects are repeat business. This led to an investment in a CNC-equipped folder.

Teksign purchased the RAS TURBO2plus metal folding machine. The machine has several features that are ideal for the company’s fabrication needs. With the RAS Bendex software, an operator can automatically program parts, use alternative bending sequences and view the bending sequence on the monitor in 3D. The machine has a 3.2 m bend length and accommodates tool heights up to 127 mm.

“Its ability to store a significant number of programs simplifies our bending operations substantially,” says Hahn. “I’d say that we are cutting our forming time by 50-60% just in set-up time alone, between our former requirements of having to change dies and other actions. Now we can build much more, much faster, because we can easily switch from one job to another with the press of a few buttons.”

Teksign can also manage maintenance concerns remotely with its new RAS metal folding machine.

Says Hahn: “The team at RAS can take over our machine if we need something fixed or want something better explained. It makes it very user-friendly.”

RAS machines are available in the UK from Press & Shear.

For further information
www.pressandshear.com

A broke kid with ambition and desire to build customs. That is how Jeff Davy, owner of Devious Customs, says he found his passion in fabricating and restoring custom cars.

“I stayed out of trouble by modifying stuff on my car or my truck. And I didn’t have the money to pay someone to do it, so I had to figure it out for myself,” he says.

Davy’s Riverside, California shop started primarily by focusing on trucks. Over time, though, he leaned into Lincolns and Cadillacs seeing a need in the customs market.

The shop jumped into the parts-making business to “eliminate some of the headaches” that came from factory issues back in the day. While fabricating new parts, Davy remains focused on maintaining the vintage look of classic Lincoln models, most notably Continentals. Along with learning on the fly, Davy says his relationship with Baileigh Industrial has helped him hone his metalcraft.

“I really learned the hard way. However, I took a Baileigh metal-shaping class, which inspired me to buy some more Baileigh equipment because it works so well.”

Davy’s Baileigh line-up includes machines like the BP-3305CNC CNC press brake and the RDB-250 tube bender.

“Man, I love my Baileigh equipment, every single piece,” says Davy. “I’ve never had anything bad, or break, or anything go wrong.”
Beyond building epic cars, Davy has his sights set on a more personal legacy.

“My legacy, I think, will be passing this establishment and skills on to my kids, and hopefully their kids. I’m pretty fortunate in that I work with my Dad and my oldest son, so there’s three generations here right now. Hopefully it just keeps on rolling and never dies.”

For further information
www.baileigh.com