Hinged Pipe Bend Die Unit for Crinkle-Free Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe bending technologies face challenges in preventing crinkling and maintaining durability, particularly due to wear issues with wiper dies, which require frequent replacements and skilled operation for precise bending.
Innovation Solution
A pipe bend die unit with a rotatable bend die and hingedly connected clamp and counter pressure members, forming a half-circular groove, allows for smooth bending without crinkling and facilitates easy die changes by positioning the fitting protrusion and mating portions appropriately, enhancing durability through a curved surface design and modular components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a wedge-shaped tip end portion is used on the wiper to prevent crinkling, then crinkling prevention is improved, but the wiper becomes fragile and lacks durability
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper is divided into multiple segments that can rotate relative to each other around the bend die. This segmentation allows the wiper to adapt to the bending process while maintaining structural integrity, preventing crinkling without requiring an excessively thin wedge shape that would compromise durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiper is designed with rotational capability around the bend die, transforming it from a static component to a dynamic one. This dynamic adjustment allows the wiper to maintain optimal contact with the pipe during bending, preventing crinkling while distributing stress to improve durability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the tip end portion of the wiper is made thinner to minimize crinkling, then crinkling prevention is improved, but the wiper becomes fragile and requires frequent replacements
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the wiper into multiple rotatable sections, the design achieves effective crinkling prevention without requiring the tip to be excessively thin. The segmented structure maintains sufficient material thickness for durability while still preventing crinkling, enabling continuous operations without frequent replacements.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational capability of the segmented wiper allows it to dynamically adjust during bending, achieving crinkling prevention with a more robust tip design that doesn't require frequent replacement, thus improving productivity.
3Ease of operation
If a preassembled die set with wiper die and mandrel is used for quick die changes, then ease of operation is improved, but the complexity of the die set increases
Solution Approach 1:
The die set is segmented into modular components (bend die, clamp die, pressure die, wiper, and mandrel) that can be preassembled and replaced as a unit. This modular segmentation enables quick die changes while keeping each individual component relatively simple in structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A pipe bend die unit that can perform bending a pipe appropriately without creating a crinkling, and a pipe bending apparatus having the unit to change dies easily are provided. A bend die 100 comprises a clamp member 10 having a first groove part 11 of half-circular cross section on an outer peripheral surface thereof with a fitting recess 12 extending in a peripheral direction by a first predetermined length on a planar surface perpendicular to a rotary axis (A), and a counter pressure member 20 having a second groove part 21 of half-circular cross section formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof, and a fitting protrusion 22 extending in a peripheral direction by a second predetermined length from a tip end portion of the second groove part. The fitting protrusion is positioned in the fitting recess so that the first and second groove parts are combined to form a pipe-receiving groove of half-circular cross section. The counter pressure member and the clamp member are hingedly connected to one another so as to be rotatable relative to each other about the rotary axis.