Pipe Bending Weaknesses Addressed By the Induction Process
Is your contractor or technician asking you to buy pipes bent using the induction process for your construction project? Well, it is no surprise. Bending metal pipes is a complex process that comes with a host of challenges. If the bending isn't done well with lots of precision, the pipes that you buy (such as wastewater system pipes) can have significant weaknesses that will lead to significant recurrent costs in the future. Thankfully, you can count on the induction bending process to provide you with material that will meet your performance and aesthetic expectations. Here is a thorough look at the weakness addressed by the induction pipe bending process:
Metal Strength Around the Bend
The bent region on a metal pipe can lack strength. When creating the bend, the composite particles making up the metal are stretched over a large area. This weakens the bond between them, lowering the strength of the metal. However, this is not the case when the fabricator uses the induction bending process. Here, an eddy electric current is generated using an electromagnetic field and used to heat the metal pipe to very high temperatures. After achieving the desired temperature, the hot pipe is shoved through a coil to create the bend. Controlled cooling then follows while the bent region is reinforced with a mother pipe (a stronger alloy). These processes (controlled cooling and reinforcement help to preserve the strength of the metal in the bent section.
Wall Thinning
Wall thinning is also another challenge when bending a pipe. Here, the stretching of the metal over the bent surface compromises the integrity of the pipe by making the walls thinner. At the same time, wall thinning also creates wrinkles on the inner side of the bent pipe, interfering with the speed of transferring materials. This elevates the risk of bursting when it is ferrying liquid or gaseous materials under high pressure. However, the induction process regulates the speed at which the hot pipe goes through the induction bending coil. Moreover, pipe material is selected based on mathematical computation to make sure that the material can stand up to the tensile needs of the bent region.
Ovality
Ovality refers to the inability to maintain the roundness of the pipe being bent (especially when dealing with large pipes). Failing to control the pipe bending process often leads to ovality. The good is that the induction bending process uses an ovality calibration to help the fabricator detect any problems with the configuration of the bend.