August 20th, 2025
Induction bending is an advanced metal bending technique that provides high precision, efficiency, and consistency. It is suitable for a wide range of applications and effectively eliminates the potential geometrical distortion associated with cold-bending methods, such as ovalization, rippling or waving caused by build-up of internal stresses due to previous processes of tube forming.
What is more, the use of the induction bending process in pipe fabrication is growing across various industries, as it significantly reduces the cost and the risk of leakage by decreasing the number of welded sections in pipelines.
Principle of induction heating
Straight pipe, tube or other section is placed on a machine bed with a swing arm set to the required radius. The material is then heated up locally by an induction coil and hydraulically pushed through at a carefully controlled and monitored rate. Heat of approximately 1000°C is solely focused on the area where the bending occurs, while cool water is sprayed on the area right after the bent zone.
The combination of pushing speed, heat, and cooling allows sections to be bent to tighter radii without cross-sectional deformation allowing to reach radii as small as 1.5 D (inside radius of 1.5 times the width of the section).
The state of the art machinery design ensures there are no limitations on the length of pipe used. The heat band narrow width eliminates the risk of pipe wrinkling, and bending doesn’t require the use of mandrels or formers, thanks to the robust supports provided along the cooled pipe on either side of the narrow heated section.
Induction heating achieves relatively high speed and efficiency when compared to conventional bending and enables very accurate temperature control (+ or - 30 degrees C). Pipes do not develop scaling during the process and even previously scaled material can still be bent as efficiently as a pipe or tube in perfect condition. This remarkable flexibility also extends to previously rusted, seam, butt or spiral welded material.
Varying material size (wall thickness) can also easily be accommodated, using appropriate equipment adjustments during manufacture.
