Custom Tube Products produces a wide range of tube end forms, from simple flares and beads to complex shapes and reductions. End forming is primarily used to attach tubes to fittings, hoses, or other components. We produce end forms with in-line or ram forming, rotary forming, segmented forming, or a combination of these methods.
In this process, the tube is clamped with hydraulic or pneumatic clamp blocks and impacted by one or a series of punches to form the desired shape. Ram forming is usually the first choice as a fast and efficient method for producing beads, flanges, expansions, and reductions, but may produce visible clamp marks where the tube is held during forming. Custom Tube Products builds most ram end forming equipment and tooling in-house and specializes in difficult applications.
37 and 45 degree flares are typically produced with a rotary forming process. This method produces a fine finish on flare surfaces as required for demanding sealing applications. Clamping requirements are also less and tube marking is often reduced. Hose beads can also be produced with this method on tubes 5/16” diameter or greater.
Segmented forming is a versatile method for expanding or reducing tube ends because it rarely requires clamping of the tube. Slip-fits and reductions can be accomplished on the ends of bent tubes that would otherwise be hard to clamp for ram forming. Another benefit of this method is that the expansion and reduction diameters are easily adjustable. This type of forming is common with intake and exhaust tube applications.