Shaping the future

Developers of software-controlled all-electric tube bending systems claim the technology has passed another landmark after being used to aid part production on one of the UK's biggest ever naval projects.

Since first appearing on the market 15 years ago, all-electric tube bending has made steady inroads into major industries thanks to what are claimed to be key advantages over conventional hydraulic equipment.

These are said to include increased flexibility, dramatically reduced energy consumption - claimed to be up to 90 per cent less - and lower scrap material levels.

All-electric bending specialist

said that the use of one of its machines on the Astute submarine programme at the Barrow Shipyard in Cumbria marks a major endorsement for the technique.

Unison said the all-electric machine is

' first piece of bending equipment to include both right and left-handed bending capabilities. The feature provides significant benefits in terms of scale and production efficiency, allowing the company to rapidly fabricate a complex tubular part shape without the need to construct smaller pieces. In addition to increasing speed, the process eliminates expensive X-ray and crack-detection testing, which would otherwise be required to validate the strength of welded joints, added Unison.