Many years ago, we successfully developed China’s first fully servo motor driven CNC aluminum bending machine, which can complete continuous variable radius/multi-radius bending at one time. In addition, we have also launched a 3D aluminum bending machine for complex shape bending, designed to better bend spiral three-dimensional space parts. In this blog post, we will tell you in detail about the PBA series machines’ solutions for 3D bending.
3D bending solution for PBA CNC aluminum profile bending
Bending aluminum in a single plane is usually easy. However, bending into a 3D plane is complex and requires the use of special machines, such as our PBA series 3D aluminum bending machines:
The PBA series 3D aluminum profile bending machine can roll aluminum profiles and complete continuous radius changes/multi-radius bending at one time.
By adjusting the guide roller for 3D bending digital control, we can bend aluminum extruded profiles or pipes into irregular spiral-shaped three-dimensional space parts.
What is 3D aluminum profile bending?
3D roll bending of a three-roller or four-roller aluminum bending machine is a process of rolling aluminum extruded profiles or three-dimensional aluminum tube rolling is a process of bending pipes into irregular shapes. This process ensures that manufacturers can join different sections of the profile together, and it also helps the profile avoid immovable obstacles when placed. For example, in the non-aluminum products industry, steel pipes are made into spiral pipes for playgrounds. In the modern flexible conveying industry, the conveyor is formed into a spiral shape for vertical transportation of materials.
The PBA three-roller profile bending machine does have a certain three-dimensional space bending ability. By adjusting the height of the rollers on both sides, some simple three-dimensional bending can be achieved, such as bending pipes into spiral shapes. This enables our three-roller profile bending machine to cope with the processing needs of complex-shaped metal profiles to a certain extent.
Picture on the left: A PBA-600 3D aluminum bending machine is doing this job at a factory in Malaysia.
Working principle
By adjusting the height of the rollers on both sides, the metal profiles can show different curvatures and shapes during the bending process. In this way, some basic three-dimensional space bending operations can be realized through CNC control on the relatively simple PBA three-roller profile bending machine. For example, the height of the rollers can be adjusted so that the pipe bends along the helical direction during the bending process, thereby forming a spiral shape. Compared with equipment specifically designed for three-dimensional space bending, the three-roller profile bending machine has relatively limited three-dimensional bending capabilities. For more complex three-dimensional curves or special shapes, more advanced equipment, such as professional 3D freeform bending machines/freeform tube benders, may be needed to meet higher customization and precision requirements. If you are not familiar with these machines, we strongly recommend that you read our detailed introduction page about 3D freeform tube benders.