Titanium Elbow

One of the common elbow manufacturing processes for manufacturing elbows from titanium tubing is the mandrel method, which is a thermoforming method.

In this method, the pipe is cut to the desired length and pushed with the help of a hydraulic ram. An induction heating coil heats the pipe, which is then pushed through a mold called a "mandrel" that allows the pipe to expand and bend at the same time. This method can be used to manufacture a wide range of elbow diameters.

In the cold extrusion method, titanium tubing of the same diameter and thickness as the finished product is passed through a die to be formed into the desired shape. It is usually applied to small to medium-sized titanium elbows.

The cut titanium tube is pushed into the cold bending mold. Proper lubrication is required to avoid excessive friction and to protect the surface finish of the final elbow. The extruded and formed titanium elbow is sent for heat treatment and machining, followed by cosmetic and dimensional inspection.

The UO method is used to manufacture medium-sized elbows, tees and reducers. Plates are cut into specially designed shapes and are first formed into a U-shape using a die and then into an O-shape or tube using another die, which is why the method is referred to as the UO method.

Once the fittings are made into an inverted shape, they are welded from the inside and outside of the closed joint. Large titanium elbows are made by welding two separate plates. Again the prepared titanium elbows are heat treated and machined before being checked for appearance and dimensions.

In the thermoforming die bending method, the tube is heated to the forming temperature and formed in a mold with a specific shape, and the process can be repeated as needed to obtain the desired shape, size, and wall thickness. The thermoforming method is typically used for thick-walled elbows that cannot be bent on a mandrel mold.