TPi September 2017

products & developments

Portable measurement system expands opportunities for bending tubes

Obtaining exact measurement data for component production, reverse engineering or component inspection is especially useful for creating valuable results during tube bending. For this reason, transfluid Maschinenbau GmbH has developed ‘t control’, together with a partner. The wireless system for measuring tubes and connection elements such as flanges does not need arms, joints or laser beams, and measures via an exactly defined light pattern, which is observed by one or more cameras that determine the position and orientation of the light pattern in space. This enables the desired raw data to be recorded. Corresponding interfaces allow exchange of data with CAD and transfluid’s ‘t project’ bending program, and direct integration of the tube bending machine in the process. The overall system therefore increases flexibility. t control is portable, ensures a high level of precision in the measuring space (directly at the object), and is suitable for use on construction sites. “During cooperative development, the strong performance of the overall system was important to us: measuring, digital documentation, data processing, and execution of bending,” explained Stefanie Flaeper, general manager of transfluid. “However, easy operation and the fact that t control would be ready for measuring quickly are also important practical factors, of course.” No calibration is necessary and t control is ready to start within five minutes,

© transfluid

Direct integration of the tube bending machine in the process is possible

processed digitally. This also includes detection and bypassing of possible projecting edges. The data exchange with CAD and the connection with the transfluid bending program enable the geometry to be optimised, including the bending collision test. Over-bending values for the bending machine can be recorded within the scope of the component inspection. Evaluations that make CPK detection and measurement series are also possible. The system provides measurement logs and comparison of measurement results with the CAD master component. transfluid Maschinenbau GmbH – Germany

with up to 20m of measurement power. Depending on the requirements, this is implemented via tactile measurement with standard measurement sensors or tube measuring calipers. In addition to control measurements for components, material correction values for transfluid ‘t bend’ tube bending machines can be recorded. In the area of reverse engineering, simple existing geometries can be measured in order to reproduce them precisely. Data for component production is recorded by drawing a fictional tube shape using ‘air points’ between the connection pieces. This enables simple and exactly matching tube construction directly at the installation location. Connections like flanges and screw connections can be recorded and

sales@transfluid.de www.transfluid.net

The wireless t control system can be used to measure tubes and connection elements like flanges directly on site

Corresponding interfaces allow exchange of data with CAD and transfluid’s t project bending program

© transfluid

© transfluid

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September 2017 TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL