Aircraft component manufacturer Globe Engineering has installed a fourth Unison all-electric CNC tube bending machine at its facility in Wichita, KS.
Commissioned earlier this year, the machine has joined Globe's existing Unison all-electric tube benders at the Wichita site and will help to increase manufacturing capability. With overlapping capacities, the Unison tube bending machines at Globe can bend tubes from 1.25" (31.75 mm) to 6.00" (152.4 mm) in diameter with high levels of repeatability and accuracy.
In addition to supporting Globe's ongoing requirements for bending high quality aircraft tubing, the all-electric CNC tube bender from Unison will be used to bend a range of aluminum, stainless steel and titanium tubes measuring up to 1.25" (31.75 mm) in diameter. Before investing in this latest machine from Unison, Globe had just one tube bending machine that was capable of bending stainless and titanium tubes from 5/8" to 1.00" diameter.
"We are not just creating new capability by buying a new Unison tube bending machine," explained Bend Shop Supervisor Shaun Knuth. "We are creating capacity and a safety net, in case we have a breakdown."
Knuth described some of the key advantages that Unison all-electric tube benders have over hydraulic tube benders: "They are more efficient because they use less energy," he said. "In fact, they only use energy while they are in motion. By comparison, hydraulic benders use electricity all the time they are running, with their energy usage increasing during cycle time. Electric machines are much quieter too. Our Unison all-electric tube benders also offer greater repeatability. Simply select the exact pressure needed; if 1,272 PSI of pressure is required, just type in and the machine creates exactly the same pressure every time."
Shaun Knuth also noted that Unison all-electric tube benders can be operated more slowly when hot-bending titanium, all the way down to a creep-a process that removes the risk of overheating and minimizes scrap. He also pointed out that there is no need for titanium tubes to be lubricated with expensive, messy grease before hot bending when using all-electric machines.
"Unison machines are built like tanks," added Knuth. "And if there is a problem, we usually have a new part within a few days. The machines are so easy to use and we can install the parts ourselves. Additionally, Unison technicians can remotely check our repairs, and upgrade each machine's software and firmware."
For more information contact:
Stuart Singleton
Unison, Ltd.
500 Cane Creek Pkwy.
Ringgold, VA 24586
828-633-3189
sales@unisonltd.com
www.unisonltd.com
Globe Engineering Company Inc.
1539 S. St. Paul St.
Wichita, KS 67213
316-943-1266
www.globeeng.com