PIPE BENDING Pipe bends are essential in acclimating the alignment and topography

of the pipeline route. The pipeline can have side bend, over bend, sag bend
requiring bend degrees of various angles. For smaller angles and longer radii, cold
bending is utilized. But for shorter radii and angles less than 90 degree, hot
bending is utilized. For a pipe of particular thickness, the method that can be
used for achieving the required bending angle is determined by the wall thickness,
diameter, material, angle etc. Hot /Induction bend Induction bends- commonly
referred as “Hot bends” are factory made bends from straight mother pipes using
induction process. This allows production of piggable bends from bare pipe. In
India, hot bends are made for radii greater than or equal to 5D. Process Induction
bending is simultaneously a shaping and heat treatment process. For a typical pipe
of a specified grade, the process involves careful evaluation of factors like pipe
size and grade, pipe type (seamless or welded), manufacturing parameters (cooling
rate, induction temperature, speed), required metallurgy and dimensional
properties, post bending treatment etc . The process should be such that acceptable
material properties and required thickness should be achieved. Depending on the
material, diameter and thickness of the pipe, the process variables will change.
So, the process variables have to be selected carefully for the anticipated
results. Induction bending is done using an induction bending machine. This machine
consists of an induction coil, bend arm to bend the heated pipe, rollers and
pushers. Induction coil generates a narrow circumferential heat band of full wall
thickness. Induction coil has the ability to heat the pipe in the range of 800 to
2200 degree Fahrenheit. This helps to lower the yield strength of the narrow
circumferential heated region thereby reducing the force to bend the pipe.
Simplistically, induction process can be described in the following steps 1. 2. 3.
4. 5. Loading the straight mother pipe into the bending machine. Clamping the pipe
onto the bend arm at required bend radius. Applying induction power to the portion
of the pipe to be bent. Bending the pipe at the required radius by the moment
provided by the bending arm. Moving/pushing the trailing end of mother pipe in pre-
determined rate as the induction coil heats the pipe and the pipe is bent by the
bend arm. 6. Quenching the bend portion right after it advances out of the
induction coil band by water spray or cool air. 7. Post heat treatment of the bend
pipe. All the steps explained can be understood from the figure given below.
   1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

P= Push force Fb= Bend roll force R= Bend radius Pusher Bend roll Heat transformer
Induction coil Bend clamp Bend arm Pipe

SCHEMATIC OF INDUCTION BENDING MACHINE

The objective of induction bending is to produce a bend of acceptable material

properties and required dimensions. To achieve this, an advanced control over the
process parameters like temperature, speed, cooling rate and a well-planned
start/stop procedure are essential.
Induction heating Induction heating is a controllable non-contact heating
technique. It utilizes a single induction coil to heat a narrow band of the pipe to
the full wall thickness. The induction coil generates a localized magnetic flux and
induces an electric current inside the pipe wall just beneath the coil. This
induced current and the material resistivity generates the heat necessary for hot
bending. Optical pyrometers are provided to measure the temperature in the heating
zone. A cooling water spray or forced air is applied onto the pipe right after out
advances out of the induction coil. This can be understood by the figures given
below.

SCHEMATIC OF PIPE BEND AND INDUCTION COIL

Effect of induction bending on mother pipe 1. Ovality and wall thinning Distortion
of pipe in the form of ovality and wall thinning occurs in the extrados of the pipe
and a corresponding increase in wall thickness at the bend intrados. Proper
analysis and calculations should be done before start up for achieving required
wall thickness. 2. Metallurgical effects The process parameters like heating
temperature, cooling rate and speed determines the metallurgical properties of the
bend pipe. Proper post bend treatments like annealing, normalizing, tempering and
quenching should be done for acceptable quality bends. Trends related to these
parameters are  Yield and tensile strength increases with induction bending
temperature.  Hardness increase with induction bending temperature.  Increase in
strength and hardness with an increase in cooling rates.  Lower toughness or
elongation with increasing temperature or cooling rates. Advantage 1. Ability to
heat a specific narrow band of pipe will ensure minimal amount of distortion of the
bend. 2. Energy efficient process. 3. Induction bending takes less time compared to
other bending process. 4. Capable to make 3D bends.