Bending Methods
Mandrel BendingMandrel Bending
There are various methods available to bend tubing. Our specialty is Mandrel Bending (Rotary Draw where a mandrel supports the inside of the tube to avoid collapsing). This produces round, smooth, and wrinkle free bends with centerline radius between 1 and 5 times the outside diameter. We have over 30 Power Mandrel Benders including CNC Bending capabilities to 6" along with hand operated and specialty built benders.
Boost Bending
A boost bender assists the bend by pushing the tubing as it is being bent around the radius. This improves both the speed of production and quality of the bend. Woolf Aircraft has 5 mandrel boost benders capable of bending tubing up to 8" in diameter.

Hydroforming
Another type of bending is Hydroforming (Internal fluid supports wall while being pressed into a cavity). We specialize in Pre-forming tubes for Hydroforming. We can Mandrel Bend difficult shapes, which our customers Hydroform in heavy presses. Compression Bending is another form of bending offered in the tube industry, it is a process where the tube is pressed into shape using a simple machine that forces the tube around a radius without any interior support. Most automotive exhaust pipes, with their many flat spots and wrinkles, use Compression Bending.
Documents [new window]
arrowPrebent Elbows Price List.pdf
Stock price lists for stainless steel, aluminum, and mild steel elbows, transitions, and straight tubing.

arrowRequest a Quote.pdf
Sketch an assembly and email or
fax your requests on this form

arrowElbows.pdf
Special angles or longer legs may
use this form for single bends

arrowBend Die List.pdf
Bending Dies in stock at Woolf
Aircraft arranged by tube diameter showing actual centerline| radii available

CNC Mandrel Bending
Our Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) Mandrel benders give us the capabilities to bend high volume multiple bend parts in much less time. They include multiple stack benders capable of more than one radius to 6" diameters. The speed of these machines makes them valuable assets to not only Woolf Aircraft, but our customers as well.

Roll Bending
We can roll bend tubing in sizes up to 2 1/2" in diameter. Roll bending allows us to form any radius larger than 4 times the diameter. Roll bending differs from Mandrel Bending in that the bend is not supported by an inside mandrel. The process is simple to set up, and allows for an infinite amount of bend radii, without re-tooling.

Roll Bending
Straight Tubing is inserted
between three powered rollers 		roll bending
The Center Pinch Roller applies
pressure downward across the plane, beginning a curved bend. The more pressure you apply, the sharper the radius.		 Roll Bending
The finished piece can be
rolled 360° or more.

Bend ToolingBend Tooling
Bend Tooling
Bend tooling is expensive. For that reason you should choose your bend radius from an available standard size. Set up of the bend tooling takes time especially in a large diameter and radius. Each tool has to be set in place and adjusted. Bend dies for example used on our #6 Pines bender can be over 60" in diameter, 12" thick and weigh over 8000 lbs. You should try to use the same radius for multiple bends to avoid additional set up costs. Woolf Aircraft has over 400 bend dies in stock up to 7", one of the largest varieties in the country.