It is difficult to say where products made from wire, which is a metal thread or a thin rod, have not been used today. Wire bending made it possible to give products any desired shape. Both using hand tools and mechanical influences on special equipment.
From a physical point of view, the process of bending wire consists of simultaneous compression of the inner and stretching of the outer layers of the metal of the wire. The process can also be accompanied by a longitudinal displacement of these layers if twisting occurs. This technology for working with metal wire is widely used in many industries and in jewelry.
Methods for bending metal wire
There are several main ways to give metal wire the required shape of the finished product, so we can highlight:
- manual method of bending wire using special tools and simple devices. It is used for wire with a diameter of up to 3 mm in the manufacture of simple products in utility production or households. As a rule, it does not require virtually any financial investment or special knowledge;
- manual method of making jewelry from wire up to 2 mm in diameter. Requires special tools and devices, as well as certain knowledge and skills for working with precious metals;
- bending wire from a coil, which is based on a special device called an unwinder;
- bending wire from a metal rod;
- bending using wire rolling method;
- bending metal wire using the pushing method.
Wire bending machines
Mechanical machines for the mass production of parts and finished products from metal wire are widely used in industrial production. Depending on the technology used to shape the finished product, there are:
- A wire bending machine that produces parts directly from a coil. It is the most productive and economical option for mass production of wire products.
This happens due to the fact that the coil of wire is installed in a special device - an unwinder, from which the metal thread enters the correct block. There it is exposed to a roller or plane mechanism, as a result of which the output takes the form of an even and straight rod. After this, the wire enters the bending unit of the machine, where, with the help of mechanical devices, it is given the required shape of the finished product. At the end of the process, the finished part is cut with mechanical scissors. Typically, such a wire bending machine can produce one type of finished product, which is determined by pre-installed mechanical devices and limited by the ability to manipulate the feed mechanism. Therefore, the shapes of products produced on such machines are not very complex in configuration, since the number of bending operations is limited to five. - A wire bending machine for bending wire from a metal rod is a more technologically advanced method, which has a number of advantages compared to working from a coil. This is especially necessary when the finished product requires additional processing. This can be threading or stamping, which can only be done until the finished product is shaped. The disadvantages of such a machine are its need for an additional complex mechanism for feeding workpieces and relatively low overall productivity.
- The wire bending machine for bending wire using the rolling method is mainly used for the production of various round-shaped parts and various types of round springs. For example, such a machine for bending wire by rolling works due to the fact that the wire is fed through guide rollers onto a shaft of a given radius, where, due to its rotational movement, it bends around the finger a given number of times. In this case, the wire is twisted along a given radius, which has a bending finger and rolling rollers. Due to the position of the rolling rollers relative to the central shaft, the bending angle or spring pitch can be set and adjusted. A wire bending machine by rolling, like other similar mechanical devices, is capable of producing only one type of product per operation. To change the range of products, both the replacement of bending devices and commissioning work are required.
- Wire bending machine for bending metal wire using the pushing method.
For certain wire parts, during their manufacture, it is necessary to give them complex shapes of certain geometric shapes, such as variable radii, irregular arcs, spiral appearance, and the like. It is not very effective to do this by running in, and sometimes it is even technologically impossible. Hence, the only possible way is to use the wire pushing method. The principle of operation is the forward movement of metal wire through a three-roll roll forming unit or a special spring-coiling device, in which the shape of the finished product is given due to the position of the rolling rollers. As a result, you can obtain any given curvature or a smooth change in the size of the radius. The main difference between rolling and other bending methods is that the equipment is more complex, requiring special knowledge during setup and maintenance. - Straightening machines are used as an additional device in technological lines for the production of various metal wire mesh for straightening the wire and giving it a certain shape. Two technologies are used here: straightening using the rotation method using a frame and straightening using a two-plane straightening block. The two-plane block does not straighten very perfectly, but it does not twist the wire. But the rotating straightening frame has a more complex design, but many machine tool manufacturers still prefer it to the classic straightening block design.
Wire bending: manually and on wire bending machines
Wire bending, performed either manually or using various tools and special equipment, allows products made from this material to be given different configurations.
During the bending process, the inner layer of the wire is subjected to compression, and the outer layer is subjected to tension.
Wire bending machines, which today are presented in a wide variety of models, are very popular, since bent wire products are actively used to solve various industrial and household problems.
The simplest device for bending wire
To perform bending operations at home without any problems, it is best to choose wire made from soft materials. Simple bending of stiffer wires, if necessary, can be carried out using ordinary plumbing tools:
- pliers (with the help of such a tool, which every home craftsman has, you can form a simple bend in the wire, as well as securely fix its segment for further processing);
- pliers (using this tool, which is one of the types of pliers, you can perform bending of varying degrees of complexity);
- wire cutters or needle nose pliers (using such a tool, the wire can be cut into pieces of the required length).
Simple techniques for manual wire bending
If you need to make a product of complex configuration from wire using the bending method, it is better to first draw it on paper and periodically check the sketch. To form the simplest figures, such a sketch does not need to be used. For example, if you need to create a bent product of a rectangular shape, you can do this as follows:
- The wire at the place of its future bend is clamped in a bench vice.
- The upper (not clamped) part of the wire is bent using ordinary pliers or a hammer.
As a result of this simple procedure, a bend at a right angle is formed on the surface of the wire.
To produce a large number of similar wire parts, templates and homemade devices are used.
Manual bending rules
If you are going to manually bend the wire, you must adhere to a number of recommendations that will allow you to complete this procedure without harm to your own health.
- All bending procedures should be carried out only with gloves made of thick fabric.
- The wire that is being bent must be secured in a vice as securely as possible so that it does not jump out during operation.
- All tools and equipment that you are going to use for work must be in good working order and perform their assigned functions efficiently.
- Heavy tools and equipment that you use when bending should not be placed on the edge of the workbench, so as not to accidentally hit them and drop them on your feet.
- When carrying out all manipulations with the wire bending tool with one hand, the other should be kept as far as possible from the future bend. Pliers or any other tool can break off and injure a hand located close to the bending area.
Wire bending using improvised means is possible only in small quantities, since such a procedure is quite labor-intensive. In addition, this operation can only be used to create products of the simplest configuration.
A specialized wire bending machine allows you to produce various products in large volumes, including those with complex shapes.
Working with a wire bending machine
To produce a large number of bent products from wire, various techniques can be used, each of which uses special equipment. The most common and economical method is the coil bending method.
Bending using this technology occurs in several stages.
- The wire, which is wound on coils, is fed to a two-plane roller machine, which aligns it.
- After alignment, the wire is fed to a wire bending machine, on which the product of the required configuration is formed.
- The formed product is cut off, and the entire bending cycle is repeated again.
The use of this technology allows you to fully automate the bending process and thereby achieve high productivity.
Budget wire bending machine
A wire bending machine can also look like a stationary template around which the wire is rolled using movable pressure rollers.
Using such devices, bends of even the smallest radius can be formed on the surface of the wire, the value of which is comparable to the outer diameter of the workpiece.
At the same time, the configuration of the product formed on such a machine can be quite complex.
The adjustable stops and variable arms of this template allow you to create many combinations of wire bends
A wire bending machine can also operate on the principle of pushing the workpiece through a system of rollers.
When using such equipment, the end of the wire is connected to a special wire, which pulls the product through the working parts of the machine.
A wire bending machine of this type, due to the features of its design, allows the production of products with even very complex shapes.
When leveling the wire, a wire bending machine is also used, which in this case is used for straightening.
The working parts of such equipment can be straight frames or two-plane straight blocks.
At the same time, rotating straightening frames are more efficient, which is why they are used in cases where leveling the surface of the wire needs to be done as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Types of professional equipment
The simplest type of professional equipment used to bend wires are machines with one console. Meanwhile, such devices can only produce products of simple geometric shapes, the development length of which does not exceed 1000 mm.
More complex products with a development length of over 1000 mm make it possible to create double-cantilever equipment, in which the workpiece is deformed simultaneously from both ends. This machine can produce products with many complex curves.
The most complex wire products allow the creation of 3D machines on which bending can be performed simultaneously in three dimensions.
The machines of this category are endowed with such unique functions by a rotary bending console, all movements of which are controlled by an electronic automated system.
Despite all the advantages of processing using such equipment, it is quite expensive, so these machines are used in exceptional cases.
CNC machines
The development of machine tool construction has made it possible to produce wire bending machines with one or two bending consoles.
They can produce finished products not only in flat 2D shapes, but also in spatial 3D models. The transfer of control of production processes to an industrial computer made it possible for a CNC machine to rotate bending consoles in three-dimensional space in any given sequence. Wire bending with CNC machines not only allows for higher productivity, but also allows for the production of products of different shapes just by changing the production program.
Professional equipment
If only the simplest devices (vises, pliers) are used to bend wire on their own, then for mass industrial processing of the material professional machines are used (for example, for the production of key rings or springs for handles).
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A wire bending machine with one bending console is one of the simplest and makes it possible to create bent products of simple shapes. The length of the sweep in this case should not exceed 1000 mm.
Double-cantilever machines can work with a reaming length of more than 1000 mm.
The material is cut into the required pieces, then it is deformed from both ends simultaneously.
Such equipment allows you to create products with a large number of bends. Machines with only one console can no longer perform this work.
Also, on double-console machines you can make figures with closed bends.
Wire bending on so-called 3D machines is becoming more and more popular these days.
Video:
Three-dimensional spatial bending can be done using a rotary bending console, which is controlled by an automated system.
Unfortunately, such material processing is quite expensive, so parts are mainly created using simple flat bending, and then, if necessary, individual parts are automatically welded.
But due to welding seams, products become more fragile and short-lived, so their cost is relatively budget-friendly.
Do-it-yourself wire bending devices
Metal wire, or rather, various products made from it, is widely used in any household.
Bending wire with your own hands using hand tools allows you to produce a fairly large number of household products, such as:
- clamps,
- brackets,
- hangers, etc.
But for this we have to use the softest and most flexible types of wire, so that we can easily bend the metal into the shape we need.
So, for working with wire up to 3 mm in diameter, round nose pliers, pliers and a bench vice are suitable, and you can cut the wire with wire cutters or side cutters. This set is quite enough to give the metal wire the desired shape and its subsequent processing.
Working with large diameter wire has certain difficulties. But if it is also rigid, then to bend it manually you will need to use special bending devices.
Of course, you can buy a ready-made bending device, but it’s quite possible to make the tool yourself. How to make a device for bending wire with your own hands from available parts can be seen in the photo.
What is used for bending wire? How to make a machine with your own hands!
Objects of various configurations and purposes can be made from wire. During work, it is important to bend the material correctly, therefore, when the diameter of the metal thread is more than 1 mm, it is advisable to use special devices.
The main types of this type of tool, as well as how to make a wire bending machine with your own hands, will be discussed in this article.
Conclusion
What is used for bending wire is described in detail in the article. To work with this material, you can use both simple tools and complex installations that allow you to perform a large number of operations per minute.
If you have a limited budget, you can independently make a mechanical device that will not be inferior in quality to factory products.
How to bend wire into a ring evenly
In order to bend the wire into a ring and make it the correct shape, you must use either a pre-made wooden blank of the required diameter, or use a piece of metal pipe of a suitable diameter.
We wind at least two turns onto the template and make marks, while not forgetting to allow for the thickness of the cut. Next, cut the wire and weld an even ring. If anyone knows other ways to make complex shapes from wire, you can share them in the comments block.
