Tube flaring can be found in many of the items that we use on a day to day basis. From automotive exhaust to plumbing and HVAC lines inside homes, tube flaring is used in conjunction to make these connections possible.
There are different ways to form tube flares depending upon the material, size, and application. At Proto-1 Manufacturing, we specialize in building tube end forming machines and equipment for both rotary and ram end forming tube flares. Depending on size, most flares found in automotive and transportation application can be formed using a rotary end forming method.
20°-degree Marmon flares are one of the most common types of flares that we produce with our rotary tube end forming equipment. These flares are typically used to mate with a Marmon bead and clamp to complete the joint between the two pipes. The inside flare surface seals with the bead as the clamp pulls and holds them together. Our rotary end forming tooling can form these types of flares by using inner segments and flare rollers. As a drawbar moves forward or retracts, the wedge at the front of the bar moves the segments outward to engage with the end of the tube. While this force is being applied, the tooling is also spun to produce this force across the circumference of tube thus forming the flare as the tool moves and rolls the material outward.
Another common flare, especially for automotive use, is the spherical ball flare. This spherical ball flare is used to mate with a spherical ball form and clamp similar to the Marmon bead. However, unlike the Marmon bead, the spherical ball flare and spherical ball end form allow for some degree of angle compensation within an exhaust system. 90°-degree flares, inverted or not, can be produced using our tooling and equipment as well.
For applications greater than 1.5 inches in diameter, rotary tube end forming is practical and cost-effective solution to produce high quality flares at high volume. Proto-1 Manufacturing builds and tests every tool in house to ensure quality and repeatability. Our rotary tooling can maintain surface profiles for a better seal at the joint of the flare and the mating bead. Typical cycle times for most flares on our RFM-6 tube end forming machine average 6-10 seconds depending upon flare type, size, and material. Proto-1 can form a wide variety of materials such as 304, 316, 409 stainless steel, brass, copper, and mild steel. Contact us today to discover how we can help with your next tube end forming project.
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