WAFIOS continues to drive innovation in tube bending technology by rethinking the entire production process—from material feeding and orientation to bending accuracy and digital programming. The company’s latest developments focus on seamlessly integrated solutions that combine mechanical performance with automation and intelligent software.
A key example is the RBV 25 R KSB, a compact, high-speed right- and left-hand tube bending machine developed for demanding applications such as automotive headrest bars. These components combine strict safety requirements with high aesthetic standards and must be produced with short straight lengths, tight bending radii, 180-degree bends and short cycle times. The RBV 25 R KSB addresses this challenge through a multi-stage tooling concept that allows different bending radii within a single part while maintaining high output rates. All bending tools are developed in-house by WAFIOS.
Automated tube orientation for reliable series production
Precise tube alignment is a decisive factor in bending accuracy. WAFIOS offers automated orientation directly at the material magazine, using a rotating unit that aligns tubes before processing. Depending on the application, features such as weld seams or notches can be detected by eddy-current sensors, optical sensors or camera systems. Camera-based solutions also enable the recognition of additional visual features such as logos, markings or QR codes.
From the magazine, an automated loading unit transfers the tube into the bending machine. Pre-positioning takes place almost simultaneously with the unloading of the previous part, ensuring fast changeovers and stable cycle times—an approach particularly suited for high-volume production.
For other applications, including furniture manufacturing, WAFIOS provides the patented iQtubeorientation function as an alternative. This fully automated system aligns perforated or marked tubes directly in the clamping unit using a camera-based process, allowing tubes to be fed without predefined orientation.
Digital programming for immediate dimensional accuracy
Even with optimal machine setup, springback effects during rotary draw bending cause deviations between nominal and actual geometry. WAFIOS addresses this issue with its programming system WPS 3.2 EasyWay, which automatically compensates for radius deviations based on material data. This enables faster achievement of dimensionally accurate parts, reducing setup time and material scrap.
An additional efficiency gain is achieved through isometric programming, which represents tube geometry in a spatial, three-dimensional view. Compared with traditional programming methods such as LRA or XYZ coordinates, this approach simplifies the visualisation of complex geometries, reduces input errors and supports the efficient programming of multi-plane bending operations.
Expanding bending capabilities up to 100 mm
WAFIOS is also extending its capacity range with the TopBend 100, a tube bending machine designed for tube dimensions up to 100 × 4 mm. Building on the proven RBV bending technology, the machine features a high-strength design with a nominal bending moment of 20,000 Nm (VDI 3432) and full right- and left-hand bending capability. The optimised weight and speed concept opens up new manufacturing possibilities in larger tube dimensions while maintaining high productivity and precision.
With these developments, WAFIOS reinforces its position as a technology partner for manufacturers seeking efficient, automated and digitally supported tube bending solutions across a wide range of industries.
