A new method to produce T-shaped tubular fittings with experimental and simulation results.

A tube is an important structural element for fluid manipulation in piped networks in many industries. Tube branching is achieved using tube fittings of various shapes, including T, Y, X, and L shapes. This study proposes a new innovative technique to produce T-shaped tubular fittings. The technique...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Atef M Ghaleb, Mohamed A Saleh, Adham E Ragab, Abdulmajeed Dabwan, Tamer M Khalaf, Usama Umer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214608
Description
Summary:A tube is an important structural element for fluid manipulation in piped networks in many industries. Tube branching is achieved using tube fittings of various shapes, including T, Y, X, and L shapes. This study proposes a new innovative technique to produce T-shaped tubular fittings. The technique uses a specially designed die setup where a tube is placed inside a T-shaped die cavity and a metallic insert is used to deform the tube into the cavity, creating the T-fitting shape. Experimental and numerical methods are used to evaluate the process. The main outcome of this research is the successful creation of T-shaped copper tube fittings using a technique similar to tube hydroforming without the need for internal pressure. This technique could be modified to assist the production of T-fittings with thicknesses outside the hydroforming limits.
ISSN:1932-6203