Method and apparatus for manufacturing a pipe element having shoulder, groove and bead

摘要

The present invention relates to a spin forming machine (136) and a method thereof for forming circumferential shoulder, groove and bead in a pipe element. The machine (136) includes a die 138 formed in four sections (140, 142, 144 and 146), wherein the die sections are mounted in bearings and are slidably moveable toward and away from one another using respective actuators (148, 150, 152 and 154); a spin forming tool (156) mounted in a housing (158); wherein the housing (158) has a fixed axis of rotation (160) and is mounted on a carriage (162) which moves along guide rods (164) toward and away from the die (138); an actuator (166) effecting the motion of the carriage (162) and hence effecting the motion of the spin forming tool (156) toward and away from the die; a housing (158) driven in rotation about axis (160) relatively to carriage (162) on bearings (168) by an electric motor (170) mounted on the carriage. The axis of rotation (160) of housing (158) is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (161) of the opening defined when the die sections (140, 142, 144 and 146) are brought together.