Abstract: The apparatus has a bending/cooling station mounted on a base. A tube clamping assembly is mounted on the base, movable towards and away from the bending/cooling station and including a tube clamping assembly and a tube rotation assembly. A tube heating assembly is mounted for movement between the bending/cooling station and the tube clamping assembly. Servomotors move the tube clamping assembly and the tube heating assembly, rotate the tube clamping assembly, and actuate bending at the bending/cooling station. The apparatus is controlled by PLC or PC-based programs, which effect movement via servomotors and control other parameters such as heating and cooling times and temperatures. Bending and cooling the tube at a first bend location, and heating the next desired bend location, take place in overlapping time windows, before advancing the tube to position the next desired bend location of the tube at the bending/cooling station.

Abstract: The apparatus has a bending/cooling station mounted on a base. A tube clamping assembly is mounted on the base, movable towards and away from the bending/cooling station and including a tube clamping assembly and a tube rotation assembly. A tube heating assembly is mounted for movement between the bending/cooling station and the tube clamping assembly. Servomotors move the tube clamping assembly and the tube heating assembly, rotate the tube clamping assembly, and actuate bending at the bending/cooling station. The apparatus is controlled by PLC or PC-based programs, which effect movement via servomotors and control other parameters such as heating and cooling times and temperatures. Bending and cooling the tube at a first bend location, and heating the next desired bend location, take place in overlapping time windows, before advancing the tube to position the next desired bend location of the tube at the bending/cooling station.

Abstract: A plastic tube is bent by advancing the tube to position a desired first bend location of the tube at a bending/cooling station, the bend location of the tube having been previously heated by a tube heating assembly sufficiently for bending. The tube heating assembly is moved to a next desired bend location of the tube. Bending and cooling the tube at the first bend location, and heating the next desired bend location, take place in overlapping time windows, before advancing the tube to position the next desired bend location of the tube at the bending/cooling station. Total cycle time for heating, bending and cooling is thereby substantially reduced compared to carrying out heating, bending and cooling sequentially. The apparatus is controlled by PLC or PC-based programs, which effect movement via servomotors and also control other parameters such as heating and cooling times and temperatures.