Sorry Bro, Don't take this the wrong way, but I think you are backwards here. Have you ever SEEN or WORKED with a mandrel bender? A piece made on an automated bending machine and then cut and welded is SUPERIOR and CHEAPER to a piece bent by hand and then cut and welded.

1 - as YOU said, the CNC is more accurate, so the only point of error is the manual cutting and welding.

2 - both a manually bent and CNC bent piece would need to be cut and welded to acheive the shape of the Buschur part. Mandrel benders have dies for each size of pipe that bends them at certain radii. You can only go so small of radii for a particular size pipe. For example, it is IMPOSSIBLE to bend a 3" pipe at a 180 degree 2.5" radius. The radius needed for the EVO lower IC pipe must be too small to produce as a single solid piece. Therefore, the need for cutting and welding.

3 - To produce 100 identical pieces via CNC bender is MUCH cheaper than the same on a manual bender.

Ring . . . Ring . . That's it. Class over for today.

EVOlutionary

 

Evolutionary,

I think a more appropriate question is Have you every worked one? I don't question the accuracy of a automated bender, when it comes to degree of bend. I do dis-agree with your statement about "manual" being superior. I agree with it being cheaper.

The CNC mandrel bender (for those who don't know) is a Computer Numerical Controlled machine. Short version, basically what you do is plot your coordinates (essentially you are just setting the distance, degree of bend, rotation for basic's). Once these coordinates are set basically you load a pipe and hit the "GO" button. Machine does all the work.

Back to the "manual" bender, those manual machines use many different control systems (dial a bend or digital controllers, and serveral older unit which I hope are retired by now). Which are just as accurate when it comes to "degree of bend" So, what I was trying say is: If you have to cut up a piece that "WAS CNC" then "WHY" would you want to take the accuracy out of it? Why do CNC in the first place when it just costs more $$$$ to own/operate/maintain a machine like that? The extra cost involved with a CNC making a part is eventually going to be passed on to us "the endusers".

Now, regarding your 3" pipe bending at 2.5" radius. Yes, with my experience I would have to say it would take a very experienced opperator with every single advantage, tooling, material, and a machine that is capable of doing the near impossible to pull that one off. As for me personally, no I do not believe with the equipment I've worked with could not have pulled that one off. The tightest bend I've personally produced would have been 1D at about 75-80% of the bend dies capability.

Your point #2 regarding the shape of BR's pipe. Agreed!!! Judging by the looks of it it can not be done without having compound tooling which most people do not have.

Point #3 - In the bending world serveral thousand bends per day would justify the cost of a CNC mandrel bender. 100 just won't cut it.

Evolutionary, I believe we are almost on the same page here. My whole point of bring this up was simply:

Why make it from CNC when it's extremely expensive to produce a small quantity?

If it starts out as a CNC piece, and you end up cutting it... whats the point of paying more for something your going to end up cutting and welding?

Basically, all I'm saying is it will cost me more to buy one if it's CNC, and there is nothing CNC about it other than the bend angle. I don't mind paying CNC prices when I know it has CNC accuracy behind it.

Lastly, Evolutionary, yes I do bend tubing for a living, I work with Stainless, Alumimun, Mild Steel, and was fortunate to have bent Inconel for a minute.

 

haha

this is getting way too technical

 

It's good info. Keep it comin'!

 

I think the thing both of them fail to realize is Buschur doesn't bend the pipe he has pipes bent for him by a bender. The bender is probably a smaller shop and only has a CNC bender and since he is going to bend say 100 at once it is to his advantage to just do it on the CNC. Probably not more then a couple of guys in the whole shop.

 

but you all gotta admit... for this piece everyone is payin' primo dollar.

 

Nice pipes, but too bad its not aluminum.


FACT - aluminum disspates heat faster than s.s.

 

would i be able to use this for the arc intercooler???

 

I doubt it.. but why do you need pipings for ARC intercooler? Don't they come w/ aluminum pipings to go w/ it?

 

do they? i didnt know!!! i thought i would buy some aftermarket intercooler pipes and then up grade to the arc!!!

 

But your not trying to dissapete heat from the lower IC pipe, your tying to retain the cool air.

 

either way it is a good piece, and you get what you pay for....good work dosent come cheap.

 

I would get this piece but I am waiting on the lower pipe for the race fmic to be completed...

 

i don't think they come with pipes

 

Air exiting the turbo is most likely hotter than its' surrounding environment. Air entering the intercooler could use a little help with heat dissipation. So aluminum is more ideal for that application. SS would be a better material choice after the intercooler since you want to prevent heat from being transferred from the engine bay into the intake stream.