Metric dies, in the sizes metric tube actually comes in: 38, 42, 45, 48, 51 and 60 mm

This is BendPak's digital automatic bender supplied with a metric tooling package, and the tooling is the whole reason to choose this version. The dies cover 38 mm, 42 mm, 45 mm, 48 mm, 51 mm and 60 mm — the sizes that European, Japanese and Korean original-equipment exhaust and tube systems are actually built in.

Everything else about the machine is a capable digital bender. The die set is what decides whether it is the right machine for your work.

A near-enough die is not near enough

The temptation with imperial-only tooling is to run metric tube on the closest fractional die and accept the difference. It does not work out well. A die that is fractionally oversize lets the tube move in the groove, and the outer wall thins and ripples where it should be supported. A die that is fractionally undersize grips and scores. Either way the bend goes oval, the section no longer slips into the component it has to mate with, and the joint that should have clamped up dry becomes a leak to chase. Matching the die to the tube is not precision for its own sake — it is the difference between a part that fits first time and one that gets reworked.

Having the metric range on hand also removes a scheduling problem. A shop that has to order tooling before it can start a job quotes longer lead times than one that opens a drawer.

Programmable control, and what that means at the machine

The control sits in the upright of the machine, behind an enclosure that keeps swarf, coolant and general shop dirt away from the electronics. The operator enters the angle wanted, watches live die angle feedback during the bend, and can switch between automatic and manual working. Stored settings are the practical part: a mirrored pair of bends, or a run of identical sections, is repeated from memory rather than found again by trial. On a one-off job that is a convenience; on a batch it is the difference between the tenth part matching the first and merely resembling it.

The rest of the machine

The frame is welded steel tube in 6" x 6" section with 3/8" wall, and the top cylinder develops up to 60,000 lbs. (27,216 kg). Tube capacity is 3" (76 mm) outside diameter and the bending radius spans 3.3" (89 mm) to 5" (127 mm). A 5 HP motor drives a direct-drive 4 gpm pump, with a canister oil filter, a large reservoir, sight gauges and 1/2" oversized hose keeping the hydraulic oil clean and cool. Two rear end-finishing units handle flaring and expanding, and a drop-in collar with a clampless swager and internal expander sits alongside them, so end sizing happens on the same frame as the bend. Tooling is twist-lock and quick-release; a 180° die is available separately.

Perfect for

• Exhaust and fabrication shops working on imported vehicles as a matter of course.
• Performance and motorsport builders sourcing metric tube stock.
• Industrial and agricultural repair work where the pipework was never imperial.
• Export-facing fabricators who have to work to both conventions in the same week.
• Shops that already own an imperial bender and keep turning metric jobs away.

What is in the package

• The digital automatic bender with its enclosed programmable control.
• The metric tooling package covering the six die sizes listed above.
• Two rear end-finishing units, clampless swager, internal expander and drop-in collar.
• Power-relief control valve, pressure gauges, NEMA-rated switch box with overload relays, industrial casters and tool trays.

Confirm the electrical supply in writing

This is the one thing to settle before ordering. The product heading and the specification table describe a three-phase machine at 208-460 VAC, 50 Hz, 3 PH. A separate field in the same product record describes a single-phase motor at the other mains frequency instead. Those are different machines from an installation point of view, and picking the more plausible one on your behalf is exactly what we should not do. Tell us the supply you have in the shop, ask us to confirm the configuration on the order in writing, and do not book an electrician against this page.

A second, smaller inconsistency in the same table: two of the three dimension rows carry the identical label "Depth", one against 64" (1,626 mm) and one against 26" (660 mm). We have therefore not told you which axis the 26" figure describes. Ask if you are laying the floor out precisely and we will confirm from the specification sheet.

Standards, stated precisely

This listing makes no certification claim for the machine and we are not going to write one in. That is usually irrelevant for a fabrication tool bought by a private business, and occasionally very relevant: some insurers, some industrial safety regimes and some workplace inspectorates ask for specific documentation on powered equipment, and they ask by document rather than by brand. If you are subject to something like that, ask us in writing what documentation accompanies this machine and we will obtain it from the manufacturer before you commit.

Delivery, and what it weighs

Freight to the lower 48 states, priced live at checkout against your own address. The machine weighs 1,388 lbs. and travels crated at 48" x 70" x 30" (1,219 mm x 1,778 mm x 762 mm), so the receiver needs a forklift rated for it or should arrange terminal collection from the carrier — the terminal route is often simpler because the equipment is already there. Residential delivery carries a residential fee, applied at checkout on selection. Plan the route from the unloading point to the machine's final position: on the floor it takes about 41" (1,041 mm) by 64" (1,626 mm), it moves on industrial casters, and it needs clear working room at the rear for the end-finishing units.

Check the shipment before you sign for it — crate damage, bent tooling, cracked gauge faces, marked control housings, oil where there should be none. Note it on the bill of lading in front of the driver and photograph it. A clean signature closes the argument in the carrier's favour.

Warranty

A written BendPak warranty document covers this equipment and we hold the current version; ask for it before ordering if the terms bear on the decision. The standard caution for hydraulic machinery applies: open a claim before opening the machine. Stripping a cylinder, pump or control enclosure ahead of a claim usually counts as modification, and cover does not usually survive it. Photograph the fault, record the serial number and speak to us first.