UNISON says it has won an order from BAE Systems Surface Ships for a second 175 mm diameter all-electric tube-bending machine to support ongoing projects.
According to the UK based company, the tube-bending machine will be delivered at the end of Q1 2010, to support projects such as the construction of the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.
The company says the sheer scale of engineering operations required to build an aircraft carrier is breathtaking, and to have its machinery selected to help with the task is a tremendous accolade.
The BAE Systems' new machine is said to incorporate a laser measurement module, to measure the accuracy of bend angles dynamically and automatically compensate for any errors. This technique overcomes the problem of having to scrap material because of variations in the 'springback' characteristics between different batches of materials.
Unison says as the unit is capable of handling tube and pipe diameters up to 175mm, the machine is expected to be the largest all-electric tube-bender ever built.