A finished coil alone hides most of the review path. This authorized project record connects repeated helical geometry, end interfaces, completed physical assemblies, and packaging. One dimensioned drawing remains internal and is not included in the public Gallery.
Buyer Decision Context
Use this record when preparing an RFQ that must connect overall coil geometry, repeated turns, end orientation, interfaces and required verification. The visible sequence helps expose missing inputs; it does not establish fluid, pressure or leak performance.
- RFQ guide: /en/dfm-checklist-before-quote/ — mark geometry, end interfaces, material intent and acceptance evidence.
- Evidence guide: /en/physical-product-prototype-testing/ — define dimensional, fit, functional or compliance evidence separately.
Project Evidence
The internal evidence set includes a dimensioned technical drawing, which is excluded from the public Gallery because it contains technical labels and dimensions. The public physical views show repeated turns, overall coil shape, and straight end sections from several angles.
A second group of photographs shows attached end hardware and local connection areas from different angles. These views make the relationship between the coil body and its interfaces available for visual review.
The remaining photographs show completed physical assemblies and packaged parts. Together, the sequence provides a visible chain from communicated geometry to formed parts, interfaces, and packing.
Engineering Context
Tube-forming guidance treats bend radius, springback, local flattening, and repeatability as practical controls because forming can alter both the path and cross-section of a tube. For a helix, small deviations may accumulate across repeated turns and shift the end position. Public reference: Swagelok, Hand Tube Bender Manual.
If a tube assembly will carry fluid, its application requirements should define the required material, joining specification, dimensional acceptance, and any pressure or leak test. ASME B31.3 is an example of a public code framework addressing process piping, but the visual record does not establish that this project was made or accepted to that code. Public reference: ASME, B31.3 Process Piping.
Documented Result
The documented public result is a visible sequence linking helical tube forms, end connections, completed assemblies, and packaged parts. The internal drawing establishes provenance but is not published.
Evidence Note
The available record verifies only the visible drawing view, geometry, interfaces, physical assemblies, and packaging. It does not establish material identity, wall thickness, forming method, joining specification, pressure rating, pressure or leak performance, flow performance, quantity, lead time, customer application, certification, or code conformance.
How a Helical Cooling Tube Is Actually Made
The photographs show the finished form. What a buyer cannot see from a photograph is the process chain that produced it, and that chain is where the risk sits. A helical tube fails in one of three ways: the helix deforms during forming, the wall thins unevenly along the bend, or the end connections do not seal against a real mating part.
Each of those is a process decision, not an inspection catch.
Process Route and Where Tolerance Comes From
| Stage | Equipment | Documented accuracy | What it controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandrel or core forming | Haas ST-10 CNC lathe, φ200 × 500 mm | ±0.01 mm | Helix pitch consistency and core diameter before wrapping |
| Tube bending and coiling | Amada HG 2204, 2200 mm bend length | ±0.1 mm | Bend radius, coil spacing, overall envelope |
| End feature machining | Mazak Variaxis i-600, Haas VF-2 | ±0.005 mm | Bore diameter, face squareness, O-ring groove depth |
| Fine slot or profile work | Sodick AQ537L wire EDM | ±0.001 mm | Where a cutter cannot reach or material is hardened |
| Dimensional verification | Zeiss Contura G2 CMM | ±0.001 mm | Helix position, end-face geometry, wall thickness sample |
| Surface measurement | Mitutoyo Surftest SJ-210 | Ra 0.005–40 μm | Bore finish where flow or sealing matters |
The figure that decides whether a helical tube works is usually not the coil diameter but the end connection. A helix that is dimensionally correct and a joint that weeps is a failed part. That is why the end features are machined to ±0.005 mm on a machining centre rather than formed.
Where Helical Tube Projects Fail
- Wall thinning on the outside of the bend. Bending stretches the outer wall. A tube specified at nominal wall thickness will be thinner at the bend, and pressure or vacuum performance drops there first. Starting from a heavier wall is cheaper than discovering this on test.
- Springback. Metal returns slightly after forming. A coil formed to nominal will not sit at nominal. The die has to be cut with springback allowance, which is material-specific.
- Pitch drift along the coil. Small errors accumulate over many turns. A helix that is correct at both ends can be out of position in the middle. Verifying only the ends misses the most likely defect.
- End connection mismatch. A bore machined to nominal will not seal against a mating part that is itself at the edge of its tolerance. The joint has to be designed as a pair, not as two independent dimensions.
- Residual stress in a long coil. A long helical section can move after the last operation. Stress relief and operation sequence matter as much as the tolerance figure.
What to Send With a Helical Tube Enquiry
- 3D CAD of the helix, plus the 2D drawing that defines the end connections
- Coil diameter, pitch, number of turns and total length, and which of these is critical
- Tube material and wall thickness, and whether the wall is nominal or minimum
- The mating part or interface CAD for each end connection, with the seal type
- Operating pressure, temperature or media, if the tube carries fluid or gas
- Whether the helix must hold position under load, or only at rest
The shop works to ISO 9001:2015 with a product qualification ratio above 99%, with 2 dedicated inspectors among 50+ staff and 6 engineers available for route selection before quoting.
CTA
Get Quote — Send the drawing and state the tube material, outside diameter, wall thickness, connection specification, working medium, pressure requirement, and required verification method.
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