Tube & Pipe Fabrication
Frames, handles, guards and reinforcement made from round, square and rectangular tube — bent, notched, laser cut and welded into sub-assemblies that combine with the sheet metal parts of the same project.
When a Frame Should Be Tube, Not Folded Sheet
Folded sheet is efficient for flat-sided structures, but it is the wrong answer for a handle, a guard, a curved support or a triangulated frame. Where the load path is a line rather than a face, tube gives more stiffness for less material and a cleaner appearance.
Tube work sits alongside our sheet metal operations rather than replacing them. Tube frames are cut and notched on the laser, bent on the tube bender, and welded to sheet metal brackets and plates in the same workshop, so a combined frame arrives as one checked assembly.
A Closer Look at This Capability
Representative photographs of the equipment, the process and the parts produced.
Specifications at a Glance
| Parameter | Typical Specification |
|---|---|
| Typical products | Equipment frames and guards, handles and grab rails, reinforcement tubes, tube-to-sheet structures, support frames |
| Tube types | Round, square and rectangular tube in steel, galvanized steel, stainless and aluminum |
| Tube sizes | Typical outside dimensions from 12 mm to 80 mm, wall thickness 1.0-3.0 mm |
| Bending | CNC tube bending with controlled bend radius, bend angle and centre distance |
| Cutting | Laser-cut tube and notched ends so mating tubes meet without hand fitting |
| Joining | MIG or TIG welding, with tube-to-sheet brackets welded or bolted |
| Tolerance | Bend angle typically ±1 degree; centre distance ±0.5 mm on repeat parts |
| Finish | Powder coating, zinc plating or brushed stainless after welding |
| Combination work | Tube frames welded to laser-cut sheet brackets and plates |
| Production | Prototypes and repeat batches run from the same bending program |
The parameters above are representative of typical projects in this category. Your drawing defines the final specification, and every quotation states the scope it covers.
What We Do in This Area
Every job is customised to your drawing: CNC tube bending, pipe routing with welded mounting brackets, end forming and tube-to-sheet assemblies. Use these categories as a starting point for your enquiry.
Equipment Frames and Supports
Tube frames that carry equipment, cabinets and panels.
| Tube | Square and rectangular tube |
| Joints | Laser-notched and welded |
| Finish | Coated or galvanized for outdoor use |
Handles, Grab Rails and Guards
Tube parts for access, safety and handling.
| Forms | Bent, swaged or capped ends |
| Material | Steel, stainless, aluminum |
| Finish | Coated or brushed stainless |
Tube-to-Sheet Assemblies
Frames and brackets that combine tube and formed sheet in one part.
| Build | Tube welded to laser-cut brackets and plates |
| Benefit | One assembly instead of two suppliers |
| Delivery | Welded sub-assembly, checked and coated |
Materials, Finishes & Customisation
Tube material
| Carbon steel tube | Frames and guards for indoor equipment, powder coated |
| Galvanized steel tube | Outdoor and humid environments, with cut ends protected |
| Stainless 304 / 316L | Corrosive sites, hygienic equipment and visible frames |
| Aluminum tube | Light frames and handles where weight matters |
Forming and joining
| CNC bending | Bend radius, angle and centre distance set by program |
| Laser cut and notch | Tube ends notched so joints close without hand fitting |
| Welding | MIG for carbon steel frames, TIG for visible or thin-wall joints |
Finish and control
| Coating | Powder coat in any RAL, or brushed and polished stainless |
| Inserts | Internal reinforcement or threaded inserts where a joint is bolted |
| Inspection | Bend angle and centre distance checked against the drawing per batch |
How This Moves Through the Workshop
Frame drawings are reviewed for bend feasibility, tube size and joint access, and any bend the tooling cannot make is raised before cutting. Tube is cut and notched on the laser, bent on the tube bender to the program, and welded to the sheet metal brackets that come from the same job. Joints are dressed, the frame is checked for bend angle and overall dimension, then it goes to coating or finishing and is packed as one assembly.
- Drawing review with DFM feedback before production release
- Fiber laser cutting of the complete flat pattern in one set-up
- CNC press-brake forming, welding and grinding
- Coating applied before gaskets, hardware and glass are fitted
- First-article and sample inspection recorded for each batch
Common Questions
It is a capability inside our sheet metal operation rather than a separate business. Most tube parts we make are frames, guards and handles that belong to a sheet metal project, and they are welded to laser-cut sheet brackets in the same workshop.
The achievable radius depends on the tube outside dimension, wall thickness and the forming limit of the material. As a rule of thumb the centreline radius has to be several times the tube outside dimension, and we confirm the figure for your specific tube at drawing review.
Yes. Tube ends are cut and notched on the laser so a mating tube or plate closes against the correct profile without hand fitting. That is what keeps welded frames square without a long session on the assembly bench.
Yes, and this is usually the point. Instead of buying a tube frame and a sheet bracket set from two suppliers and welding them yourself, both are produced here and welded into one checked sub-assembly that ships as a single part.
Send Us Your Drawing
Tell us what you need made, the environment it works in and the quantity — we will return engineering feedback and a quotation, typically within 24 hours on working days.