Tee & Collar Forming Machines

T-DRILL is a manufacturer of high-tech tube and pipe fabrication solutions. Their standard products consist of a wide range of machine tools that are used in many different industries, from automotive to shipbuilding. T-DRILL has developed products for mechanical contractors and plumbers, for whom the original T-DRILL tee forming was developed in the 1970s. Today, they use the same principle with decades of continuous improvements to their product range. This means they are making fast applications even faster, automatic equipment even more intelligent, and reliable systems even more reliable. 

T-DRILL has its roots in Finland but the products are sold all over the world. More than 95 % of their products are exported to more than 60 countries. T-DRILL is part of Leinolat Group and has three facilities; two in Finland and one in Atlanta, USA. 

As the tee is fabricated from the basic tube, no costly T-pieces are needed. Instead of three joints, there is only one joint! This saves a lot of time and means considerably lower total costs. The construction also makes the tube stronger and provides for better flow characteristics. 

Tee Forming – Pipe Branching – Collaring 

Pipe branching – i.e. connecting a branch pipe to a run pipe – using the T-DRILL method is also called collaring. The joint can be completed by brazing (= lap joint) or by welding (butt joint). 

 ADVANTAGES OF T-DRILL METHOD: 

 - Production cost reductions up to 80% 

 - No costly inventories 

 -Less wasted material 

 -Remarkably faster through-put times 

 -Improved product strength, flow and brazing characteristics 

 -Instead of three welded joints, only one simple weld joint is required 

 -Applicable to almost all malleable materials including stainless steel, CuNi, aluminium alloys and copper 

PORTABLE TEE FORMING/COLLARING MACHINE 

1) T-65 SS Portable Tee Forming Machine 

 - Collar sizes: 17–54 mm / 3/8″ – 2 1/8″ O.D. 

 - Run tube sizes: 26,9–114,3 (300) mm / 3/4″ – 4″ O.D. 

 - Pipe material: Stainless steel, Steel 

 - Machine type: Portable tools 

 - Process: Tee forming 

2) HFT-2000 SS Collaring Unit 

 - Collar sizes: 17–54 mm / ¾” – 2″ O.D. 

 - Run tube sizes: 33,7–114,3 mm / 1 ¼” – 4″ O.D. 

 - Pipe material: Copper, Stainless steel, Steel 

 - Machine type: Portable tools 

 - Process: Tee forming 

 - Max wall thickness: Stainless steel 3,05 mm / 0.12″ 

3) T-35 Portable Tee Forming Machine 

 - Collar sizes: 8–35 mm / NS ½”- 1¼” 

 - Run tube sizes: 15–76 mm / NS ⅝” – 2⅝” 

 - Pipe material: Copper, Copper / Nickel 

 - Work cycle time: 20 sec 

 - Machine type: Portable tools 

 - Process: Tee forming 

 4) T-65B Cordless Tee Forming Machine

 - Collar sizes: 8–54 mm / NS ½” – 2” 

 - Run tube sizes: 15–108 mm / NS ⅝” – 4⅛” 

 - Pipe material: Copper, Copper / Nickel 

 - Work cycle time: 15–60 sec 

 - Machine type: Portable tools 

 - Process: Tee forming 

 5) Plus-100 SS Portable Collaring System 

 - Collar sizes: 54–114,3 mm / 2” – 4” O.D. 

 - Run tube sizes: 54–219,1 mm / 2 ½” – 8” O.D. (When working with bigger sizes, please contact T-DRILL    Sales) 

 - Pipe material: Stainless steel, Steel 

 - Machine type: Portable tools 

 - Process: Tee forming  

6) ND-54 Tube End Notcher 

 - ND-54 Tube End Notcher is used for cutting and dimpling the branched tube ends to enable the best       possible flow characteristics. 

- Pipe material: Aluminium, Copper, Copper / Nickel 

- Machine type: Portable tools 

- Process: End forming 

TEE & COLLAR FORMING MACHINES 

T-DRILL is a world-class supplier of tube and pipe fabrication solutions. T-DRILL machinery consists of both industrial solutions for several customer segments as well as portable solutions for mechanical contractors and plumbers. 

T Drill manufactures Tee forming machines, Collaring machines, Cutting machines for Pipes, Flanging machines, Spinning machines, and various models of Portable Tee forming and Collaring machines. Apart from this, T Drill also manufactures Integrated systems with Robot cells. 

Tee Forming – The T-DRILL method was developed in the 1970s. 

As the tee is fabricated from the basic tube, no costly T-pieces are needed. Instead of three joints, there is only one joint! This saves a lot of time and means considerably lower total costs. The construction also makes the tube stronger and provides for better flow characteristics. 

Tee Forming – Pipe Branching – Collaring 

Pipe branching – i.e. connecting a branch pipe to a run pipe – using the T-DRILL method is also called collaring. The joint can be completed by brazing (= lap joint) or by welding (butt joint). 

Chipless cutting technology 

There are three different cutting methods available: Pull-apart, Through cut, and Cut & Break. The Pull-apart method is the most advanced cut-off method: first, the cutting disk penetrates the tube wall by approximately 95%. The cut length is then separated by pulling it apart. This eliminates or minimizes the I.D. reduction that could occur if the blade was to completely cut through the tube wall.

The through cut method is the most fundamental method of cutting tubes by using rotary cutting disks. This method is used for cut lengths of 30 mm and longer by basic equipment. This method can be used in cases where some reduction in the internal diameter is acceptable. The Cut & Break method is possible when the tube piece length is under 70 mm. The blade is set to penetrate approximately 95 % through the tube wall, at which point the clamping fixture breaks the tube sideways. This method is only available on the T-DRILL TCC-50 RL Machine & Coil Tube Cutting Center. 

Tube End Forming 

T-DRILL Flanging Machines form a lip or flange directly on the end of the pipe allowing the use of loose flanges. This process saves up to 40 % of the time compared to traditional weld neck flange connections. The flange – also called the Van Stone and loose flange – is achieved by roll forming a flange on the end of the pipe spool. The flange can have a smooth or grooved face, depending on the forming (rolling) tool used.

 T-DRILL Tube End Spinners are designed to accept the requirements of a wide range of applications – including the end forming of exceptionally long or complicated tubes common in e.g. ACR, solar panels, and mechanical contracting industries.
The T-DRILL Spinning Machines are fully automatic and suitable for closing, reducing, and expanding copper and brass tubes. The form of the closing can be elliptical (short closing) or spherical (round closing). Reductions and Expansions are also possible up to certain sizes.