 | Fast - Expansion operation of 2 to 5 seconds per tube |
| Portable - You can bring the expander to the coil |
| Consistent - Normal wall thickness tolerances have no effect on the expanded diameter
result |
| Flexible - Coil size and shape are of no concern |
| Safe - Operator is exposed to no moving parts |
| Compact - Machine requires 10 square feet of floor space |
| Efficient - Very low power consumption |
| Environmentally safe - Expander uses ordinary tap water as the hydraulic expansion
medium |
| Economical - Less expensive to purchase and maintain than mechanical expansion systems |
Hydro expansion is a method of tube expansion which fills the tube (either straight
length or hairpin tubes) with water. Once filled, the water is pressurized past the yield
point of the tube thereby providing expansion. This method is used extensively in
baseboard header assemblies and in air conditioning coil production for bonding tubes to
fin assemblies.
The hydro expansion system utilizes high-speed PLC control and pressure sensors to
produce an exact expansion. This is achieved by matching a preset pressure value (operator
entered) with actual line pressure or expansion pressure. When the actual line pressure
reaches the preset value, the expansion system instantly dumps pressure providing a fast
constant expansion and fin bond.
Airmo expansion tooling grips and seals the tube even at the most extreme pressures.
With standard models available up to 20,000 P.S.I. working pressure, the operator can
change sizes via quick connections in less than 5 seconds without the use of wrenches.
The Airmo PLC controlled pressure package, along with the Airmo expansion tooling, is a
complete, extremely reliable, tube expansion system. This method of expansion works well
where hairpin tubes are used, allowing a single operator to perform expansions. This saves
many labor hours while maximizing production. The hydro expansion process is successfully
being used with a variety of tube materials including copper, stainless steel, CuNi and
titanium.
