SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS TUBE BENDER MACHINE .docx

DOCX document 22 KB Posted Sep 14, 2026

Attached to: Tube Bending and Flare Tube Machines Luke AFB, AZ
Solicitation number: FA488726Q0064
Issued by: Department of the Air Force Air Education and Training Command

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Written by GovTribe AI · Sep 14, 2026

This document is a Salient Characteristics statement for the procurement of a Form-Line 2.0 fully electric CNC tube bender machine for Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The Aircraft Structural Maintenance section requires this equipment to locally manufacture and repair high-pressure hydraulic lines (operating at 3,000-5,000 PSI) for F-35A Lightning II aircraft. The machine must fit within a maximum footprint of 17 feet long by 5 feet wide by 6 feet high and accommodate an 8-foot tube-over-mandrel capacity with a Rubberflex collet system. The bender must achieve a continuous center line radius range from 0.5 inches to 10 inches, operate on a right-hand (clockwise) rotation, and be compatible with existing USAF-inventory Form-Line tooling and die sets to avoid redundant procurement costs. The control system must be the Bend Pro G2, with a fully programmable servo X-axis for automated center line radius adjustments and a servo-actuated clamp die for precise pressure control on thin-walled titanium tubing.

The procurement includes comprehensive dedicated bend tooling packages for seven tubing outer diameters: 0.500, 0.625, 0.750, 1.000, 1.250, 1.500, and 1.750 inches. Each tooling package contains precision-machined bend dies (with varying center line radii specifications), clamp dies, pressure dies, wiper dies, mandrels (ball and plug configurations), and rubber flex collets or quick-change collets with tube stops. Additional machine requirements include integrated AC electrical cabinet cooling, heavy-duty leveling mounts, a remote footswitch for cycle initiation, a mobile industrial floor console, an integrated front-facing proximity laser safety scanner, and heavy-duty machine leveling mounts. The vendor must provide a minimum 12-month warranty, remote maintenance capabilities, and three days of on-site installation and training. Without this equipment, Luke AFB will remain dependent on extended supply chain lead times for critical F-35 tubing assemblies, directly impacting the 56th Fighter Wing's ability to maintain fleet readiness and generate daily training sorties.

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SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS

FOR PURCHASE OF FORM-LINE 2.0 TUBE BENDER

FOR

Aircraft Structural Maintenance, Fabrication Flight

LUKE AFB, AZ

Purpose & Impact Statement:

The Aircraft Structural Maintenance section requires a fully electric CNC tube bender to manufacture and repair high-pressure hydraulic lines locally for the F-35A Lightning II. F-35 hydraulic systems operate at extreme pressures (up to 3,000–5,000 PSI), requiring absolute precision that cannot be achieved via manual bending methods.

Impact on 56 FW if not approved: Without this equipment, Luke AFB will remain entirely dependent on the standard supply chain for critical F-35 tubing assemblies, resulting in extended Non-Mission Capable (NMC) times for aircraft. Local fabrication reduces line-replacement lead times from weeks to hours, directly impacting the 56 FW’s ability to generate daily training sorties and maintain fleet readiness.

Tubing Machine Requirements:

1. Footprint (17’L x 5’W x 6’H) Maximum physical envelope of 17’L x 5’W x 6’H to integrate safely into pre-allocated shop space.

2. Tube Capacity: Minimum 8-foot tube-over-mandrel capacity, fully compatible with a Rubberflex collet system.

3. Bending Range: Must achieve a continuous Center Line Radius (CLR) range from 1/2" up to 10".

4. Tooling Compatibility: Must be natively compatible with existing USAF-inventory Form-Line tooling and die sets to prevent redundant and wasteful procurement costs.

5. Rotation: Right-hand (clockwise) bending rotation to match existing programmed USAF bending profiles without requiring software rewrites.

6. Cooling: Integrated AC electrical cabinet cooling system to protect electronics in shop environments.

7. Control System: Must operate on the Bend Pro G2 Control System to ensure seamless interface with existing workflows.

8. Mounts: Heavy-duty machine leveling mounts to isolate vibration and preserve bending precision.

9. Footswitch: Remote start cycle footswitch to safely initiate bends while handling long tubing.

10. Console: Mobile industrial floor console to keep the operator safely distanced from the moving bend arm.

11. Safety Scanner: Integrated front-facing proximity laser scanner that automatically halts the machine if the hazard zone is breached.

12. Warranty & Support: Minimum 12-month warranty, remote maintenance, and 3 days of on-site installation/training.

13. X-Axis: Fully programmable X-axis (Servo X) for automated Center Line Radius (CLR) adjustments.

14. Clamp Die: Servo-Actuated Clamp Die to provide precise pressure and prevent crushing thin-walled titanium aircraft tubing.

Bend Tooling Requirements:

The procurement must include comprehensive, dedicated bend tooling sets specifically matched to aircraft-grade hydraulic tubing outer diameters (OD), wall thicknesses (WT), and center line radii (CLR). All tooling must be precision-machined and include required bend dies, clamp dies, pressure dies, wiper dies, mandrels, and collets/tube stops.

1. 0.500" OD Tooling Package

· Bend Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· .500" OD x 1.00" CLR x 1.00" Grip

· .500" OD x 1.25" CLR x 1.00" Grip

· .500" OD x 1.50" CLR x 1.00" Grip

· Clamp Die: .500" OD x 1.00" Grip (Qty: 1)

· Pressure Die: .500" OD x 4.39" Length (Qty: 1)

· Mandrels:

· 1-Ball Mandrel: .500" OD x .035" WT x AB (Qty: 1)

· Plug Mandrel: .500" OD x .049" WT x AB (Qty: 1)

· Collet & Stop: Rubber Flex Collet and Tube Stop, .500" OD (Qty: 1)

2. 0.625" (5/8") OD Tooling Package

· Bend Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· .625" OD x 1.500" CLR x 1.25" Grip

· .625" OD x 1.750" CLR x 1.25" Grip

· .625" OD x 1.875" CLR x 1.25" Grip

· Clamp Die: .625" OD x 1.25" Grip (Qty: 1)

· Pressure Die: .625" OD x 7.45" Length (Qty: 1)

· Mandrels:

· 1-Ball Mandrel: .625" OD x .035" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· 1-Ball Mandrel: .625" OD x .049" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· Collet & Stop: Rubber Flex Collet and Tube Stop, .625" OD (Qty: 1)

3. 0.750" (3/4") OD Tooling Package

· Bend Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· .750" OD x 1.50" CLR x 1.50" Grip

· .750" OD x 2.25" CLR x 1.50" Grip

· Clamp Die: .750" OD x 1.50" Grip (Qty: 1)

· Pressure Die: .750" OD x 8.94" Length (Qty: 1)

· Wiper Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· .750" OD x 1.50" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· .750" OD x 2.25" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· Mandrels:

· 1-Ball Mandrel: .750" OD x .035" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· 1-Ball Mandrel: .750" OD x .065" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· Collet & Stop: Rubber Flex Collet and Tube Stop, .750" OD (Qty: 1)

4. 1.000" OD Tooling Package

· Bend Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· 1.00" OD x 2.00" CLR x 2.00" Grip

· 1.00" OD x 3.00" CLR x 2.00" Grip

· Clamp Die: 1.00" OD x 2.00" Grip (Qty: 1)

· Pressure Die: 1.00" OD x 11.92" Length (Qty: 1)

· Wiper Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· 1.00" OD x 2.00" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· 1.00" OD x 3.00" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· Mandrels:

· 2-Ball Mandrel: 1.00" OD x .035" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· 1-Ball Mandrel: 1.00" OD x .065" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· Collet & Stop: Quick Change Collet and Tube Stop, 1.00" OD (Qty: 1)

5. 1.250" OD Tooling Package

· Bend Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· 1.25" OD x 2.50" CLR x 2.50" Grip

· 1.25" OD x 3.75" CLR x 2.50" Grip

· Clamp Die: 1.25" OD x 2.50" Grip (Qty: 1)

· Pressure Die: 1.25" OD x 14.91" Length (Qty: 1)

· Wiper Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· 1.25" OD x 2.50" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· 1.25" OD x 3.75" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· Mandrels:

· 1-Ball Mandrel: 1.25" OD x .065" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· 1-Ball Mandrel: 1.25" OD x .087" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· Collet & Stop: Quick Change Collet and Tube Stop, 1.25" OD (Qty: 1)

6. 1.500" OD Tooling Package

· Bend Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· 1.50" OD x 3.00" CLR x 3.00" Grip

· 1.50" OD x 4.50" CLR x 3.00" Grip

· Clamp Die: 1.50" OD x 3.00" Grip (Qty: 1)

· Pressure Die: 1.50" OD x 17.89" Length (Qty: 1)

· Wiper Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· 1.50" OD x 3.00" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· 1.50" OD x 4.50" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· Mandrels:

· 1-Ball Mandrel: 1.50" OD x .065" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· 1-Ball Mandrel: 1.50" OD x .087" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· Collet & Stop: Quick Change Collet and Tube Stop, 1.50" OD (Qty: 1)

7. 1.750" OD Tooling Package

· Bend Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· 1.75" OD x 3.50" CLR x 3.50" Grip

· 1.75" OD x 5.25" CLR x 3.50" Grip

· Clamp Die: 1.75" OD x 3.50" Grip (Qty: 1)

· Pressure Die: 1.75" OD x 20.87" Length (Qty: 1)

· Wiper Dies (Qty: 1 each):

· 1.75" OD x 3.50" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· 1.75" OD x 5.25" CLR x Ampco Bronze (AB)

· Mandrels:

· 2-Ball Mandrel: 1.75" OD x .065" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· 1-Ball Mandrel: 1.75" OD x .087" WT x Ampco Bronze (AB) (Qty: 1)

· Collet & Stop: Quick Change Collet and Tube Stop, 1.75" OD (Qty: 1)

END OF STATEMENT OF NEED

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated Sep 14, 2026.