Tube Modeling Tools
 

Does anyone know of a company selling a tube modeling kit for 3" and 4" tubing? I need it to design/build my air intake and charge piping. Ice Engine Works has a kit for headers that is really nice. It allows you to build and tweak until you are satisfied. Then you can use the pieces to make the real thing.

icengineworks

Bill

Bill,

Pretty sure they are the only people that make something like that.

-Michael

bummer. Looks like lots of wasted aluminum tube in my future.

Bill,

Using a 3D CAD program would be the way to go to produce a model then a cut list with bending data.

I used to design instrumentation/chemical injection systems for the oil industry using small bore tubing (1/4-1") but the parameters of the tubing can be changed including bend radius. Some shop will have similar capabilities, I'd keep looking around, more and more manufacturing design is now done with these programs.

I've done headers for a 911 in SolidWorks. Took some time but as Wade said you can generate cut lists etc from them and get all the data you want from them.

Cheers, James

True, you can do this with software. My issue with the charge tubing is having to deal with all of the obstacles in the engine compartment and try not to limit maintenance access as much as possible. I know with a full bay intercooler and going twin that is going to be hard enough to fit all the plumbing involved. I read about using vacuum cleaner type hose to get your initial path and then build with PVC so I may try that.

Hi James!! Happy new year!

Bill, There is a 3" AL heater tube that is flexible. I have a piece in the garage that I was going to use on the brakes and it is stiff, but flexible, and holds its shape while you work it in other areas. If might be better than the cutting of tubes and at a min it would get you rough dims so you are at least cutting in the ball park. It was like $8 at lowes... you can find it at Home Despot on Indiantown Rd. for sure.

Alibre Design (Alibre Design - Affordable 3D CAD Design, CAM, Rendering Software) is a fairly flexible, low-cost solid modeler that would be appropriate for this kind of design work. They offer a free trial (try before you buy). I use the Expert level stuff for consulting work - it works quite well.

Someone recently posted where they built some custom, equal length stepped headers using this product. I really like the concept. The problem might be having a tubing bender capable of producing the shape you create with the model.

Michael,

That may be just what I need. I should have my Intercooler next week.

This might help or it might not. White PVC drain pipe can be warmed and hand bent into shape. Heat with a thermal bender blanket or sick it in the oven. Bend to shape with gloved hands and cool with a wet rag to lock it in place. While it is warm you can cut it with a box cutter. I sometimes do this to model complex sections of cage tubing running on sill-plates and the like rather than burn DOM. You could make some bending dies from routed plywood stacked to form to help make clean bends.

I used to also make prototype models using PVC pipe. One trick after locally heating a section to bend it was to plug one end and make a fitting to put regulated low air pressure into the pipe before bending, often you could make a very severe bend without collapse. Sometimes we did this even if we formed a die as Green did in the last post to prevent collapse. I do not remember what pressure we used you would have to experiment with a couple of bends.

On some complicated bends we would immerse the entire pipe in hot glycol to soften it. It was spaghetti when it came out and could take the most complex forms.