At Stauff UK in Sheffield, England, the design of complex piping systems and the processing of pipes has been part of day-to-day business for 30 years. In recent years, the subsidiaries in Russia, India and Brazil have also been equipped with high-tech pipe bending machines. The center in the United States followed in early 2019. The companies in Italy, China, Korea and Australia have also been offering the processing of pipes for years in some cases. Capacities in Russia are currently being expanded. Further production sites in Europe and Asia are being planned.

Stauff is thus further developing its concept of scalable services for hydraulic lines, Stauff Line: "By integrating ready-to-connect pipes into prefabricated assemblies in more and more countries, we are relieving OEMs of further complex steps in their manufacturing processes," says Jörg Deutz, CEO of the Stauff Group, explaining the strategy.

The tube for the Stauff-Line
The tube bending machines can bend tubes in all common materials and designs, with diameters of six to 50.8 millimetres and wall thicknesses of one to 4.5 millimetres, into highly complex shapes. Components such as nuts and cutting rings can be fitted by machine and pipe ends can be prepared for pipe connections by flanging or forming.

Stauff also implements complex cable geometries economically in medium quantities. © Stauff

Other work steps include, for example, the welding and soldering of connecting parts with subsequent coating or surface finishing. The pre-assembly of other system components such as clamps, flanges, ball valves or manifolds - all developed and manufactured in-house - is also carried out directly at Stauff. The ready-to-assemble pipelines are combined into assemblies and modules and delivered to the machine and plant manufacturer's assembly line mounted on shadowboards or A-frames.

This reduces procurement costs and stock levels for individual components, increases efficiency and safety thanks to shorter assembly times and avoids assembly errors. as