Tube Beading Tool
Manual tube beading tools are used to form beads on the ends of tubes to transfer heat back into the tube sheet. These beads can be found in boilers mainly in the first two passes from the Morrison tube.
Beading of the tubes by manual process is still a preferred method by some boilermakers. It requires experience to bead correctly, as a tube can be fractured by inexperience, which will mean the removal of the new tube, and a replacement will be installed.
Tube Beading Tool - Procedure
- The tube end is rolled with a conventional straight expander.
- Once rolled the tube end is then beaded over to the tube sheet with the beading tool and pneumatic hammer.
- The joint then needs to be re-rolled by the expander to “nip up” the joint because the hammer action can upset the sealed joint.
Combination Beading Expander
The combination beading expander will roll and bead tube in one operation. No need to re-roll joints, completed in one operation.
