VFUP, a society for promoting forming and production technology, was founded as a non-profit industrial research organization in 1993. The main objective of VFUP has been, & continues to be, research and development aimed at understanding & advancing the state of the art of the cross-roll piercing and Assel rolling processes used in the manufacture of steel and non-ferrous seamless tubes. The work is carried out utilizing a unique, modern Universal cross-rolling mill that permits testing under production conditions. This paper describes some of the sophisticated examinations that have been undertaken in order to understand and improve complex tube forming processes and the forming equipment. Cross-roil piercing studies have compared two- and three-roll piercing & various guide arrangements (linear guides, guide rollers, Diescher type discs) and with normal & driven mandrels. Special grades & tooling have also been tested. Assel elongation trials have been conducted with two- and three rolls and various mandrel arrangements (free-floating, retained, controlled-movement, driven). Sophisticated, real-time measurement of roll forces, roll torques, power consumption, mandrel forces, pusher forces, forces on guides, forces & torques on Diescher type discs have been made in all of the above-mentioned trials in order to optimise each process with regard to energy consumption, tool wear, and product quality. Unique, wireless roll force and roll torque measurement systems have been developed.
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