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Tube Bending Quality Control
Tube bending quality control at TEC starts with material identity and follows it through every operation. Tube stock arrives ink-coded with the mill heat number, the date, and the shift that ran it. That coding stays readable through cutting and deburring, and each finished assembly leaves the floor carrying its own part label. In between, parts are measured against a precision angle plate, checked at the inspection bench, and washed before final operations. The Expandit Company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification, approval certificate 20.205.1 through Smithers Quality Assessments, Inc.
Certification
ISO 9001:2015 Certification and Certified Scope
TEC's quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015, approval certificate 20.205.1, issued by Smithers Quality Assessments, Inc. of Fairlawn, Ohio. The current certificate was issued July 21, 2026 and expires July 20, 2029.
The certified scope, as written on the certificate: "Provider of radiator, coolant, and power generation exhaust applications for the OEM, Construction, Marine, and Agricultural Industries."
Quality Control, Step by Step
Raw Materials Inspection
Tube stock is inspected on arrival and checked against what was ordered. Mill coding on the tube carries the heat number, the date and the shift identifier, which is what makes a finished part traceable back to the batch of steel it came from. TEC sources from Midwest steel mills and runs stainless and aluminized tubing.
Cutting and Identification
Stock is cut to length on the horizontal bandsaw. Cut lengths carry their mill coding into the process baskets that move them to the next operation, so material identity stays with the work rather than with the paperwork.
Bending and In-Process Checks
Parts run on CNC mandrel benders against a stored program. Bent parts are measured at the inspection bench against a cast-iron precision angle plate while the job is still running, which is when a correction is still cheap. Parts are also checked for wrinkling on the outer radius and flat spots through the bend.
Deburring and Washing
Ends are deburred and parts are washed before finishing operations. Mill coding is still legible on the tube at this stage, so a question about material can be answered from the part itself rather than from records.
Final Inspection and Labeling
Dimensions, surface finish and end condition are confirmed before a part ships. Finished assemblies are individually labeled and staged, and the label travels with the part.
Quality Control on the Floor
