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High-Performance OTO Tube Mills Enable Advanced Conduit Production
Fives Group collaborates with multiple tube manufacturers to integrate OTO mill and finishing systems for scalable electrical conduit manufacturing.
www.fivesgroup.com
Fives Group is engineering and supplying OTO tube mill and finishing systems in cooperation with leading tube manufacturers to increase capacity and quality in electrical conduit production. The technical solution targets conduit types such as Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT), Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC), and Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC), addressing infrastructure and construction market demand.
Context of the Cooperation
Fives Group, a global industrial engineering company specializing in machinery, production lines, and automation systems for steel tube and pipe manufacturing, has been engaged by multiple tube producers in the United States, Latin America, and the Middle East to deliver integrated production technology. The participating manufacturers, each responsible for final conduit fabrication and local market distribution, have sought advanced forming and finishing solutions to support rising demand for electrical conduit driven by infrastructure projects and standards-based electrical installations. Conduit products protect and route electrical wiring in commercial, industrial, and residential environments and must meet durability and dimensional standards such as those referenced in National Electrical Code® and related conduit specifications for EMT, IMC, and RMC.
Technical Solution and Division of Responsibilities
The cooperation centers on Fives’ OTO (One-Turn-Over) tube mill technology, engineered for continuous forming, sizing, and straightening of steel strip into tubular conduit. Fives’ scope includes:
- Automatic entry systems that handle coil loading through accumulator buffering, improving material flow and repeatability.
- Flexible OTO forming and sizing to control wall thickness and diameter within tight tolerances suitable for conduit types (e.g., EMT thin-wall and thicker IMC/RMC) while minimizing surface defects.
- Rapid mill changeovers via automatic cartridge or cassette replacement to support mixed production runs with reduced setup times.
- High-speed cut-off units that consistently produce standard 10 ft (3.05 m) conduit lengths using automated measurement and sequencing.
- Inline galvanization modules that apply zinc coating for corrosion protection, preserving conduit surface quality per common industrial practice.
Fives engineers design and deliver the mechanical, control, and automation subsystems. Tube manufacturers integrate these systems with downstream finishing processes such as straightening, end finishing, and quality inspection before conduit enters logistics. Responsibilities include site integration, electrical and control interfacing, commissioning, and operator training.
Deployment and Implementation
Systems are being installed at multiple manufacturing sites across the targeted regions. Implementation follows a phased approach: detailed process engineering and mill design, fabrication and factory acceptance testing, on-site installation with alignment to existing coil handling and finishing infrastructure, and final commissioning with performance validation. Fives supplies electrical automation and software control modules that communicate with plant MES/automation networks.
Manufacturers retain responsibility for raw material supply (coil steel), plant utilities, and on-site safety compliance, while Fives oversees technical integration of tube forming and automation systems.
Applications and Industrial Benefits
The integrated OTO tube mill and finishing solution is designed for the production of metal conduit used in electrical distribution systems. Specific application areas include commercial construction wiring, facility power distribution, and industrial installations where code-compliant mechanical protection of conductors is required.
Operational benefits include enhanced throughput via continuous production, improved dimensional repeatability for compliance with conduit standards, faster product changeovers, and reduced downtime through automated tooling changes.
Expected Impact
Although quantifiable output figures vary by site, the adoption of advanced OTO mill lines and finishing systems is expected to increase production capacity, improve product quality uniformity, and optimize labor utilization relative to legacy mill configurations. By combining mechanical forming precision with automation and inline galvanization, the cooperating manufacturers can address growth in conduit demand within infrastructure and commercial building markets.
www.fivesgroup.com
Deployment and Implementation
Systems are being installed at multiple manufacturing sites across the targeted regions. Implementation follows a phased approach: detailed process engineering and mill design, fabrication and factory acceptance testing, on-site installation with alignment to existing coil handling and finishing infrastructure, and final commissioning with performance validation. Fives supplies electrical automation and software control modules that communicate with plant MES/automation networks.
Manufacturers retain responsibility for raw material supply (coil steel), plant utilities, and on-site safety compliance, while Fives oversees technical integration of tube forming and automation systems.
Applications and Industrial Benefits
The integrated OTO tube mill and finishing solution is designed for the production of metal conduit used in electrical distribution systems. Specific application areas include commercial construction wiring, facility power distribution, and industrial installations where code-compliant mechanical protection of conductors is required.
Operational benefits include enhanced throughput via continuous production, improved dimensional repeatability for compliance with conduit standards, faster product changeovers, and reduced downtime through automated tooling changes.
Expected Impact
Although quantifiable output figures vary by site, the adoption of advanced OTO mill lines and finishing systems is expected to increase production capacity, improve product quality uniformity, and optimize labor utilization relative to legacy mill configurations. By combining mechanical forming precision with automation and inline galvanization, the cooperating manufacturers can address growth in conduit demand within infrastructure and commercial building markets.
www.fivesgroup.com
