The landscape of automated tubular component manufacturing is poised for a significant shift. As global demand for complex, high-volume, and precision-engineered parts continues to rise across the automotive, HVAC, and industrial sectors, the pressure to reduce cycle times and minimize material handling has never been greater.
Addressing these industry challenges head-on, BLM GROUP USA has announced the North American debut of its latest innovation: the PRO-RUNNER 28. Set to be showcased at FABTECH 2026 in Las Vegas (Booth C-1208), this all-electric, coil-fed tube bending system represents a leap forward in manufacturing integration, combining multi-stage processing into a single, seamless, and automated workflow.
Main Facts: The PRO-RUNNER 28 at a Glance
The PRO-RUNNER 28 is an all-electric, high-efficiency tube bending and processing system designed to handle tubes up to 28 mm in diameter. By shifting the paradigm from pre-cut, stick-fed production to continuous coil-fed processing, the system offers an unprecedented level of autonomy.
Key technical specifications and capabilities include:
- Integrated Workflow: The system automates a suite of secondary operations, including straightening, calibration, end-forming, bending, drilling, cutting, and final unloading.
- Patented Mandrel Technology: Perhaps the most significant innovation is the magnetically suspended mandrel system. This allows for internal support during the bending process directly from the coil, solving a long-standing hurdle in coil-fed production: the ability to execute high-quality bends with small centerline radii on thin-walled tubing.
- Versatile Bending Modes: The unit supports both mandrel and non-mandrel bending, utilizing rotary draw or compression bending techniques. Its ability to perform fixed and variable multi-radius bends on the same part, combined with right- and left-hand bending capabilities, makes it a powerhouse for complex 3D and serpentine geometries.
- Intelligent Software: The system is fully integrated with BLM GROUP’s VGPNext software, allowing for 3D simulation and virtual validation of bending sequences before a single piece of material is processed.
Chronology: From Concept to FABTECH 2026
The development of the PRO-RUNNER 28 is the result of years of research into the limitations of traditional tube processing.
The Evolution of Coil-Fed Bending
For decades, manufacturers have struggled with the trade-off between the efficiency of coil-fed production and the precision of traditional mandrel-supported bending. Coil-fed systems offered speed and lower material waste, but they historically lacked the ability to support the internal diameter of the tube during the bend. This limitation restricted users to larger bend radii and thicker-walled materials, often requiring manufacturers to transport components to secondary stations for precision finishing.
The Innovation Cycle
BLM GROUP identified this "missing link" in the mid-2020s. By engineering a magnetically suspended mandrel that can travel within the tube while being fed from a coil, the company bridged the gap between raw coil stock and finished, high-precision components. The final testing phase, concluded in early 2026, confirmed that the system could maintain structural integrity and circularity even when performing complex, tight-radius bends on thin-walled tubes.
The Debut
The reveal at FABTECH 2026 serves as the official launchpad for the North American market. With the industry’s eyes turned toward Las Vegas, BLM GROUP plans to demonstrate the machine’s capabilities in real-time, showcasing how a single operator can manage a production line that traditionally required multiple stations and manual transfers.
Supporting Data: Why the Shift to Integrated Processing Matters
The efficiency gains provided by the PRO-RUNNER 28 are not merely incremental; they are fundamental to modern lean manufacturing.
Minimizing Material Waste and Handling
In a conventional manufacturing environment, a tubular component might pass through four or five separate machines: a cutter, a straightener, a bender, and a drill press. Every transfer is an opportunity for human error, surface damage, or bottlenecking. By consolidating these processes into one system, the PRO-RUNNER 28 reduces the "touch-time" per part significantly.
Overcoming Length Restrictions
Because the material is supplied from coils—available in various configurations including vertical, horizontal, and jumbo feeders—the PRO-RUNNER 28 is not limited by the standard lengths of pre-cut tubes. This opens new possibilities for designers creating long, complex serpentine cooling or fuel lines that would otherwise require welding multiple segments together.
Secondary Operation Integration
The inclusion of an optional spindle motor for drilling—even in curved sections—and the specialized Collar Drill device further adds to the system’s value. These features ensure that even complex post-bending modifications, such as those required for fluid distribution or sensor mounting, are completed while the part is still in the machine’s coordinate system.
Official Responses and Industry Impact
Matt Irwin, Product Manager for Tube and Wire Forming Products at BLM GROUP USA, underscores the strategic necessity of this technology.
"The PRO-RUNNER 28 gives manufacturers a different way to approach high-volume tube production," says Irwin. "When you’re producing tubular components with complex geometries, every additional handling step adds time to the process and creates opportunities for error. Starting from coil and completing multiple operations on one system simplifies how those parts move through production while supporting more consistent part quality."
Industry analysts suggest that this type of integrated manufacturing is a response to the "reshoring" movement. As North American manufacturers strive to compete with global labor markets, the only way to remain cost-competitive is through superior automation that maximizes throughput while minimizing the footprint of the production floor.
Implications: A New Standard for Various Sectors
The PRO-RUNNER 28 is not a niche tool; it is designed to address the common pain points across a diverse range of industries.
Automotive and Industrial Vehicles
The demand for lightweight, high-strength tubular components in modern vehicles is at an all-time high. The ability to perform complex, 3D serpentine bends with internal mandrel support means that automotive engineers can design more efficient fluid management systems without sacrificing the strength of the tube walls.
HVAC and Appliance Manufacturing
For the HVAC sector, the ability to produce long, continuous coils with precise, tight-radius bends is essential for heat exchanger and refrigeration applications. The PRO-RUNNER 28’s efficiency in this regard is expected to reduce the cost per unit for manufacturers of high-efficiency residential and commercial units.
The Future of Contract Manufacturing
Contract manufacturers, who often face a high mix of different parts and small-to-medium batch sizes, will benefit from the system’s quick changeover capabilities. The VGPNext software’s 3D simulation feature is a critical asset for these companies, allowing them to bid on complex jobs with the confidence that the bending sequence is optimized for speed and safety before the production run begins.
Global Expertise, Local Support
As part of the broader BLM GROUP, which has over 65 years of history in the metalworking industry, the PRO-RUNNER 28 is backed by a robust global support network. With its North American headquarters in Novi, Michigan, BLM GROUP provides the technical expertise and parts availability necessary to keep these high-speed systems running at peak performance.
Conclusion: The Path Forward
The introduction of the PRO-RUNNER 28 at FABTECH 2026 marks a significant milestone in the evolution of metal fabrication. By successfully integrating the flexibility of coil feeding with the precision of mandrel-supported bending, BLM GROUP has provided a tool that addresses the two most critical drivers of modern manufacturing: speed and quality.
As manufacturers prepare for the challenges of the next decade, the ability to consolidate complex production sequences will likely become the standard. The PRO-RUNNER 28 is not just a new machine; it is a vision of the future of the factory floor—where space is optimized, waste is minimized, and the production of complex, high-quality tubular components is a streamlined, automated, and error-free process.
For those attending FABTECH in Las Vegas, Booth C-1208 will be a focal point for understanding how this technology can transform production lines into lean, high-output powerhouses. For further information on the system’s specifications or to schedule a demonstration, visit BLMGROUP.com.
