Continuous Bend: One-Piece Steel Door & Window Frames
Formed from a single, unbroken length of steel.
To build up a full steel frame profile, fabricators have traditionally cut steel into sections and joined them, often adding extra layers of metal to achieve the depth and shape the frame required. Every cut and added layer introduces a seam: a place where the frame relies on a weld for continuity, where a line can show, or where finishing becomes harder.
Continuous Bend Technology removes those seams. The frame is formed from a single piece of steel, bent in one continuous pass, so the section runs uninterrupted from corner to corner. The only joints are two welds at the base of the frame.
PINKYS forms the frame on a CNC profile bending machine: a hydraulically controlled machine fitted with custom rolling dies and tooling blocks shaped to the specific profile being bent. One length of steel is bent in a continuous motion into the full frame profile. Because each profile has its own geometry, the tooling is matched to the specific system. When the bend is complete, the frame is closed with just two welds at the bottom.
Steel types formed by Continuous Bend
| System | Steel Type | Wall Thickness |
|---|---|---|
| Ottostumm FerroFinestra W20 | Solid hot-rolled steel | 3-5 mm |
| Ottostumm FerroFinestra W40 | Solid hot-rolled steel | 3-5 mm |
| Ottostumm W50 TB | Cold-formed tubular steel with integrated polyurethane thermal break | 1.5-1.8 mm |
W20 and W40 use thick, solid hot-rolled steel to achieve structural rigidity with a slim sightline. W50 TB is a hollow, cold-formed tubular profile with an integrated polyurethane thermal break; its lighter wall thickness relies on the tube's box geometry, rather than solid mass, for structural strength. Continuous Bend Technology forms all three profiles from a single, unbroken length of steel.
Because the section is continuous and the joints are reduced to two welds at the base, a continuous-bend frame differs from a conventional one in ways architects will notice:
- Continuity from corner to corner. The frame is a single, uninterrupted member rather than several pieces relying on joints.
- A cleaner appearance. Fewer welds and joints mean fewer visible lines in the frame; the two welds that remain sit at the base, away from primary sightlines.
- A leaner section. Eliminating the extra layers of steel previously needed to build up the profile removes built-up bulk.
- Simpler finishing. Fewer seams and crevices mean fewer places where finishing and long-term protection are challenged.
Frequently Asked Questions
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