Apparatus and method for production of duct members

A method of forming a sealed duct member comprising,

• providing a blank work piece and positioning the work piece in a work station at a starting position, automatically forming the sealed duct member from the blank work piece by:
• clamping the work piece and moving the work piece to a position where a cut is to be made,
• clamping the work piece above the position where a cut is to be made,
• cutting and pre-forming the work piece to form first and second sections, wherein the pre-forming produces different predetermined radiused portions in the first and second sections adjacent the cut, the radiused portions pre-crimping the first and second sections in a first crimping stage,
• moving the first section toward the second section a predetermined amount,
• rotating the second section relative to the first section,
• forming connecting beads in each of the first and second sections using at least one die member and at least one forming wheel, the connecting beads reconnecting to reconnect the first and second sections and the least one forming wheel configured to provide a second stage of crimping, and
• crimping the formed connecting beads together by forcing at least one crimping plate positioned above the connecting beads downwardly under pressure in a third stage of crimping to form a flat sealed connection between the first and second sections.