Sacramento, California · Est. 1995
Upstream Engineering is a custom tube and pipe bending specialist — Rotary Draw and Mandrel Bending — from prototype to high-volume production. Serving the aerospace, automotive, architectural, industrial sectors, and more.
Bent Aluminum Tubes · Ready for Shipment
Core Service
Bending is a specialized skill — it takes the right tooling, mandrel setups, and years of process know-how to get right. Most manufacturers who need bent tube or pipe would rather not build that capability in-house. That's what we do. Upstream Engineering is the production bending partner other manufacturers rely on to bend it right, on schedule, so they can stay focused on their own product.
We specialize in Rotary Draw Bending, and for roughly 90% of our work we use an internal mandrel (Mandrel Bending) to support the tube/pipe and prevent flattening or wrinkling — especially critical for thin wall materials on a tight bend radius.
We have an extensive tooling inventory for bending from 0.25″ to 4.000″ outside diameter tubing and 1.000″ to 3.000″ pipe.
For each material diameter we offer various CLR (centerline bend radius) tooling from as little as 1D (CLR = 1 × tube diameter) up to 5D.
Wall Thickness · CLR · Bend Angle · Outside Diameter
From exhaust system components to hydraulic tube assemblies, or from handles to handrails, we will help you achieve your manufacturing requirements. We welcome prototype work as well as volume production, and will assist you with the design process as well.
Wide range of tooling across diameters and CLR ratios to accommodate virtually any project geometry.
We welcome one-off prototypes and short runs — supporting your design team from sketch to first article.
CNC-controlled bending machines ensure repeatable precision for high-volume manufacturing runs.
Full Service Fabrication
What We Do
Upstream Engineering is a custom tube/pipe bending specialist with our major emphasis on precision Rotary Draw Bending, using an internal mandrel (Mandrel Bending) for roughly 90% of our work.
Our bending capacity is from 0.250″ to 4.000″ diameter tubing and 1.000″ to 3.000″ pipe. All of our bending machines are fully CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) to assure the highest precision and quality.
We can also provide numerous secondary operations such as trimming, deburring, bead rolling, flaring, swaging, slotting, welding & polishing.
Industries We Serve
High-precision aluminum, stainless, inconel, and titanium tube fabrication for demanding flight applications.
Exhaust systems, hydraulic assemblies, and structural components for automotive manufacturers and custom builders.
Handrail systems, decorative structures, and custom forms fabricated to precise specifications for architectural projects.
Durable tube and pipe assemblies built to withstand demanding field conditions.
Custom hydraulic and pneumatic tube assemblies for automated systems and industrial machinery.
Swimming pool systems, undersea exploration vehicles, radiator components, and medical equipment providers.
Our Work
Below is a selection of fabrication samples from our facility. Contact us to discuss how we can fabricate components for your application.
Who We Are
Upstream Engineering has been producing quality products since 1995. With over 35 years of engineering experience, Upstream Engineering has the capability and is committed to meeting our customers' tube & pipe fabrication needs.
We service an array of customers at our 20,000 sq.ft. facility, including aircraft, automotive and motorcycle exhaust manufacturers — to swimming pool designers, radiator manufacturers, handrail crafters, agricultural equipment manufacturers, undersea exploration vehicles, and medical equipment providers.
Located in the heart of California's Central Valley in Sacramento, we combine deep technical expertise with hands-on craftsmanship to deliver precision components on time, every time.
Reach Out
Ready to discuss your tube or pipe fabrication project? Our team in Sacramento is here to help from initial design through production.
Common Questions
Rotary Draw Bending is our primary bending method, and for roughly 90% of our work we use an internal mandrel — known as Mandrel Bending — to support the tube or pipe during the bend. This prevents the tube wall from collapsing, flattening, or wrinkling, which is especially critical for thin-wall materials and tight bend radii. A mandrel is only ever used on a rotary draw bender, though not every rotary draw bend requires one.
We can bend tubing from 0.250″ to 4.000″ outside diameter, and pipe from 1.000″ to 3.000″. Contact us for materials or sizes outside this range.
We work with aluminum, mild steel, stainless steel, alloy steel, inconel, titanium, copper, and brass. Our in-house engineering team can advise on material selection for your application.
Absolutely. We welcome prototype work as well as volume production, and will assist with the design process. From a single prototype to full production runs, we've got you covered.
In addition to bending, we offer end forming, flaring, expanding, swaging, bead rolling, slotting, TIG & MIG welding, polishing, cold sawing, and in-house engineering including reverse engineering and part design.
Contact us by phone at (916) 568-2363, by email at info@upstreameng.com, or use the contact form on our Contact page. Please include material, diameter, wall thickness, bend radii, and quantity if known.