A system for the production of frames from material such as wire or strip or other material of prismatic cross section, comprising: a feeding station configured to introduce material sections; a joining station for joining together the ends of material sections introduced into the machine, so as to produce frame loops; a bending station for controllably bending frame angles in frame loops produced by said joining station; characterized by: said joining station being disposed at a first axially offset location offset from the location of said feeding station, said offset being in the direction of an axis of frame loops formed at said joining station; or alternatively stated, said joining station being disposed at a first axially spaced offset location spaced from the location of said feeding station, in the direction of an axis passing through said feeding, joining, and bending stations (Ph1, Ph2, Ph3); a material guide extending between said feeding station and said joining station, said material guide having a channel; a clamping mechanism configured to retain a first unjoined end of material section passed through said material guide; a release mechanism or mechanisms (7,8) configured to controllably release material from said channel or said material guide; transfer mechanisms (11, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34) configured to transfer a second unjoined end of a material section from said feeding station to said joining station, and, to transfer a frame loop from said joining station to said bending station, said bending station being disposed at a second axially offset location offset in the direction of an axis of frame loops formed at said joining station; or alternatively stated, transfer mechanisms configured to transfer a second unjoined end of a material section from said feeding station to said joining station, and, to transfer a frame loop from said joining station to said bending station, said bending station being disposed at a second axially spaced offset location spaced from the first offset location of said joining station, in the direction of an axis passing through said feeding, joining, and bending stations (Ph1, Ph2, Ph3). a feeding station configured to introduce material sections; a joining station for joining together the ends of material sections introduced into the machine, so as to produce frame loops; a bending station for controllably bending frame angles in frame loops produced by said joining station; characterized by: said joining station being disposed at a first axially offset location offset from the location of said feeding station, said offset being in the direction of an axis of frame loops formed at said joining station; or alternatively stated, said joining station being disposed at a first axially spaced offset location spaced from the location of said feeding station, in the direction of an axis passing through said feeding, joining, and bending stations (Ph1, Ph2, Ph3); a material guide extending between said feeding station and said joining station, said material guide having a channel; a clamping mechanism configured to retain a first unjoined end of material section passed through said material guide; a release mechanism or mechanisms (7,8) configured to controllably release material from said channel or said material guide; transfer mechanisms (11, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34) configured to transfer a second unjoined end of a material section from said feeding station to said joining station, and, to transfer a frame loop from said joining station to said bending station, said bending station being disposed at a second axially offset location offset in the direction of an axis of frame loops formed at said joining station; or alternatively stated, transfer mechanisms configured to transfer a second unjoined end of a material section from said feeding station to said joining station, and, to transfer a frame loop from said joining station to said bending station, said bending station being disposed at a second axially spaced offset location spaced from the first offset location of said joining station, in the direction of an axis passing through said feeding, joining, and bending stations (Ph1, Ph2, Ph3).