Steel tubes are strong and durable materials used for different industries. They can be square, rectangular, or rounded and are often incorporated with various types of alloy materials, such as manganese, aluminum, tungsten, and titanium. The versatility of these materials is beneficial to use for all sorts of applications. Every year, tonnes of these tubing is produced to comply with consumer demand.
These steel tubes can also be made into welded or seamless tubing. Seamless tubes are made by passing molten steel on a piercing rod to create a hollow tube. On the other hand, welded tubes are made by curling a rolling plate and welding the seams together.
In previous years, many industries have been preferring seamless tubes because they are stronger than welded ones. With advancements in technology, however, welded tubes are now becoming better and stronger than seamless tubes.
Compared to solid bars of the same shape and size, tubes are lighter and stronger. At the same time, it is not necessary to have heavy solid materials for support. As hollow tubes are lighter, they do not contribute a significant amount of weight to the structure being supported.
Industries Where Steel Tubes are Used
Not many people notice the materials used on their finished products. These tubing and tubes are usually made into products used for domestic and industrial settings.
Steel tubes are valued for their durability and the ability to withstand extreme pressure, temperature and destructive elements. In domestic settings, steel tubes are used in various appliance and gas pipes. Common examples of appliances that use these tubes are refrigerators and air conditioners.
Construction and Engineering
In the construction and engineering industry, contractors often use hollow structural sections or what we call the HSS. These are a form of tubing that is commonly square, rectangular, or circular. HSS is a general term for these materials. In some places, they are referred to as CHS for circular, SHS for square, and RHS for rectangular. Rectangular ones are the most widely used in welded frames that are used for loading in various directions. On the other hand, the square and circular ones are used as columns.
In the construction industry, metal scaffolding is made from steel tubes. There are no bolts or nuts needed for the quick and easy assembly. Scaffolding materials are made from HDPE pipes and fittings and workers and heavy equipment can transport easily.
Automobile Industry
The automobile industry has been using steel tubes since the early 1900s for various car parts and accessories. These are fitted in the internal parts of the car such as for fuel injection, suspensions, and vehicle controls.
Energy Sector
Aside from those mentioned, steel tubing and other steel products are widely used in various energy sectors including wind power, nuclear, natural gas, and electric energy. The demanding environment requires durable and strong materials for production and transporting products. Apart from steel tubing, this sector also uses steel for their pipelines, oil and gas platforms, wind turbines, transformer cores, transmission towers, and others.
Steel products account for hundreds of industrial goods. They remain to be the most widely used and recycled materials because of their versatility and flexibility in different industries. Go on and see for yourself.
