Stainless Steel Tubing is an extremely versatile material that can be used in a variety of structural applications. Stainless tubing comes in a variety of sizes, shapes and finishes depending on your application. It is an exceptional material for builders and manufacturers alike, known for its characteristics like corrosion-resistance, strength, and low-maintenance. Stainless tubing for structural applications requires precise sizing based on OD(Outside Diameter), WT(Wall Thickness). The specific application dictates the choice of tubing. isodermic fractional metric square tubing.
Types Stainless Steel Material
Steel is an alloy made from iron and carbon. requires that stainless steel has a minimum of 10% chromium in mass to be "stainless". This makes the material corrosion-resistant. Stainless's different grades (or varieties) are determined through the addition of various alloys. Depending upon the application of stainless steel, it may also contain other elements, including silicon, nickel and titanium. Aluminum, copper, nitrogen as well as phosphorous. The different compositions of alloys enhance the mechanical properties of stainless steel by giving it different physical attributes. The grade that is selected will depend on how much corrosion the application environment has. As an example, grade 318 has more molybdenum added to the composition. This will increase its corrosion-resistant properties and strength at high temperatures. Some of the grade 316 applications are heat exchangers for automotive exhaust and heat exchangers.
How to Measure Stainless Steel Tube?
Since stainless steel tubing for structural purposes is used, the size must always be an exact number. In almost all cases, the sizes of tubes are defined by their OD and wall thickness. The stated OD has very close tolerances if not an exact match to the measured OD. Accordingly, a tube measuring one inch in diameter will have the same OD as specified. While the ID (Inside Diameter) decreases as the thickness of the wall increases, it doesn't affect the tube measurement.
Different types of Stainless Steel Tube
Different types have different measuring protocols. Please see the following information for details on how to size stainless tubes depending on their type.
Hypodermic
These hypodermic stainless tube are used in medical and industrial purposes. This type of tubing, as its name suggests, is known for being easy to clean but also very useful. The hypodermic tubing used for most needles is grade 304, which has a thin wall that can easily be polished and deburred. Also, hypodermic stainless tubes are used for blunt needles to pump tires and inflatable equipment such as rafts, balls and tires. Also, the measurement for hypodermic tube is different than that of stainless steel tubing. Size is determined according to the gauge of inside diameter and outside diameter of tube. It ranges from three gauge upto 33 gauge.
Fractional/Metric/Square
Fractional, metric and square stainless steel tubing is measured by its OD and wall thickness. Fractional tubing generally consists of 304 or 316-grade stainless steel material, for applications that require good strength and high corrosion resistance. Metric stainless steel tubing is used for high-pressure hydraulic and pneumatic applications, with sizes ranging from 1 mm OD / .254 mm Wall (.040” OD / .010”) to 26 mm OD / 1.32 mm Wall (1.024” OD .052”). Stainless steel square tubing is used in a number of domestic and commercial applications for its additional mechanical properties. It’s valued for its strength and architectural appeal, and can withstand extreme environmental conditions.
Stainless Tubing vs Piping
It's important not to confuse stainless steel tubing with stainless steel pipe. The piping used is not for structural applications but to transport gas and fluids. The sizing is not as exact as with tubing but it's generally approximate. In our article on the functional differences between stainless-steel tubing and piping, you can learn more.
The use of stainless steel tubing is nearly as varied as the number of stainless steel alloys. Factories, mills and production lines not only use machines made from stainless steel components, but manufacture products made of stainless steel. Though thoughts of tubing may offer circular images, in fact, tubing comes in many shapes, sizes and thicknesses. Round, oval, rectangular or square, stainless steel tubing is versatile and popular. The many mechanical properties it offers make it a choice material for countless commercial, industrial, and manufacturing applications worldwide.
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