Stainless Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing Process

The iron-carbon alloy, popularly called Stainless Steel, is one element that the industrial revolution has made popular. From utensils to structural equipment, almost everything that needs to be sturdy and durable comes made of stainless steel. 

Especially for building, bridges, machines, etc., the rust-resistant version of iron is a must. Stainless Steel renders a structure with the strength of iron and the durability of carbon. In a nutshell, Stainless Steel tubes and pipes are indispensable for modern machinery and structures. 

During the nineteenth century, the only technology that most of the Stainless Steel manufacturers followed was the rolling mill technology. This was surely a lengthy process and involved plenty of steps, which made it time-consuming. As the global demand for Stainless Steel tubes and piped increased, the technology evolved to match the necessity.  

At present, manufacturers across the globe use several systems and procedures to make durable varieties of Stainless Steel tubes. Of these, the continuous tube mill process is the most popular one these days. It involves multitouch tungsten inert gas and forbids the usage of forge welding and filler metals. This procedural adaptation has made the manufacturing process of Stainless Steel pipes and tubes easier, hassle-free, and faster. 

Here is a brief idea about how the manufacturers make these strong, durable, and corrosion-resistant tubes and pipes now a day. 

The Process

The process of manufacturing premium grade pipes and tubes involves four primary steps. The following is a brief account of how technology turns Stainless Steel strips into usable and utilitarian tubes and pipes of optimum strength and durability.

Rolling and Welding

The entire process starts with a few strips of good quality Stainless Steel. The best Stainless Steel Manufacturer in Delhi always makes sure to pick the best quality material to produce the premium grade tubes and pipes. Without top-quality steel strips, the manufacturers cannot make high-quality products. 

Once the strips are ready, the manufacturers trim the edge and put these pieces through various levels of quality check to be sure of its strength and durability. After the quality check process, these strips go inside the tube mill rollers depending on the required size of the product. The strips assume a tubular shape inside the tube mills. The fitted welding machine then trims the edges, using the TIG welding process to offer the product precision. 

After the primary task is over, the Tibo machine removes the weld beads and scraps. This is how the basic SS Steel tubes and pipes come into being. 

Cleaning and Heating

Once the rolling process is over and the Stainless Steel strips assume the desired tubular shape, the manufacturers cut these into smaller pieces. Different industries have different size requirements. Keeping the same in mind, the SS Steel manufacturers cut the tubes and pipes into various sizes to match the varying range of demand of the market. 

Once the cutting is over, it is time to make the tubes dirt free. Hence, the cleaning of the tubes and pipes is the next step that follows. These cleaned tubes and pipes further go through a heat treatment process that helps in the removal of weld stresses. Manufacturers use the continuously rolling hearth furnace to apply this treatment. 

After the heat treatment, it is time for straightening of the SS tubes. This is also the time when the best Stainless Steel Manufacturers in Delhi implements the process of surface scale removal. This final process lends the tubes and pipes a finished look. 

Cold Drawing

The cutting of the tubes and pipes must be perfect. To meet the industry requirements, the size and length of these need to be accurate. Any amount of ambiguity in the measurements and dimensions would make the products useless. The market also demands a plethora of sizes, which sometimes is not possible to attain using the rolling tube mills. 

Hence, the importance of cold drawing remains undisputed in the field of Stainless Steel product manufacturing. When the rolling tube mill fails to cut the tubes into sizes ideal for a particular industry or use, cold drawing cuts the tubes precisely. The manufacturers can get tubes of any size using this process. 

In this process, the oxalic soap solution coating covers the tubes and pipes. This acts as a lubricant for the surface of the tubes. Hence, when the cutting process goes on, manufacturers attain precision. Manufacturers of Stainless Steel tubes and pipes use Die Plugs draw over the pipes on the bench.  

Final Procedure

Once the cold drawing process is over, the manufacturers apply all the required processes on the drawn-out pipes and tubes. These steps include cleaning, heat treatment, pickling, and straightening, as mentioned above. Precision and good finishing are what make the pipes superior. Hence, manufacturers pay specific attention to all the steps individually. 

To mark the pipes, the industry uses computerized ink-jet marking machines. The finished pipes and tubes carry the marks of their size, material grade, heat number, and the third party inspection stamp. All these marks lend the products its credibility. 

The finished pipes also go through a vigorous checking process that ensures the durability and quality of the product. Proper packing and dispatch are what every reputed Stainless Steel pipe and tube manufacturer takes care of. 

Welded and Seamless Stainless Steel pipes find a wide scope of application in different industries. Especially in the construction field, these pipes and tubes are indispensable. The quality of the pipes and tubes remain the focus of the manufacturers. And the precision cutting and right size are some of the aspects that make any manufacturer a market leader. 

Stainless Steel tubes are integral to the chemical industry, construction sites, textile industry, food and beverage industry, and much more. The right manufacturing process lends the tubes and pipes the right strength and features required to be a fitting one for all these industries and beyond. The best manufacturers of SS Steel products always focus on quality, precision cutting, and advanced technology to make each of the products top-notch.