Description

En stock

Welded tubes are obtained from cold-rolled or hot-rolled strip bands, thick plate, or thin plate. Small and medium-sized tubes are produced in continuous mills that progressively bend the strip bands without heating until they form a cross-sectional circular shape before welding along a longitudinal seam. The tube can then be cold drawn to achieve precise dimensions and finish.

This process is more cost-effective than seamless tubes, but welded tubes generally have lower mechanical and pressure resistance. Large-diameter welded tubes are produced from thick plates. First, the plate is pressed into a "U" shape, then into an "O" shape (welding done prior to mechanical or hydraulic expansion) and the letter "E" in the UOE process, to achieve the final dimensions (longitudinal welding inside and outside). This type of piping can have diameters ranging from 400-1,600 mm.

Spirally welded tubes use hot-rolled bands that twist as they pass through the mill to form a hollow spiral, which is then welded. The manufacturing process is inexpensive, but traditionally, spirally welded tubes have had lower quality than conventional welded pipes, although improvements are being made in their production. These pipes can reach diameters of up to 2,500 mm.