Brief Guide: Applications of Steel Tubes Vs Steel Pipes

Steel Pipes

Steel Pipes

Steel is a highly versatile material and if you don’t believe take a look at your surroundings. For instance, plumbing in the office or home will often make use of steel at some point. Deciding whether to go for 316 seamless tube or simply make use of pipe can be a rather tricky affair. In this article, we look at some of the things to consider when choosing between steel tubing or piping for your intended purpose.

Properties of Steel

Before we delve into the characteristics to look out for, let us take a sneak peek at the properties that give 316 seamless tube made of steel its versatility.

Anti-Corrosion

A key property of the metal is its ability to withstand corrosion. This property has seen steel being favored in the medical industry, various manufacturing and processing sectors as well as in plumbing works. Another added advantage is its ability to resist mold and termites. These two properties have seen the metal being favored in ventilation as well as construction works.

Stability

When undertaking any structural work or building a home, you want to find materials that maintain the structural integrity of your works regardless of the changes in moisture. The ability of steel to do so has seen it become popular in various sectors of the construction industry.

Environmental Friendly

The world today is a lot more concerned about the health, safety, and future of the environment. Steel appeals to most users since it is an alternative to timber. By being more durable and recyclable, it helps decrease the demand for wood, especially in the construction industry. The end result is that it helps decrease the rate at which trees are cut down and increases chances of carbon sequestering.

Tubing Vs Piping

A key determining factor of which of the two options to go for is the strength needed. The more strength you require your applications to have then tubing is your safest bet. The shape of the two is also a determining factor albeit minor. Steel piping will generally be circular and thus might be limiting. Tubing, on the other hand, comes in various shapes and sizes allowing for more flexibility.

If your intended use relies more on the inner diameter then pipes are what you should look at but if you are more concerned about the exterior diameter then tubes are your best bet.

If you are looking for malleability then tubes are the way to go. Both pipes and tubes are considered to be rather rigid but pipes are way harder to manipulate than tubes. If you are sensitive about the way in which your metal is galvanized, then you get the option of either cold or hot rolled. Pipes come in one form of galvanizing — hot rolled.

Steel is by far one of the most widely used materials today. You can rely on materials such as 316 steel tubing for a good number of applications and ensure you choose a reliable supplier.