Is stainless steel pipe seamless?

Product Info

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Nearyz Resources.

Seamless stainless steel pipe may be the answer when high temperature strength and superior corrosion resistance are required. According to Google, "Seamless stainless steel pipes are made from solid round steel 'billet' which is heated and pushed or pulled over a form until the steel is shaped into a hollow tube." View our variety of offerings in the stainless steel products line card for an overview of our product offerings.

Pipe Sizes & Weights

We have a large selection of pipe sizes and weights to choose from. Find seamless pipe sizes, nominal pipe size (NPS), and pipe schedules to assist in your selection and guide you to our in-stock seamless pipe products. View the chart for more details.

Standard Specifications

We offer a variety of stainless steel seamless pipes and alloy seamless ASTM A312 pipes. For more details, view our standard specifications chart.

Stainless Steel Grades

Analyze various stainless steel grades of seamless pipes and other products offered from Shaw Stainless.

Reference Catalog

Our reference catalog helps in identifying the many different stainless steel and other alloy products we offer, such as pipe fittings and accessories. The catalog includes specification charts and illustrations.

Theoretical Bursting Pressures

Review the theoretical bursting pressures for various stainless steel pipes with our chart.

Additional Info

Stainless steel seamless pipe is manufactured from a solid billet by machining the center and the outside of the billet, forming a pipe to standard specifications without any welding. Historically, seamless pipes were perceived to withstand pressure better and were more readily available. Although advances in technology have leveled the functionalities and availability of welded pipes, seamless pipes still cannot be manufactured with small wall thicknesses. Nonetheless, they are ideal for those requiring pipes with small to medium outside diameters and larger wall thicknesses.

Want more information on Seamless Stainless Steel Pipe? Feel free to contact us.

Stainless steel tubing is a versatile metal alloy material used in manufacturing and fabrication. The two common types of tubing are seamless and welded, and choosing between them depends primarily on the application requirements. The selected tubing must comply with your project specifications and meet the conditions it will ultimately be used under.

Tubing vs Piping

Though commonly used interchangeably, "tube" and "pipe" have important distinctions. Tubes are measured by outside diameter (OD) and wall thickness, whereas pipes are measured by inside diameter (ID). Functionally, tubing is generally used in structural and aesthetic applications, while piping is used for transporting fluids, liquids, and gases.

Seamless Tubing Manufacturing

The manufacturing methods distinguish welded and seamless tubing. Seamless tubes lack a welded seam and are manufactured via an extrusion process. The heated billets of stainless steel are formed into hollow, oblong circular molds through a piercing mill. These are then elongated, and their length is increased by twenty times through a mandrel milling process. Seamless tubes can be further shaped through processes like pilfering or cold drawing.

Welded Tubing Manufacturing

Welded stainless steel tubes are produced by roll-forming strips or sheets of stainless steel into a tube shape and then welding the seam longitudinally. This can be done via hot-forming or cold-forming processes, with the latter resulting in smoother finishes and tighter tolerances. The welded seam can be left beaded or refined further by cold rolling and forging, making the tubing as durable and corrosion-resistant as seamless tubing.

Choosing Between Welded & Seamless

Each type of tubing has its benefits and drawbacks:

Seamless Tubing

Seamless tubes are completely homogenous and offer more strength, superior corrosion resistance, and higher pressure resistance, making them suitable for critical applications in harsh environments.

Benefits

• Stronger
• Superior corrosion resistance
• Higher pressure resistance

Applications

• Oil and gas control lines
• Chemical injection lines
• Below-sea safety valves
• Chemical processing plant steam and heat trace bundles
• Fluid and gas transfer

Welded Tubing

Welded tubing is generally less expensive due to simpler manufacturing processes and is available in long continuous lengths. Both types have similar lead times for standard sizes, but custom-sized seamless tubing, though costly, can be produced faster.

Benefits

• Cost-efficient
• Readily available in long lengths
• Fast lead times

Applications

• Architectural applications
• Hypodermic needles
• Automotive industry
• Food and beverage industry
• Marine industry
• Pharmaceutical industry

Costs of Welded vs Seamless

Cost considerations for seamless and welded tubing relate to properties such as strength and durability. Welded tubing is easier to manufacture and can produce larger diameter tubes with thinner walls at a lower cost, while seamless tubing is preferred for thick-walled applications able to withstand high pressure and extreme environments.

Contact the Experts at Eagle Stainless

Stainless steel tubing is an excellent choice for various structural applications across industries from automotive and aerospace to medical and marine. If you are unsure which tubing is best for your application, seamless tubing can perform the same tasks as welded tubing, but not vice versa.

For more information, please visit Seamless Steel Pipe Manufacturers.