Stainless steel tubing is a good choice for large projects like sanitation and for medical applications such as hypodermic tubing for needles and for intravenous devices. The great range in tubing sizes makes this material important in many industries and applications. Stainless steel has the important advantage of being resistant to rust and corrosion, which extends its lifespan. Webco Industries makes tubing for many uses and has high testing and quality standards.
Some industries that choose this type of tubing in its many configurations are the sanitation industry, the automotive industry, agriculture, the military, HVAC businesses, and manufacturers. Power-generating industries rely on stainless steel tubing for geothermal heating equipment, steam surface condensers, and more. The oil and gas industry uses this tubing in much of their equipment. Chemical processors use stainless steel tubing for chemical processing, pulp, and paper manufacture, water processing, desalination, sugar refining, and much more.
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What Forms does Stainless Steel tubing come in?
Webco Industries makes stainless steel tubing in many configurations and sizes. They also make tubing for specific uses in special orders if the quantity ordered meets their specifications.
The tubing configurations available are coiled, straight, shorter cut-to-length parts, welded stainless steel tubing, and u-bends. The steel can be made into welded tubing, cold-drawn and seamless tubing, cold-drawn and welded tubing. They also manufacture tubing with specialty steel, nickel, titanium, and more alloy products to meet special applications in the industry.
The processes used in the manufacture of steel tubing include the use of the latest innovative equipment and industry knowledge.
Choosing Quality Stainless-steel tubing
The best tubing must suit the purpose or the mission of the projects, be strong enough to meet the project specifications, and exhibit the durability needed for the project. Tubing comes in very small to very large diameters, and the size must be correct for the installation.
There are some extra services and manufacturing steps that might be needed including bending, custom lengths or packaging, end forming or swagging, finning, heat treatments, and precision cutting. The end-user must be able to get the exact form and size of tubing they need for every part of their project.
Quality Tubing Characteristics
The correct choice of tubing for any project should exhibit certain characteristics including:
- Long fatigue life for piping that will endure repetitive movement and the stress that brings.
- Formability geared to customer requirements
- Precision tolerancing so the tightest size and wall thickness are met.
- Surface finish that meets specifications
- Straightness (TIR) or precision bends. This requires precision straightening equipment that holds industry standard tolerances.
- Machinability
- Correct orbital welding
One Industry, One Building, or One Project Can Use Multiple Types and Sizes of Stainless-Steel Tubes or Pipes
You may think of stainless-steel tubes as just the way to get rid of waste matter or only for structural purposes. That is not the case. One building might use steel tubes in its construction, others for its electrical or plumbing systems, more for waste removal, and yet others for the machines and manufacturing systems in the finished building.
A hospital might use multiple types and sizes of stainless-steel tubing in the construction of the building shell, pipes, drainage, electrical system, and ventilation. The tubes would also be used to control hazardous waste disposal and for medical devices and equipment.
Stainless steel tubing in large sizes is used in multiple functions in the mining, agricultural, and oil industries. Look at a car manufacturing plant and count the many uses of all sizes and configurations of tubing from the manufacturing building construction and systems to the manufacturing equipment and to the cars themselves.
Why is Quality so Important?
Skimping on the price or quality of stainless steel or any tubing or piping can literally be disastrous. The pipes and tubes must remain intact under adverse conditions to move water, oil, chemicals, and hazardous waste safely from one place to another without leaks or pipe integrity failure. The pipes must be able to withstand many types of vibration and continuous movement for years at a time. Many pipes, such as those used in mining, oil rigs, water services, and waste disposal, are buried underground and will not be easy to dig up and repair when or if they fail.
Pipes and tubes in walls for plumbing or wiring need to be stable and durable so as not to leak and ruin the walls or ceilings with leaked liquids. The wiring needs protection within the lines for safety from water or other damaging components. Industry, public works, and homeowners depend on stainless steel tubing in many forms and sizes to make their buildings, devices, and machinery run safely and dependably.
Why Buy American?
Some contractors and manufacturers might seek to save money by purchasing stainless steel tubing from overseas companies. This is not always a safe solution. The U.S. government agencies that regulate the quality of this type of product have issued warnings about products made in some foreign countries, such as India, Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan. Studies and investigations are ongoing.
Stainless steel tubing and pipes made in America are regulated more closely by organizations such as the SSTTAC or Stainless Steel Tube Trade Advance Committee and the U.S. Department of Commerce. It would seem that American products with the regulation behind them are a better bet for long-performing, dependable stainless-steel tubing. A company with a good history in the field, such as Webco, which has been located in Oklahoma since 1969, would be a good choice for a supplier.
