Introduction to Industrial Grade Stainless Steel Pipes

In the industrial field, the production technology of stainless steel pipes has developed rapidly and its application scope is very wide. Moreover, the production of stainless steel pipes holds a very important position in the steel industry. And stainless steel pipes are just one type of the mainstream steel pipes. Therefore, it can be seen that steel pipes also occupy an irreplaceable position in widespread applications. Now, let's introduce the various mainstream steel pipes currently. 

Classification of Steel Pipes 

There are many classification methods for mainstream steel pipes. According to the production method, they can be divided into seamless pipes and welded pipes. According to the steel type, they can be further classified into carbon steel pipes, alloy pipes, stainless steel pipes, etc. According to the connection method at the pipe end, they can be divided into smooth pipes (with no threads at the pipe end) and threaded pipes (with threads at the pipe end). According to the surface coating characteristics of the steel pipes, they can be classified as black pipes (without coating) and coated pipes. According to the cross-sectional shape of the steel pipes, they can be divided into round steel pipes and special-shaped steel pipes. In addition, they can also be classified according to their uses, such as pipes for pipelines, pipes for thermal equipment, pipes for mechanical industry, pipes for petroleum geological drilling, and pipes for chemical industry, etc. 

The characteristics of steel pipes 

The main characteristics of ordinary steel pipes are as follows: Firstly, due to the enclosed hollow geometric shape inside the steel pipe, it is suitable for use as pipelines for liquids, gases, and solids. Secondly, under the same weight condition, steel pipes have a larger section modulus compared to other steel forms, meaning they have stronger bending and torsion resistance and are an economical section steel and an efficient steel. 

The production method of steel pipes 

The general process for manufacturing steel pipes is as follows: raw materials, forming, finishing, first finished product, reprocessing, and second finished product. Generally, the production process is determined based on the requirements of the steel pipes, and the production equipment is selected accordingly. At the same time, the process and equipment are continuously improved and updated to meet the constantly increasing requirements. 

According to the final shape of the steel pipes, they can be divided into seamless pipe production and welded pipe production. Additionally, cold processing belongs to the secondary production of pipe materials. 

The processing flow of hot-rolled seamless steel pipes is as follows: solid pipe billet, piercing, elongation, constant reduction in diameter, cooling, and finishing. The processing flow of welded pipes is as follows: sheet and strip billet, forming (tube-shaped), welding into pipe, and finishing. 

Technical Requirements and Development Trends of Steel Pipes 

Generally, steel pipes need to have high corrosion resistance to various corrosive media, good high-temperature strength and low-temperature toughness. The processing techniques and technical requirements in this regard are becoming increasingly demanding. Secondly, the requirements for the size (wall thickness accuracy) and shape accuracy of pipe products also drive the continuous advancement of online detection and automatic control technologies. The requirement for reducing the cost of pipe products leads to the development of their production process towards shorter processes and near final forming. In summary, the trend in the quality requirements for steel pipes is for high quality, low cost, high efficiency and low consumption.