Metal tube manufacturers have had a tricky time in recent years because of demands from their customers. Many businesses in various markets are looking to improve their products by using higher strength, lighter tubes. It creates some big challenges. We want to have a closer look here. Then, if you want to work with the top ERW steel tube supplier in the West Midlands, you can rely on us.
Changing demands
The issue with harder, lighter materials is they are more difficult to work with. Most crucially, it is more challenging to bend and weld them. They are less forgiving too. In some cases the usual tooling is not sufficient; it simply can’t handle the stress.
Another change is numerous customers are demanding even tighter tolerances with tubing. This is especially common with businesses from the solar industry. Many want tube with high tolerances, particularly in terms of the straightness. Most also want really tricky radii specs. That makes the job of bending and welding the tubes harder.
The impact
The push to use higher strength materials is having a big impact. It means many manufacturers have had to almost relearn how to do crucial things like bending and welding. We are keeping an eye on it ourselves, ensuring we can retain our place as the top ERW steel tube supplier in the West Midlands.
Some manufacturers are even needing to invest in new tooling; their current gear may break under the stress. As we said, high strength materials tend to be unforgiving. So, attempting to use worn tools is a recipe for disaster. It can also lead to more maintenance work to monitor the condition of tooling.
In the worst cases, the tube mill has to resort to rebuilding their machines. This ensures they can work with higher strength materials. Crucially, they need to ensure there is no play on the machines. Bigger, heavy duty weld boxes can be necessary too.
A benefit
There is an interesting benefit to consider here though. New machine configurations can open the door for big improvements in safety. For example, moving controls so they are operator side can make everything safer. If tooling can ensure there is less interference, it is much better for operators.
Get quality products from the best ERW steel tube supplier in the West Midlands
Metal tubes have an incredible range of applications in countless industries. They are more important today than ever before in some crucial ones too, including energy, automotive, and infrastructure. It is likely the demand will continue too, especially as technology continues to push forward.
If you need tubing, you can rely on us. We’re the leading ERW steel tube supplier in the West Midlands because we ensure quality and do all we can to satisfy the needs of our clients. So, get in touch and let us know what you need.
