Businesses all around the world use high quality steel tubing for a variety of applications. This is because the tubes can offer the perfect characteristics to suit their needs, including good strength. Steel is also cost effective. However, there are different forms to consider. You will need to decide whether you need a seamless variety or if a welded form, such as ERW, is suitable for you.
What is the difference?
Before you can decide which to use, you need to know what the difference is between the two. As you can probably tell from the name, seamless tube means there are no seams at all. Instead, the circumference will have no discontinuities.
On the other hand, a welded tube will have a seam at some point. It will run along the entire length of the tubing. With some tubes the seam is easy to identify. However, in other cases finishing can hide it very well.
What do you need?
Now there is a long standing myth that seamless steel tubing is naturally better than welded forms. Many producers market it as not having any faults while pointing to the fact that a weld can symbolise a weakness in other tube. However, modern processes mean that tubes with a weld can still be incredibly strong and durable. As a result they can be a cost effective alternative to seamless for many uses.
The most important thing to think about is what you actually need for the project. If strength under loading is the most important thing, seamless may be best. Similarly, it might be the right option if you want to maximise protection against leaks. However, you can use a tube with a weld for plenty of projects without worrying that it will be low quality. In many cases you don’t need to pay the extra to get seamless.
Precision steel tubing
At Union Steel tubes we have an excellent selection of quality products. This includes seamless and welded tube. There are lots of options in terms of wall thickness, diameter, and shape. We even offer more flexibility when it comes to length. This is because our practice is to manufacture long runs of tube and then cut them to size to order. This means in many cases we can offer a very short lead time.
If you would like to talk to us about steel tubing, you can get in touch. We can offer advice about products for different applications and then help you to place an order if you want to proceed.
