Tubing Sizes and Varieties for Stainless Steel
When structural applications are concerned, people usually turn to stainless steel tubing because of its versatility. Just about in any industry, you’ll find stainless steel tubing, but the exact size, type and kind will depend on their main application requirements. Based on the opinion of manufacturers and builders, it’s an exception material and well known for characteristics like being low-maintenance, durable and corrosion-resistant. Do keep in mind that the structural application of stainless steel tubing demands for the exact sizing based on the Wall Thickness (WT) and Outside Diameter (OD).
Various Types of Stainless Steel Material
Due to the fact that it is an alloy, it also consists of carbon and iron. Nonetheless, it only consists of a minimum of 10.5% chromium content by mass, and hence it allows the steel to remain stainless; this characteristic is where the name stainless steel came from. By adding certain alloys to stainless steel, its variety or grade can be changed to fit the requirement. Other elements such as phosphorous, nickel, silicon, nitrogen, molybdenum, titanium, selenium, manganese, copper and higher chromium levels can be added to stainless steel, depending on the need or the application. The physical characteristics of stainless steel can be credited to a change in the alloy compositions and even the most meager alterations can enhance tis overall mechanical properties. The grade selected can directly affect the item’s degree of corrosion in its service environment.
How Exactly is Stainless Steel Tubing Measured?
Since stainless steel tubing is basically used for structural purposes, it’s absolutely crucial that the sizing is an exact number. The Wall Thickness (WT) and Outside Diameter (OD) are almost always the specified sizes when it comes to stainless steel tubing. For example, the stated OD and the measured OD are incredibly close in measure or if not, they are exact tolerances when compared. So when we say that a stainless steel tube has is one-inch then the OD should also be one-inch with the corresponding WT specifications.
Hypodermic Stainless Tubing
A good fraction of hypodermic stainless steel tubes are installed at different kinds of industrial and medical applications. As you may have already assumed from the name alone, this particular type of stainless steel tubing is popular because of its usage and ease of cleanliness. Almost all of the hypodermic needles out there are made of something called a grade 304 stainless steel tube; the grade allows thin wall tubes to be deburred and beveled and hence creating a finish of the highest quality. Besides medically related usage, blunt hypodermic stainless steel tubing are used in effectively pumping balls, tires, rafts as well as other inflatable devices.