Different Types Of Stainless Steel Tubing

by Kristen White Blogger

Stainless steel tubing is considered as a versatile material that is used for structural purposes. Stainless steel tubing is used in different varieties and sizes based on the application requirements. This material is known for its strength, corrosion resistance, and low-maintenance. The structural application of stainless steel tubing should be exact depending on the outside diameter and wall thickness. In this article, we will be discussing different types of stainless steel tubing variants -

What Are The Types Of Stainless Steel Material?

If you are looking for a 4130 manufacturing tube, you will find it in different materials. And, following are some types of stainless steel material that you will find in the market -

Square/Fraction/Metric

Square, fraction, and metric stainless steel tubing are measured by the wall thickness and OD. The fractional tubing typically includes 316 and 304 grade of stainless steel material. These are used in applications that need high strength and corrosion resistance. Moreover, square stainless steel tubing is used for various commercial and domestic purposes for its mechanical properties.

The variant is valued for its resilience as well as architectural appeal. The metric stainless steel tubing is harnessed for high pressure, pneumatic and hydraulic application with sizes reaching up to 1,32 mm wall.

Hypodermic

This type of stainless steel tube is used in various industrial and medical applications. As the name suggests, this tubing is popular for its easy cleanliness along with its versatility. This stainless steel is used to make blunt needles. Moreover, this type of stainless steel tubing is measured differently as opposed to stainless steel tubing. Size is measured by the gauge of OD and the inside diameter of the tube.

Stainless Steel Pressure Pipe

This type of stainless steel is made from chromium and nickel combination of solid chromium. Variations of this type of pipe include welded and seamless pipe, large-diameter welded pipe for high-temperature or corrosive application, electric fusion welded pipe for high-pressure application, etc.

Stainless Steel Mechanical Tubing

Mechanical tubing is used in applications including bearing, cylinder, and the creation of other hollow parts. This type of steel can be molded to form different shapes like rectangle, square, round cross-section tubing.

Stainless Steel Sanitary Tubing

In applications when stainless steel tubing is likely to come in contact with sensitive products such as food, the need for sanitation becomes imperative. Therefore, in such applications, stainless steel sanitary tubing is used. This is because it has high corrosion resistance properties, so it does not get tarnishes easily. Additionally, it is easier to clean and maintain.

Stainless Steel Aircraft Tubing

In certain specific aircraft applications, stainless steel made from nickel and chromium is used due to their corrosion and heat resistance properties. Stainless steel aircraft tubing is found in the application that needs high-strength. This type of stainless steel can be either welded or work-hardened, but the latter form should not be used with other forms of corrosive elements.

Stainless Steel Tubing For Corrosion Resistance

This is the basic type of steel, which is an idea for applications that need corrosion resistance. Two of the popular types of stainless steel in this category include martensitic or Ferritic, and these are manufactured to be either annealed or heat-treated. Another popular type of stainless steel is austenitic, which offers higher resistance than the above two options.

Final Thoughts

Whether you have to find 416 stainless steel tube or any other grade of the tube, you are likely to come across different types of the same. Above, we have mentioned some of the commonly found stainless steel in the market. Each variant has distinctive features and is used for different purposes.