Methods for making steel pipes

Tubular products are a universal material that is in demand, without exaggeration, always and everywhere. It is used in mechanical engineering and construction, in the fuel and energy industry and the defense industry, in the construction of main pipelines of national importance and in the domestic sphere. Of course, this is not a complete list of pipe applications. The main thing here is to emphasize that the operational purpose directly affects the way this material is made.

Types of steel pipes

Materials for the production of pipes are carbon, low and high alloy steels, including stainless and galvanized.

There are many pipe classifications. But, if we consider these products from the point of view of the manufacturing method, then there are two types:

seamless;
welded.

Welded pipes

Found wide application in laying pipelines for various purposes and heating systems. Welded steel pipes are made of sheet material, which is formed into the required shape by welding during the technological process. This category also includes pipes made by furnace, gas or gas-electric welding. The last two technologies are intended primarily for the production of tubular products from high-alloy steels.

In addition to the above methods of welding pipes made of refractory metals and alloys, it is used:

hydrogen atomic welding;
electron beam welding;
ultrasonic welding, etc.

Seamless pipes

In terms of strength characteristics, they are considered more reliable and durable, since they do not have connecting seams. For their manufacture, steel billets are used - blanks. These sources are heated to the required temperatures, after which a through hole is made in them. Further manufacturing technology assumes:

unrolling;
lengthen;
sizing;
alignment.

At the end, we get a finished seamless pipe. At the same time, it is worth noting the existence of a subspecies of such steel products - cast pipes. The peculiarity of their production consists in pouring hot metal into special molds, where there is a central rod.

Seamless products can be rolled in several ways - hot-rolled, cold-rolled, pressing, drawing.