type of steels used for pipes & tubes Industry

Different type of steels used for pipes & tubes Industry: Applications and advantages.

We have diverse varieties of steel employed in the manufacturing of tubes and pipes and each one has its own share of advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a dive into the properties, applications of each one of them in detail.

Carbon Steel for Pipe & Tubes

It’s a steel made out of iron and carbon with varying carbon percentage that determines its grade. Low carbon steel is harder but also makes them more brittle and when the carbon percentage increases, it turns stronger and harder while also turning more difficult to weld and manipulate with heat.

The constitution of other alloying elements like chromium, manganese, cobalt, tungsten is not defined. Owning to its low melting point it has a better heat distribution. It has a matte, dull finish.

Medium carbon is easy to cut and formed by machines and they can be used to form rails, pipe lines and more.

Applications: Rails, Pipe Lines

 

Galvanized (GI) steel for Pipe & Tubes

Made by immersing the carbon steel in the molten zinc,  where the later diffuses into the top layers forming the protective layer that’s corrosive resistant. It’s affordable and cheap compared to stainless steel which is more stronger and sustainable and more attractive compared to Galvanized steel. It’s primarily used in the low cost infrastructure projects and much cheaper method of rust-proofing the steel compared to stainless steel, hands down.

Applications: Low cost infrastructure projects, steam, water, gas, or air lines.

Stainless Steel for Pipes & Tubes

Stainless steel is usually defined by the additional presence of chromium, the more dominating of the rest of the alloy combinations. It forms a thin layer of Chromic oxide outside the steel, making it glossier and also corrosion resistant. Stainless steel are usually more sustainable and long lasting compared to Galvanized steels and also very expensive. It’s rust resistant and less brittle compared to carbon steel

Stainless steel tubes are used for water solutions where purity is high priority and structural solutions for automobile and infrastructure projects. Stainless steel pipes for high performance industries such as aerospace and engineering.

Applications: Aerospace, Automobile, Infrastructure projects to name a few.

About Madras Steels:

From the humble beginnings back in the year 1988, Madras Steels & Tubes has reinvented the idea of traditional Pipe & Tube suppliers in India delivering standard and customized piping and tubing solutions in Galvanized steel, mild steel, stainless steel, Seamless, ERW/SAW, Boiler Tubes, CRCA Round tubes etc.,

We are a leading exporter/ importer/ authorized supplier for steel  tube and pipes with branches in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kochi, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Ahmedabad, and Delhi.

 

 

different standards used for Indian piping & tubing

Understanding the different standards used for Indian piping & tubing industry

Sourcing a quality steel pipe and tube while meeting the industry standards and government norms is not an easy task and we would like to simplify it with a detailed note below.

Every country has its own codes and standards but the truth is that American National Standards are the most widely used in India, primarily because the compliance with those are accepted world over.We do have British, Japanese and Indian standards prevalent in few industries but the scope and TG is very limited.

Before we delve into the prevalent standards and codes, we would like to define each one of them in detail.

Standards are published by professional societies, organizations or group to improve safety and quality.

Codes are a set of rules and procedures that has been adopted into a law.

Some of the most used standards in India include ASTM, ASME, API, ANSI and it could differ based on the industry from oil and gas to petroleum. It’s only these standards that ensure safety and quality of our purchase and distinguishes the quality manufacturers and dealers from the crowd.

American Standards for Testing Materials (ASTM)

ASTM provides industrial standards and service standards across several industries and the organization has till date published more than 12000 standards which are in use. Out of which more than 100 standards pertain to pipe, tubes, and fittings.

Unlike other international standards that will impact only specific industries, ASTM is more holistic and it factors in almost every industry one can think of and is universally accepted in pipes and tubes industry.

American society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

ASME that began operations way back in the year 1880 has been one of the key driving forces behind the safety improvements in boiler and pressure vessels used across several industries.

They have set dedicated standards that can be applied to pipes, tubes and fittings and just like ASTM they have a holistic approach for their standards and can be universally applied to every industry and are considered as a mark for quality.

Nuances of ASTM reading:

Let’s understand with real example. In a ASTM reading A 106 B as accredited by ASTM (ASME spec would be somewhat like SA 106 B)

Here A is the designated ferrous material, 106 is an arbitrary number that indicates it’s a seamless carbon pipe used for high temperatures and grades such A, B, C indicates its chemical make-up and mechanical properties.

Complying both ASTM ASME Standards:

If it’s A/SA 333, it means it complies with both ASTM and ASME standards.

Majority of the times, both ASTM and ASME would be identical and the  only major difference would be at times, ASME would require additional tests to compile with it.

American Petroleum Institution (API)

As the name suggests, it’s an organization that conceives and implements standards for pipes and tubes used for oil and gas industry.

Pipes rated under API can be similar to design and material compared to other pipes in other industries, but API standards will involve additional testing requirements

API 5L is the most common standard to which a line pipe is rated in Oil and natural gas is rated. Some grades of API comply with A/SA 106 and A/SA 53 .e ASTM and ASME standards but not vice versa.

The American Iron and Steel Institute and Society of Automotive Engineers share a similar numbers to classify steel. AISI/SAE has published standards pertaining to the chemical make-up but they do not include the manufacturing, heat treatment and testing parameters.

Even our most revered standards ISO has its roots in America.American National Standardization Institute , the American body joined hands with many international organizations to form International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and they also happen to accredit ASTM, ASME as an acceptable standards of practice.

Hope you would be able to decode standards better from now on and make informed decisions.

 

About Madras Steels:

From the humble beginnings back in the year 1988, Madras Steels & Tubes has reinvented the idea of traditional Pipe & Tube suppliers in India delivering standard and customized piping and tubing solutions in Galvanized steel, mild steel, stainless steel, Seamless, ERW/SAW, Boiler Tubes, CRCA Round tubes etc.,

We are a leading exporter/ importer/ authorized supplier for steel tube and pipes with branches in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kochi, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Ahmedabad, and Delhi.

 

stainless steel pipe in India

A buyer’s guide to buy stainless steel pipe in India.

Stainless Steel pipes come in different material grades and dimensions with varying industrial applications. Some of the attributes you need to factor in before making the coveted decision.

Necessity
First you need to answer why stainless and not galvanized steels or mild steel. If there is a logical conclusion, you can hop on to the next step, choosing among the different grades.
The grades usually adjust based on resistance to heat, overall strength and additives used. Like type 304 steel is the most preferred in the industry for applications with temperature between 800 to 1640 F and 304L works well if it exceeds the above temperature. In case you are looking for a customized stainless steel tube or pipe, you need to figure out, as there are very few leading distributors who can supply you customized tubes and pipes solutions.

Manufacturers of Stainless Steel
Find out the top manufacturers of stainless steel pipes who comply with standards, codes and specifications for your requirement.
Note standards and codes may vary from country to country and one need to factor in everything before making a decision.

Some of the top Indian manufacturers in this niche

Remi
Ratnamani
Quality Stainless Steel
Prakash Steelage
Suraj Stainless
Apex Tube
Shubhlaxmi Metals & Tubes Pvt Ltd
Steamline Industries Limited

Authorized dealers
Once you identify the best manufacturer you need to find out the authorized dealers for the brand, as it gives your product more credibility and you would be able to meet deadlines, as you can count on them for adhering to timelines.

Ready Stock Availability
As majority of the requirement occur when you’re on the run. It’s very important to pick the premier, authorized wholesale distributor or stockiest with a ready stock who has a holistic presence. It’s recommended to opt for the distributor with a huge warehouse so that we don’t have to ponder over the availability.

Quote & Catalogue
The last but not least, is to get catalogues from different dealers and review their quality and standards along with your purchase team and technical team and ensure you’re on same page so that you take a right call. Have a look into a typical stainless steel pipe catalogue with specifications and quotes.

About Madras Steels:

From the humble beginnings back in the year 1988, Madras Steels & Tubes has reinvented the idea of traditional Pipe & Tube suppliers in India delivering standard and customized piping and tubing solutions in Galvanized steel, mild steel, stainless steel, Seamless, ERW/SAW, Boiler Tubes, CRCA Round tubes etc.,

We are a leading exporter/ importer/ authorized dealer for tube and pipes with branches in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kochi, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Ahmedabad, and Delhi.