How to choose the right tube for you

Tubes come in different shapes – round, square, rectangular or oval. But how do you know which is the right one for your project?

Metal tubes are generally fabricated from steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass and copper. These types of tubes can easily be bent into shape without the need for elbows or other fittings.

Before you begin any tube bending project, it is important to think about what you need your product to do.

• Will the application require a high strength or lighter weight material?
• What type of material will you need?
  • Steel – Costs less than other materials but is not resistant to rust and corrosion.
  • Stainless Steel – Used for strength and its corrosion resistance.
  • Aluminum – Used for its light weight and corrosion resistance.
  • Copper – Commonly used for heating and cooling applications because of its heat conductive.
• What is the diameter – both inside and outside diameter of your tube?
  • Confirm wall thickness – a thicker wall improves strength and bendability.

Consideration should also be given to the method of construction – either welded or seamless.

• Seamless tubes are typically constructed via extrusion.
• Welded tubing is constructed by rolling and welding metal to form the cross-section. Welds are continuous along the length of the pipe.

It’s also important to determine what the center line radius should be. We will address more information on the center line radius in our next blog post.

Have a tube bending project? Send us the details.