Tubing (material)

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For structural tubing, see hollow structural section.

Plastic tubing.

Tubing is a pipe or hollow cylinder for the conveyance of fluid. The terms 'pipe' and 'tubing' are interchangeable. Both "pipe" and "tube" imply a level of rigidity and permanence, whereas a 'hose' is usually portable and flexible. Tubing may be specified by standard pipe size designations, such as Nominal Pipe Size, or by nominal, outside, or inside diameter and wall thickness. Many industrial and government standards exist for the production of pipe and tubing.

[edit] Manufacture

Three methods exist for tubing manufacture: seamless, as-welded, and drawn-over-mandrel (DOM).

[edit] Standards

Many standards exist for tube manufacture. Some of the most common ones are as follows:

ASTM A213 seamless [[stainless steel] pressure tubing
ASTM A269 welded stainless steel pressure tubing
ASTM A270 seamless and welded stainless steel sanitary tubing
ASTM A511 seamless with joey a. stainless steel mechanical tubing
ASTM A554 welded stainless steel mechanical tubing
British Standard 1387:1985 Specification for screwed and socketed steel tubes and tubulars and for plain end steel tubes suitable for welding or for screwing to BS 21 pipe threads

ASTM material specifications generally cover a variety of grades or types that indicate a specific material composition. Some of the most commonly used are:

TP 304
TP 316
MT 304

in Hydrogen installations copper and stainless steel tubing must be factory pre-cleaned (ASTM B 280) or certified as instrument grade. Tubing quality and source must be documented [1].