Learn about the process of manufacturing hydraulic tubing. Also, be familiar with steel and mechanical tubing products.
What is Hydraulic Tubing, and Why is it Important in Manufacturing?
Hydraulic tubing has been useful for many years and has become an integral part of the manufacturing process. It holds significant importance in manufacturing because it enables the efficient transportation of fluids and pressure relief in high-pressure systems.
Hydraulic tubing is a type of tubing helpful to transport fluids under pressure. Its main application is in manufacturing to facilitate the movement of fluids within high-pressure systems, thus enhancing overall efficiency. This flexible, high-pressure conduit efficiently transmits fluids from one point to another. It finds applications in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, and oil & gas.
Furthermore, hydraulic tubing plays a crucial role in various machines and tools, such as CNC machines, injection molding machines, and presses. It is also popular in the construction industry for both underground and above-ground piping to supply water to buildings or groups of buildings.
Hydraulic Tubing Manufacturing Process
The manufacturing process of hydraulic tubing is intricate and demands a deep understanding of various materials and manufacturing techniques.
Raw Materials: Hydraulic tubing is primarily made from steel obtained from steel mills or scrap metal yards. The steel undergoes heating and stretching to turn them into long lengths through rolling mills to create a steel strip coil. This coil also undergoes cutting to turn them into pieces and then processing through a tube mill to form the final tubing product.
Production Process
The production process begins by cutting the finished steel strip coils into smaller sections, which then go through a tube mill to shape them into tubes. These tubes undergo coiling and heading in an oven at approximately 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit for about two hours to pre-temper them. Subsequently, they are sent through an extruder, which presses them together under high pressure using dies to form the final hydraulic tubing.
Mechanical Tubing Sizes
Mechanical tubing sizes are designations helpful to indicate the outside diameter of the tubing, enabling identification for purchase or in engineering drawings.
Various mechanical tubing sizes include:
- Square tubing with walls ranging from 0.500″ x 0.500″ x 0.065″ (16 gauge) to 16.000″ x 16.000″ x 0.625″ (16 gauge).
- Rectangular tubing with walls ranging from 1.000″ x 0.500″ x 0.065″ (16 gauge) to 20.000″ x 12.000″ x 0.625″ wall.
- Round Tubing up to 0.840″ O.D. x 0.109″ (12 gauge) wall to 16.000″ outside diameter x 0.500″ wall.
Meanwhile, hydraulic tubing have three main types based on bore and pressure:
- Small bore, low-pressure
- Large bore, high-pressure
- Intermediate bore, medium-pressure
Other Steel Tubing Products
Steel tubing products are widely useful in various industries and applications, including automotive and construction. They serve as crucial components in the manufacturing industry, connecting different pieces of machinery.
The oil and gas industry is a common user of tubing products. Industrial tubing is available in various shapes and sizes, to suit specific applications.
Some common types of industrial tubing products include:
- Industrial Tubing
- Air Conditioning Tubing
- Irrigation Tubing
- Plumbing Tubing
Steel tubing, being a versatile steel product, finds extensive application in manufacturing, construction, and other industries where metal is a must. To obtain the best quality hydraulic tubing and other tubing products for various industries, you can check out Forte Precision Metals and request a quote today.
