Small-Diameter Industrial Pipe Production Process

Small-diameter stainless steel welded tube is commonly produced from slit coil on a continuous forming and welding line. The manufacturing route is selected according to the product standard, material grade, dimensions, surface condition, downstream fabrication, and inspection requirements.

Typical Coil-Formed Welded Tube Process

1. Coil verification: Confirm material identification, thickness, width, surface condition, and required documentation.
2. Slitting: Cut the coil to the strip width calculated for the ordered tube diameter.
3. Forming: Pass the strip through forming rolls to bring the edges together with controlled alignment.
4. Longitudinal welding: Weld the seam using the qualified production procedure required for the product.
5. Bead treatment and sizing: Treat the weld bead when specified, then size the tube to the required dimensional tolerances.
6. Heat and surface treatment: Apply annealing, pickling, passivation, polishing, or other finishing only when required by the applicable specification.
7. Inspection and testing: Perform dimensional, visual, mechanical, corrosion, leak, or nondestructive tests as specified in the order.
8. Cutting, marking, and packing: Cut to ordered length and complete traceability, documentation, and protective packaging.

This page describes a general welded-tube route; actual operations and acceptance criteria depend on the ordered specification. See our heat exchanger tubing, sanitary tubing, and quality testing pages, or request a technical review.