Differences in Seamless & Welded Stainless Steel Pipes

  1. Length: The seamless steel pipe is fairly short in length, while the welded tubes can be produced in long continuous lengths.
  2. Corrosion: The seamless steel pipe usually shows no signs of corrosion until and unless it is exposed to a highly corrosive condition, whereas the welding area of the welded pipe is much more susceptible to corrosion attacks. The welded area is known to be inhomogeneous and thus demonstrates varying malleability and less resistance to corrosion as well as greater dimensional variability. A seamless steel pipe prevents all such problems and thus provides a high resistance to corrosion.
  3. Costs and prices: The cost of seamless steel pipes is typically higher than the cost of welded steel pipes due to raw materials, production equipment and processes. But sometimes the market pressure makes the welded pipe more costly, so if you’re in a situation like this, don’t hesitate to buy a seamless steel pipe of the same size.
  4. Difference of appearance: seamless steel pipe uses the steel billet as raw material. The exterior surface defects of the billet cannot be removed by the hot rolling process, it is only polished after the product has been completed. In the course of reducing the wall, the defect can only be partially removed. Welded steel pipe made of hot-rolled coil as a raw material, the surface quality of the coil is just the surface quality of the pipe and simple to manage. The surface of the hot-rolled coil is of superior quality. Thus welded steel pipe surface consistency is a lot higher than a seamless steel pipe.
  5. Molding Methods: seamless steel pipe and welded pipe have primarily separate molding methods. A seamless steel pipe can be formed in one time, rolling process. Welded steel pipes are made with steel strip or steel plate by bending and various welding methods.
  6. Performance: Seamless steel pipe has better pressure capacity, strength is higher than ERW welded steel pipe. So it is widely applied in high-pressure equipment, and thermal, boiler industries. Generally, the welding seam of the welded steel pipe is the weak point, the quality affects overall performance. In general, welded steel pipes can withhold 20% less working pressure than seamless ones. This reliability is the prime factor why people go for a seamless steel pipe.
  7. Usage: As a matter of fact, all the industrial pipelines are done with seamless pipes only because the pipes undergo extreme thermal, chemical and mechanical workloads. Welded pipes are more preferred in aerospace, automobile and electronics industries where the budget is comparatively low, and so is the work pressure put on the pipes.
  8. Welding performance: Average Welded Pipe and seamless steel pipe the chemical composition has a certain difference. The production of a seamless steel component is only ASTM the basic requirements.
  9. Wall thickness and diameter: Small thin-walled pipe preferably by welding production. A large thick-walled pipe is best made with the seamless method.

Post time: May-10-2022