ERW tubes offer users the ideal middle ground

We are perhaps the most well known ERW steel tube supplier West Midlands has working for it. The sheer quality of our merchandise is unbeatable. In addition, there is plenty of variety here to ensure that clients can find suitable solutions for their particular needs. Yet another thing that makes our business notable is the excellent customer care we offer. So, choose us whenever you need tubing.

The distinction between seamless and seamed tubes

ERW steel tube supplier West MidlandsIf you are comparing different types of steel tubing, you will discover a few interesting details. For example, there are tubes that have a weld seam along their length. Others don’t have this. It is the key distinction between seamless and seamed tube.

The reason why the tubes have this difference is due to the manufacturing procedure. People create seamless tubing using an extrusion procedure. Here, they pierce a hole through a bar to create a hollow cylinder. Afterwards, you roll and stretch the section to the necessary diameter.

Welded or seamed steel tubes begin as flat rectangle pieces of metal. You roll them into cylinders and weld along the join. This leaves a visible weld line along the tube. You can hide this however using heat treatments or other processes to smooth everything out.

Both methods are performed to the highest standards to produce a strong steel tube. This also ensures that the tubes are within tolerances that could apply to their load-bearing capacity and dimensions.

In principle though, seamless tubes eradicate a clear-cut weak point. They are what people prefer for most high-pressure projects. But, the manufacturing procedure is more difficult and the tubes typically come with a higher price. However, the extra strength makes up for it.

The middle ground

There are those who can’t use seamless or ordinary welded tubes though and need an alternative. This is where ERW ones come into play. They act as a middle ground between the two. This process melts the steel’s edges to weld it together. Consequently, the ERW tubing has a smoother weld from the outset. You can then treat this using heat to hide the evidence of its existence.

At the end of the day, ERW tubes are an excellent alternative to the seamless models. They are not 100% seamless. Yet, they do possess advantages over ordinarily welded tubes because there is no added filler metal and a small heat zone.

A dedicated ERW tube supplier in the West Midlands

At Union Steel Tubes, we have many different products for you to choose from. Examples include pre-galvanised, seamless, round, square, and more. In order to guarantee top results, we test each tube extensively. Afterwards, we will be able to use our quick delivery services to get them to you.

So, if you would like to work with the leading ERW steel tube supplier West Midlands has, you can contact us. We are confident we can satisfy your needs, whether it is a standard tubing project or something more specialist.