We are a business with the talent and experience necessary to take care of any size order of tubing. At the same time, we can offer first rate customer care services. This has led to us becoming the top supplier of ERW steel tubes West Midlands businesses can choose. In addition, with more than 200 different sizes available, you will be spoilt for choice here.
Tubes, hoses, and pipes aren’t hard to confuse, for some understandable reasons. They all carry materials from one place to another after all. The question is whether there is actually a difference. There are, but these are subtle but significance distinctions between the three. When you understand how they all differ, it will be simpler to select the right components for your systems. In this post, we will be clearing up some of the confusion.
Divided by characteristics
Despite the fact that the three terms are incorrectly used interchangeably, there are characteristics that divide them. One of them is the sizing terminology. With tube size, you figure out the measurements by three significant dimensions. They are by wall thickness (WT), inside diameter (ID), and outside diameter (OD).
As for pipe size, the measurements are more involved. You measure pipes with nominal pipe diameter and wall thickness. The first is also referred to as Nominal Pipe Size (NPS). This refers to the sizes of pipes in non-specific terms. For example, a three inch stainless steel pipe won’t be precisely three inches in terms of outside diameter. Rather, its size is dictated by an individual set of standards.
As for hose size, the measurement is of the inside diameter (ID). Another fact about hoses is that they leverage something known as a dash system. The dash size acts as a reference to the hose’s diameter in 1/16″ increments. Contact us if you need the finest ERW steel tubes West Midlands has.
Material makeup and manufacturing
Another way the three differ is with manufacturing requirements and material makeup. Pipes and tubes are similar in how you create them. They are also normally made of similar substances too. Although, the two have separate requirements. Tubes for instance have stricter ones. Manufacturers must account for these. The roundness, straightness, and thickness of the cylinder are some of the most vital factors.
With hoses, you manufacture these using entirely separate materials if you compare to the other two. This means that manufacturing processes differ. Hoses are normally rubber or PTFR and the other two are typically steel.
Contact us for the best ERW steel tubes in the West Midlands
At Union Steel Tubes, we have plenty of choice when it comes to our products. There are square, oval, round, and rectangular designs. In addition, there are pre-galvanised and seamless varieties available. With all of these options, we are able to satisfy countless requirements.
So, if you need the highest quality ERW steel tubes West Midlands has, give us a call today. We can give you products for all kinds of commercial applications.
