There are several key differences between pipes and tubes, however the most well known is the way in which the size measurements are designated: tube is designated based on outside diameter (OD) and pipe is based on inner diameter (ID). In addition, pipes are typically used as vessels, meaning for the transfer of fluids or gases, while tubes are generally structural or used as support. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Sharpe Products
New Berlin, WI | 800-879-4418Founded in 1990, Sharpe Products is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company specializing in industrial and commercial pipe and tube bending, laser cutting, end-forming or other custom fabrication services. In addition, we offer a robust line of architectural handrail fittings and accessories such as brackets, connectors, disks, end-caps, flanges, newel caps and spheres.
Superior Tube Products
Davenport, IA | 563-285-1914Tube fabrication is our mainstay. Designing, engineering, tube cutting, tube bending, tube end forming, slotting, welding and CNC machining bring your project to realization. We maintain a diverse customer base—retail (fixtures, displays), sporting goods, medical, office furniture, automotive, agriculture.
Allegan Tubular Products, Inc.
Allegan, MI | 269-673-6636Allegan Tubular offers experienced tube bending, tube swaging, tube fabricating and many more services in carbon steel, aluminum, copper, brass and stainless steel. Our cnc machining center and our cnc bender cut costs on processes and maximize our capabilities, so bring your most difficult jobs to Allegan!
Metal Works Corporation
Baton Rouge, LA | 225-355-8891For over 40 years, Metal Works has specialized in metal fabrication and manufacturing. We offer pipe and tube bending, coiling, custom springs and bending of structural steel shapes. We also fabricate architectural structures, playground equipment and roller coasters.
H-P Products, Inc.
Louisville, OH | 800-860-8823H-P Products, Inc., is North America's leading supplier of air system tubing components with our products used in almost every industrial market, as well as in retail stores, banks, and hospitals. Fueled by integrity and small-town values since 1945, H-P Products has been committed to manufacturing high-quality products that are delivered on time.
Coiled Tubing Products - Tube Bending IncorporatedFabricated for a number of purposes, pipes are capable of fulfilling needs in many industries including: wastewater, for water treatment facilities and water pump stations; industrial manufacturing, for heat exchanger shells, waste treatment and cooling towers; petrochemical, for chemical processing and oil pipelines; and mining, for mine dewatering, depressurization and dust suppression.
Additionally, pipes are also used in power plants, architectural, food processing and pharmaceutical applications. Some of the broad spectrum of materials that are used to fabricate pipe include carbon steel, stainless steel, ductile iron, titanium, brass, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), ceramics and concrete; however, steel and iron are the most common metals and PVC is the most common plastic material.
Pipe fabrication processes include many diverse processes that take place after or during pipe formation in order to customize the pipe for its intended application. As a result, many pipe fabricators are not involved in the actual formation of raw metal materials into pipes; however, it is still highly important. Most commonly, pipes are created through a fairly simple process referred to as plate rolling, in which flat metal plate is rolled and then welded at the seam through either electric resistance welding (ERW) or electric fusion welding (EFW).
After formation, pipes can undergo fabrication processes such as bending, spooling, flanging and cutting. Pipe bending can refer to both cold and hot working processes that bend pipes using computer-controlled machines to ensure the quality and efficiency of a product. Pipe spooling is the process of enhancing the pipe's ability to connect to other pipes or components through winding a long, continuous section of pipe onto a cylinder from which it can easily be dispensed.
Another customizing process, pipe flanging is done to create a projection around the end of the pipe either for increased strength or in order to attach to another component. Pipe cutting is the process in which pipes are cut through the use of cut-off saws, horizontal band saws, lathes or lasers so that they will better fit within the required dimensions.
