Seamless Carbon Steel Pipe vs. Seam Carbon Steel Pipe

The main difference between seamless and seam carbon steel pipes lies in the production process and performance. Seamless carbon steel pipes have high production costs, but excellent strength and corrosion resistance, while seam carbon steel pipes have low production costs but low strength.

Definition of seamless and seam carbon steel pipes

Carbon steel pipes refer to pipes made of carbon as the main raw material, and their main components are iron, carbon and a small amount of silicon, manganese, sulfur, phosphorus, etc. Carbon steel pipes are divided into seamless and seamed types. Seamless carbon steel pipes refer to pipes directly processed from steel billets without the need for welding processes; seam carbon steel pipes refer to pipes formed by bending steel plates or steel strips into tubular shapes and then welding them during the production process.

Manufacturing process comparison

Seamless carbon steel pipes have high production costs, but their performance is excellent and are suitable for high pressure, high temperature and large diameter occasions. The production process of seamless carbon steel pipes is to process steel billets into pipes and form them using cold drawing, hot rolling, cold rolling and other processes.

The production cost of seam carbon steel pipes is low and they are widely used in some low-pressure and low-temperature fields. The production process of seam carbon steel pipes is to bend the steel plate or steel strip first, and then weld the pipe into shape through processes such as high-frequency resistance welding or spiral welding.

Performance and characteristics comparison

1. Seamless carbon steel pipe

The surface of seamless carbon steel pipe is smooth and without welds, so it has excellent durability under high pressure, high temperature and corrosive environment.

It has high tensile strength and light weight, which is suitable for occasions with high requirements on material performance.

It will also be heat treated during the production process to make its internal grains finer, thereby improving its strength and plasticity.

2. Seam carbon steel pipe

The inner wall of the weld of the seam carbon steel pipe generally has weld ribs, the manufacturing process is simple, the cost is relatively low, and it is widely used in low-pressure transportation and machinery manufacturing.

Because welding is required during the production process, the strength of the weld is relatively weak, and the pressure resistance and corrosion resistance are also relatively weak, which is prone to cracks, corrosion and other problems.

In addition, seamless carbon steel pipes can withstand higher working pressures, usually above 7 MPa, while seam carbon steel pipes are mostly between 1.6 MPa and 7 MPa.

Applicable scenarios comparison

Seamless carbon steel pipes are mainly suitable for high-pressure, high-temperature and highly corrosive environments such as petroleum, chemical industry, and aviation due to their superior performance.

Seam carbon steel pipes are more used in general industrial fields such as low-pressure transportation, water supply and drainage, and automobile manufacturing.

Application selection of carbon steel pipes: seam or seamless?

1. Application environment considerations

When choosing carbon steel pipes, the first consideration is the application environment. For occasions that need to withstand high pressure or highly corrosive environments, such as chemical and petroleum industries, seamless pipes are more suitable due to their superior performance. In low-pressure transmission systems, such as building water supply and drainage or HVAC systems, seam pipes are favored because of their low cost, easy processing and maintenance.

2. Cost and benefit analysis

Cost is another important consideration. Due to the complex manufacturing process, the cost of seamless carbon steel pipes is usually higher than that of seam carbon steel pipes. Therefore, the choice needs to be weighed against the project budget and long-term operating benefits. For projects with limited budgets and less demanding performance requirements, seam carbon steel pipes may be a cost-effective choice.

3. Convenience of supply and installation

In some areas, specific types of pipes (such as seam pipes or seamless pipes) may be easier to obtain. In addition, considering the convenience during installation and the requirements for workers' skills, seam carbon steel pipes are generally easier to install. However, for occasions that require special installation processes or high precision requirements, seamless carbon steel pipes may be more suitable.

Summary

Carbon steel pipes are divided into two types: seam pipes and seamless pipes. The difference between them lies in the production process and performance. Seam carbon steel pipes have low production costs, but low strength, and are suitable for low-pressure and low-temperature occasions; while seamless carbon steel pipes have high production costs, but excellent strength and corrosion resistance, and are suitable for high-pressure, high-temperature, and large-diameter occasions. There are also differences in the application field. Seam carbon steel pipes are widely used in pipeline transportation systems such as oil, natural gas, and water, while seamless carbon steel pipes are suitable for petrochemical, aerospace, nuclear industry and other fields.