What Is Cold Drawn Precision Tube?

Cold drawn precision tube, also known as cold drawn seamless steel pipe, refers to seamless steel tube with high precision, high finish and high strength produced by cold drawing process at room temperature. Its inner and outer wall dimensional accuracy is high and the finish is good. It is a high-quality and high-performance steel tube product. Cold drawing can significantly improve the dimensional accuracy, surface quality and mechanical properties of the pipe, and is widely used in fields requiring precise dimensions and high performance.

Cold-drawn Precision Tubes Classification

Cold drawn precision steel tubes include precision seamless steel tubes, precision hydraulic seamless steel tubes, cold rolled precision seamless steel tubes, high precision seamless steel tubes and precision bright seamless steel tubes.

Cold-drawn Precision Tubes Properties

1. High precision

Cold drawn precision steel tubes have high dimensional accuracy, which can ensure accurate matching during manufacturing and installation.

2. High strength

After cold drawing, the strength and toughness of the steel tube are improved, enabling it to withstand greater pressure and load.

3. Good corrosion resistance

Cold-drawn precision steel tubes are usually made of high-quality steel, with good corrosion resistance, and can resist erosion by corrosive media such as groundwater and chemicals in the soil.

4. No oxide layer on the inner and outer walls

The cold drawing process ensures that the inner and outer walls of the steel tube are clean and free of oxide layer, thereby reducing the resistance of the fluid in the pipeline.

Manufacturing Process of Cold-drawn Precision Tubes

The manufacturing process of cold-drawn precision tubes mainly includes the following steps:

1. Preparation stage

Select suitable metal materials and cut and clean them according to requirements.

2. Pickling stage

The material is pickled to remove oxide scale and impurities on the metal surface.

3. Rust removal stage

The metal material after pickling is rust-removed to ensure the smoothness of the metal surface.

4. Coating stage

The metal material after rust removal is coated to increase the hardness and wear resistance of the metal.

5. Pressing stage

The metal material is placed in a cold drawing machine for pressing to deform the metal material into a billet.

6. Mold making stage

According to the specifications and requirements of cold-drawn precision tubes, make the corresponding molds.

7. Cold drawing stage

Put the steel billet into the cold drawing machine, and gradually thin it by stretching and rolling to form a cold-drawn tube.

8. Heat treatment stage

The tube is annealed or normalized to improve its mechanical properties and internal structure.

9. Tube cutting and trimming stage

The tube is cut and trimmed as required to meet the standards and specifications.

10. Inspection and quality control stage

The tube is inspected, including appearance, size, chemical composition, physical properties, etc., to ensure that its quality meets the requirements.

11. Packaging and transportation stage

The tube is packaged and marked for easy storage and transportation.

Cold Drawn Precision Tube Application

Cold-drawn precision steel tubes are widely used in many fields, such as automobile manufacturing, oil and gas industry, construction industry, power industry and machinery manufacturing industry. In these fields, cold-drawn precision steel tubes are used to manufacture automotive parts, pipelines, oil well pipes, building supports, telephone poles and various mechanical parts.

Key Points for Selecting Cold Drawn Precision Tubes

1. Selection based on the usage environment

Different usage environments have different performance requirements for cold drawn precision tubes.

For use in humid or corrosive environments, steel tubes with good corrosion resistance should be selected, such as those with galvanized or chrome-plated surface treatments.

In high-temperature environments, cold-drawn precision tubes made of alloy steel with high-temperature resistance are required to ensure that the steel tubes do not deform or degrade in performance at high temperatures.

2. Selection based on pressure bearing

When selecting cold-drawn precision tubes, their pressure bearing capacity must be considered.

For applications requiring high pressure, steel tubes with thicker walls and higher material strength should be selected.

Relevant standards and materials can be consulted to understand the allowable pressure range of steel tubes of different specifications and materials, thereby ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the selected steel tubes.

3. Selection based on precision requirements

The precision of cold-drawn precision tubes includes outer diameter tolerance, wall thickness tolerance, and straightness.

For applications requiring high precision, such as precision machinery and aerospace, steel tubes with higher precision grades must be selected.

Generally, higher precision grades increase the processing difficulty and cost of the steel tubes; therefore, the precision grade should be selected appropriately based on actual needs.

4. Selection based on connection method

The connection method of the steel tubes is also a factor to consider when selecting them.

Common connection methods include welding, threaded connections, and flange connections. Different connection methods have different requirements for the shape and size of the steel pipe ends.

For example, when using threaded connections, it is necessary to ensure that the thread accuracy and dimensions of the steel pipe meet the standard requirements; when using welded connections, the weldability of the steel pipe must be considered.

FAQ

1. Are cold-drawn precision tubes suitable for hydraulic systems?

Yes. Cold-drawn precision tubes are commonly used materials for hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic lines for the following reasons:

Stable inner and outer diameters;

Good inner surface quality, low fluid resistance;

High pressure resistance, high reliability.

In high-end hydraulic applications, cold-drawn precision tubes are often subjected to inner bore rolling or honing treatment.

2. What are the common materials for cold-drawn precision tubes?

Common materials include:

Carbon steel: 10#, 20#, E355, SAE 1026

Alloy steel: 42CrMo, 40Cr

Stainless steel: 304, 316L (special working conditions)

Therefore, in scenarios with high requirements for precision and assembly efficiency, cold-drawn precision tubes have a cost advantage.