Tube mills make tube and pipe by taking an uninterrupted tube strip and continuously rollicking through both sides of the strip until the ends of the tube to meet at a weld joint. Many types of Tubes are made this way. Cold rolled steel, aluminum and copper are some of the materials commonly used in this method of production. TIG welding is often used with this process to produce stainless steel tube and pipe. A lot of tube mill manufacturers now use TIG welding techniques as this produces a better weld quality than plasma arc welding.
There are two basic types of carbide milling: wet and dry. Carbide tubes are very hard and durable and are resistant to corrosion, shrinking, oxidation, and heating. They have the ability to be etched, polished and bent. Most tube manufacturers use wet carbide, as it is an economical method of manufacturing with lower production cost. Dry carbide is used for producing hollow parts, metal pipes, thin wall applications and stainless steel.
An important advantage of using Tungsten Carbide as a tube mill manufacturer is that they can produce both solid and hollow components by applying pre-galvanized welding process in the milled sections. The pre-galvanizing process deposits a thin layer of tungsten onto the electrode material, before welding occurs. This enables the pre-galvanized electrodes to be quickly heated and cooled, without affecting the quality of the welds.
Tube mill manufacturers must ensure that the pre-galvanized electrode material is accurately matched to the correct electrode tip size in order to obtain consistent and reliable results throughout the entire fabrication process. The size of the sheet metal mold must be correct to allow proper attachment of the welding rod. The size of the blank needs to correspond to the electrode material to ensure a proper fit. The manufacturer should ensure that all screws are securely tightened, and the blank is drilled at the proper diameter for attachment to the work end of the machine.
When determining the best blank and electrode for a particular application, it is best to choose the most cost effective to produce the best welded tube mill line. The best blank will be one that has the best possible tensile strength, as well as excellent hardness and flexibility. High tensile strength means that the tube can withstand constant pulling and stretching without the tube failing. The best metals for these purposes include aluminium, copper, brass, steel and stainless steel, but zinc alloys may also be used.
If stainless steel is not the best choice, then nickel alloy is often a good option. Zinc alloys are a popular choice for electrode materials, due to their extreme hardness, which means they will not bend or break under normal operating conditions, although high temperature will soften the metal. In general, if you are going for optimum performance and do not mind using more expensive electrical equipment, stainless steel is often a good option. Tube mills will need lubrication from time to time, especially if you use electrical equipment while the mill is operating. This is normally done with a small amount of oil, although a tube mill manufacturer can usually supply lubricant as standard.
