Stainless Steel Sanitary Tubing

For applications where stainless steel tubing or piping must come into contact with food and other sensitive products, sanitation is a high priority. Stainless steel sanitary tubing is used in such applications because it has high corrosion-resistance, doesn’t tarnish, and is easy to keep clean. For specific applications, different tolerances can be achieved. The grade typically used for these applications is ASTMA270.

Stainless Steel Mechanical Tubing

In applications such as cylinders, bearings, and other hollow formed parts, stainless steel mechanical tubing is typically used. Tubing can manipulated to have a variety of cross-sectional shapes, such as square and rectangular, in addition to the more traditional, round tubing cross-section. Typically, ASTMA 511 and A554 grades are employed for mechanical tubing applications.

Stainless Steel Aircraft Tubing

In highly-specific aircraft applications, chromium and nickel type stainless steel is used because of their heat and corrosion-resistance. Found in applications that require high-strength, stainless steel aircraft tubing can be work-hardened or welded, although work-hardened pieces shouldn’t be used with some kinds of corrosive substances. Low-carbon types of stainless steel are a common choice for welded parts.

For applications that require seamless and welded tubing in larger sizes (1.6 to 125 mm in outside diameter), aircraft structural tubing is used—this type of stainless steel is manufactured according to Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS) or Military Specifications (MIL Specs).

Aircraft Hydraulic-Line Tubing

Another type of aircraft tubing, aircraft hydraulic-line tubing is used in aerospace applications as fuel-injection lines and hydraulic systems, and tends to be small. It is often manufactured from types 304 or 304 L stainless steel because of the steel’s high-strength, corrosion-resistance, and ductility.