SRM and Seamless Pipe Form of Steel

With the versatile applications and increasing demands in today's industry, pipes used in many different sectors are constantly being developed with different methods to keep up with these advances. 

SRM pipe and seamless pipe are two of the well-known pipe production techniques in the industry among the many pipe production methods available. When deciding between SRM and seamless pipes, attention should be paid to the application areas as well as the properties of the products and the conditions under which the pipe will ultimately be used should be considered. 

What is SRM pipe and how is it produced? In addition to conventional techniques, high-tech production techniques are used in SRM pipes, as longitudinally welded pipes undergo an additional process. Knowing the differences in the production stage can help determine which pipe should be preferred for a particular application.
 

Seamless Pipe Production 
 

In seamless pipe production, raw steel is first cast into a more workable initial form (hot billet or flat strip). While still hot, the billets or strips are punched through the centre with a mandrel. The next step is to roll and stretch the hollow billet. The billet is precision rolled and stretched until it meets the desired length, diameter and wall thickness. Some types of seamless pipe harden as they are manufactured, so no heat treatment is required after fabrication.
 

SRM Pipe Production
 

In the production of SRM pipe, a long, coiled steel strip called a skeleton is used. It is then formed into a pipe shape by means of steel plates and welded longitudinally. Excess burrs caused by welding are then cleaned and a smooth cylindrical pipe is obtained. The tubes produced in this way are heated to 900°C (annealing) and drawn into the mould as a core. The applied heat treatment removes the stress on the pipe and provides a soft structure. In this way, since the hardness difference in the welding area is eliminated, electrochemical corrosion resistance is significantly increased.
 

SRM and Seamless Pipe Differences and Advantages 
 

Seamless tubes are completely homogeneous tubes that provide greater strength, superior corrosion resistance and the ability to withstand higher pressure than SRM tubes. These properties make them more suitable for use in critical applications. However, the cost is quite high.  

SRM pipes are quite low cost compared to seamless pipes. In addition, it makes a difference in terms of its superior features such as easy processing, easy shaping and time saving. SRM pipe, whose homogeneous structure is resistant to decay, is quite long-lasting. Since the annealing process of SRM pipes is done after the inner burr is removed, the welding seam disappears. Thanks to the burr-free welding place, lime does not accumulate on the inner surface and the pipes maintain their smoothness. SRM pipes, which can easily reach high thickness sizes in small diameters, have many usage areas such as natural gas pipe, boiler pipe, heat exchanger pipe, serpentine pipe, installation pipe, sleeve pipe.