aluminium tube VS pipe: What is differnece?

You may have heard the terms Aluminum tube and pipe used interchangeably. However, you may not be sure of the difference between them. In most cases, they will both convey the same meaning. But it’s the actual product size, shape and definition that are different. This can be confusing for many people. But don’t worry! Let’s learn the difference between aluminum tubing and aluminum pipe with this guide today.

what is aluminium tubing？

Aluminium tube is a metal tubular material made of pure aluminium or aluminium alloy processed by extrusion, drawing and other processes into a hollow metal tube along the full length of its longitudinal direction. It can have a variety of cross-sectional shapes such as round, square, rectangular, patterned and shaped. Aluminum tubes are usually used in structural engineering where the outer diameter is an important and accurate number. the OD and WT (wall thickness) specify the pipe size. Having different cross-sections, aluminium tubes are able to be used as railings, handrails and other building materials.

What is aluminium piping?

Aluminium pipes are classified as tubular containers used in piping and piping systems, usually for the transport of gases and fluids. They are specified by the Nominal Pipe Size (NPS) and Schedule (wall thickness), which are dimensional standards established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Generally speaking, a pipe is a hollow cylinder made of metal or other material used to convey water, gas, steam, oil, etc. It can only be round in size.

aluminium pipe VS aluminium tube

Difference between pipe and tube	ALUMINIUM PIPE	ALUMINIUM TUBE
Shape（type of pipe/tube）	Circle	circle, rectangle, square, oval
Dimensions (O.D./D.I.)	The nominal diameter of aluminium pipes is an approximation of the inner diameter of the pipe and is used to indicate the size of the pipe specification. Common nominal diameters are DN15, DN20, DN25, DN32, DN40, DN50, DN65, DN80 and so on.	The most important dimensions of aluminium tubing are the outside diameter (OD) and wall thickness (WT). These parameters are expressed in units such as inches or millimetres. Common ODs are 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm and 12 mm.
Wall thickness	The thickness of aluminium pipes is expressed as a “specification” value (most commonly Sch. 40, Sch. STD., Sch. XS, Sch.).	The wall thickness of aluminium tubes tends to be between 0.8 and 40 mm, depending on the diameter, material and cross-section of the tube. The wall thickness of thin-walled aluminium square tubes is mostly around 20 to 130 mm in external diameter.

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Aluminium piping applications:

Aluminium piping is mainly used in fluid transport systems, such as piping for oil, natural gas, water and other media. In chemical plants or energy transport, it is used as piping material to protect the transport, which can effectively prevent the leakage of toxic gases and the risk of energy explosion.

Applications of Aluminium tubes:

Aluminum tube, on the other hand, is widely used in a number of applications. This is because it has rectangular and square shapes. This is something that is missing in pipes and hence the applications will be more varied.

• In construction, aluminum tube can be used to manufacture scaffolding, curtain rods, etc.
• In automotive, it can be used for component materials such as battery casings and fuel tanks.
• It can be used as housing for electronic devices, such as motor housings, heat sinks and computer mainframe housings.

How are tubes and pipes manufactured?

Aluminium tubing and aluminium pipes are manufactured in the same way. They are obtained by aluminium extrusion and can also be called “extruded aluminium tubes“.

What is aluminium extrusion?

Aluminium extrusion is the process of placing an aluminium bar into an extrusion machine. The extrusion causes it to deform plastically, resulting in a tube. This process has the advantage of low manufacturing costs and high product quality.

The process of aluminium extrusion:

Raw material preparation (selection of suitable aluminium alloy materials) → extrusion (design and manufacture of suitable dies, control of extrusion speed, temperature and pressure) → heat treatment (aging treatment) → surface treatment (anodic oxidation and powder coating). Below is a video of the manufacturing process from Hugh Aluminium:

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Aluminium tube is more popular with consumers!

The wider application of aluminium tubing is well recognised. This is because powder coated aluminium tubes have benefited every industry. Outdoor manufacturers use aluminium square tubes for tent supports, table legs. In the medical industry, aluminium oval tubes are used as material for crutches and wheelchairs. In addition, aluminium torque tubes have become the main housing for electronic devices. Aluminium tubes have replaced many metal materials and tubes are preferred over pipes. They are similar but different.

If you are looking for aluminium tubes? Contact Hugh Aluminum！

we are a professional aluminium manufacturer. With 14 years of experience in the aluminium extrusion manufacturing industry, we have a production capacity of 600 tonnes – 1800 tonnes of aluminium extrusion, which can meet your various aluminium tube manufacturing needs. Please contact us!