The primary difference between a stainless steel tube and a pipe is that a pipe is generally round, thicker, and used to transport fluids or gases under pressure, whereas a tube can be round, square, or rectangular in shape, has tighter tolerances, and is applied in structural or mechanical applications.
Seamless Stainless Steel Tube Manufacturer
We at Xintongda Special Steel (XTD) specialise in manufacturing seamless stainless steel tubes in Songyang, China. The seamless stainless steel tubing is known for its improved strength, high corrosion resistance, and stability at elevated temperatures. We manufacture our austenitic SS Seamless tubes according to the ASTM A213 standard by heating and piercing a round bar into a hollow shell, then working over a mandrel, and pickling and straightening for a clean finish. We produce all kinds of grades of austenitic stainless steel seamless tubes, like 304, 316, 321, 904L, etc. Our SS SMLS tubes are mainly used in oil & gas, food, automotive, and many other industries. At XTD, we provide customised solutions for outer diameters, thicknesses, and lengths of the tubes. We have an annual supply capacity of 25,000 tons and have been serving the industries since 1985. Due to our supply capacity, we can deliver in-stock products within a week and production orders in 15-60 days.
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Standard
ASTM A213
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OD Range 6.35-257 mm -
Thickness 0.89-12.7 mm -
Length ≤ 22 m
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What are Stainless Steel Seamless Tubes?
Seamless stainless steel tubes are weld-free tubular products made from the stainless steel alloy. This tube generally comprises iron, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and other materials. Since this SS tube is seamless, it provides uniform structural integrity, reduces cracks and fatigue, and offers a cleaner flow path for fluids.
Difference between Seamless Tubes vs. Welded Tubes?
The SS seamless tube is made from a single solid billet of stainless steel, whereas a welded tube is made by welding flat sheets of the material into a tube. The complete difference between these two can be understood through the table provided below:
| Aspect | Stainless Steel Seamless Tube | Stainless Steel Welded Tube |
| Definition / How Made | Produced from a solid billet that is pierced and rolled into a tube with no weld seam. | Made by rolling a flat strip or coil into a cylindrical shape and joining it with a longitudinal weld. |
| Strength & Pressure Handling | Higher strength and better pressure resistance | Good strength for many applications, limited performance in high-pressure |
| Corrosion Resistance | Typically better in severe environments (e.g., marine, chemical) | Modern welding gives good corrosion resistance, but is comparatively more vulnerable if not treated properly. |
| Typical Uses | Critical, high-pressure or high-temperature applications. e.g. oil & gas, boilers, hydraulic systems. | Lower-pressure, general use. e.g. construction, architectural tubing, HVAC, food processing. |
| When To Use | When strength, reliability, and corrosion resistance are priorities. | When budget, dimensional precision, and surface finish matter |
Key Features of Seamless SS Tubing
Below are the 5 main characteristics of seamless SS tubing:
- High strength and pressure resistance: A seamless SS tube is made from a single solid billet of the material. Due to this, the tube gains high strength and can withstand very high pressure.
- Excellent corrosion resistance: The chromium content of the tube forms a passive chromium oxide layer to prevent oxidation. For some grades, molybdenum helps to resist pitting and crevice corrosion.
- Smooth internal and external surface finish: Since it is produced from a single round bar, the tube has a smooth internal and external surface finish.
- Tight dimensional tolerances: When we manufacture the SS tube, we perform cold drawing or cold pilgering. This process improves the tube’s dimensional accuracy.
- Good temperature performance: The composition of many grades includes chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and other elements. These materials increase the overall temperature performance of the stainless steel seamless tube.
Available Grades of Seamless Stainless Tubes
01
Stainless Steel 304 Seamless Tube
304 SS seamless tube is an austenitic chromium-nickel alloy generally known for its high strength-to-weight ratio. It has good weldability and corrosion resistance.
02
Stainless Steel 304L Seamless Tube
304L seamless tube is very similar to 304 with low levels of carbon. Due to this, it prevents carbide precipitation during welding and reduces the risk of intergranular corrosion.
03
Stainless Steel 309 Seamless Tube
The seamless SS 309 tube has high chromium and nickel content, and is very resistant to oxidation and corrosion. It is extensively used in elevated temperatures and corrosive environments.
04
Stainless Steel 310 Seamless Tube
310 seamless tube is made of a chromium-nickel alloy, with high creep strength and good oxidation resistance. It also prevents sulfidation and intergranular corrosion.
05
Stainless Steel 310H Seamless Tube
Apart from its higher carbon content (denoted by H), 310H seamless tube is very similar to 310. The increased amount of carbon increases the alloy’s creep strength and high-temperature performance.
06
Stainless Steel 310S Seamless Tube
The 310S is a low-carbon variant of 310, with 24-26% chromium and 19-22% nickel. It is easily weldable and can prevent carbide precipitation very well.
07
Stainless Steel 310MoLN Seamless Tube
The 310MoLN is a modified austenitic stainless steel with low carbon and high molybdenum, nitrogen, and silicon content. This special chemical composition makes it suitable for application in urea plants.
08
Stainless Steel 314 Seamless Tube
314 seamless SS tube has high chromium, nickel, and silicon content. It has good heat and oxidation resistance.
09
Stainless Steel 316 Seamless Tube
The added molybdenum content in the 316 SMLS tube makes it highly resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion.
10
Stainless Steel 316L Seamless Tube
316L SS seamless tube is a slightly modified version of the 316 with low carbon content. It has good corrosion resistance in welding applications and chloride-rich environments.
11
Stainless Steel 316LN Seamless Tube
316LN tube is very similar to 316L, with a high amount of nitrogen. This provides the alloy with solid solution hardening, which increases its yield strength.
12
Stainless Steel 316Ti Seamless Tube
316Ti seamless tube is a titanium-stabilised tubular product, with good resistance to sensitisation and prevention of the formation of chromium carbides at grain boundaries.
13
Stainless Steel 317 Seamless Tube
The 317 seamless tube is a molybdenum-bearing austenitic SS tube, with high resistance to pitting, crevice corrosion, and general chemical attack.
14
Stainless Steel 317L Seamless Tube
317L seamless tube is a low-carbon variant of 317 that can handle corrosion in chloride or halide-rich environments.
15
Stainless Steel 321 Seamless Tube
The 321 SS seamless tube comes with added titanium, which stabilises the alloy and prevents carbide precipitation during welding.
16
Stainless Steel 321H Seamless Tube
321H seamless tube, when compared to 321, has a higher carbon content. The alloy can still prevent carbide precipitation because it has stabilised titanium in it.
17
Stainless Steel 347 Seamless Tube
SS 347 tube is a columbium and tantalum-stabilised alloy, and is highly resistant to intergranular corrosion at extreme temperatures.
18
Stainless Steel 347H Seamless Tube
Being a high-carbon version of 347, the 347H seamless tube has increased strength and creep resistance.
19
Stainless Steel 904L Seamless Tube
SS 904L is a high-alloy austenitic stainless steel tube with a low amount of carbon. The added molybdenum and copper make it resistant to strong reducing acids.
What are the Applications of ASTM A213 tubing?
The uses of ASTM A213 Stainless Steel Seamless Tube are given below.
Oil & Gas
Mainly used in the transportation of natural gas, LNG, and CNG, offshore drilling platforms, and casing and tubing strings.
Chemical
The SS SMLS tube is applied in fluid transport pipelines, boilers & superheaters, fertiliser production, and refrigeration systems.
Power
In the power generation industry, it is used in superheaters and reheaters, turbines, and environmental technologies.
Marine
Generally used in hydraulic and control systems, marine engineering and vessels, exhaust systems, etc.
Food
For the food industry, the seamless SS tube is used for mixing & fermentation tanks, dairy plants, breweries, and cooking pots & pasteurisers.
Pharma
This tube finds its application in purified water systems, bioreactors & fermenters, and Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Sterilise-in-Place (SIP) systems.
Automotive
Mainly applied in structural components, high-pressure fuel-injection systems, and exhaust systems.
Construction
Used in architectural features and decorative applications, gas & water supply systems, and structural support.
100% Certified Testing & Documentation
XTD ensures every pipe meets industry requirements through rigorous testing and complete material traceability. The following certifications and test reports are provided with each delivery:
- Raw Materials Certificate
- 100% Positive Material Identification (PMI)
- Heat Treatment Charts
- Third-Party Inspection Report
- Surface roughness and size measurement
- Manufacturer Test Certificate (Impact Testing, Flattening, Flare, Bend, Hardness, Intergranular Corrosion, Pitting Corrosion, Grain size, Eddy Current (ET), Ultrasonic Testing (UT), Hydrostatic Testing (HT), etc.)
- Laboratory Test Certificate from Govt. Approved Lab
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the primary difference between stainless steel tubing and piping?
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What is a GOST seamless stainless steel tube?A GOST seamless stainless steel tube is a high-quality tubular product made of stainless steel according to the Russian (GOST) standards.
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How is a stainless steel seamless tube manufactured?A stainless steel seamless tube is manufactured by heating and piercing a solid round bar of stainless steel into a hollow shell. This shell is then hot-worked and cold-drawn to achieve precise dimensions. The next step is solution annealing, which helps to retain its corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. At the end, we perform pickling and straightening, and send it for testing. To get more information about the manufacturing process in detail, kindly visit this page.