Nickel 201

How it's madeSeamless pipe is pierced from a solid billet and hot-finished or cold-drawn. Welded pipe is formed from strip or plate and welded longitudinally (ERW/HFW, TIG/plasma, EFW, LSAW) or spirally (SAWH). Stainless and nickel-alloy pipe is then solution annealed and pickled. Carbon and alloy steel pipe is supplied as-rolled, normalised, or normalised and tempered according to the specification.

Specification

ASTM B161

Size range

NPS ⅛" to 48" and larger (DN 6 – DN 1200+), schedules 5S to XXS, single random, double random and cut lengths

Finish

Annealed & pickled, bright annealed, mill finish, black, varnished, galvanised or 3LPE / FBE coated (by material)

Ends

Plain end (PE), bevelled end (BE, ASME B16.25), threaded (NPT / BSP), grooved

Testing & documents

1. Chemical and mechanical (tension, flattening, flare/bend) tests
2. Hydrostatic test or non-destructive electric test (UT/ET) on each length
3. Dimensional and visual inspection
4. Intergranular corrosion (stainless), impact (low-temperature), hardness (sour service) when specified
5. PMI and third-party inspection on request
6. EN 10204 3.1 certificate; 3.2 with third-party inspection

How it's madeSeamless tubes are hot-extruded or pierced and then cold-drawn or pilgered to size. Welded tubes are formed from strip, welded (TIG/laser/HF), bead-worked and drawn or sized. Heat-exchanger and boiler tubes are annealed after final forming, and U-tubes are bent and stress-relieved as required.

Specification

ASTM B161 / B163

Size range

OD 3 mm to about 127 mm (¼" to 5") typical, wall 0.5 mm to 12 mm; BWG or mm; straight lengths up to about 30 m, U-bent to drawing

Finish

Annealed & pickled, bright annealed (BA), polished (sanitary), cold-drawn

Ends

Plain square-cut, deburred; U-bends with stress-relieved bends on request

Testing & documents

1. Eddy-current and/or ultrasonic testing on each tube
2. Hydrostatic or pneumatic test
3. Flattening, flaring and flange tests
4. Grain size (H grades), IGC and hardness when specified
5. Surface roughness (Ra) for sanitary and instrumentation tube
6. EN 10204 3.1 certificate; 3.2 with third-party inspection

How it's madeSlabs are hot-rolled on a reversing plate mill (or a Steckel/hot-strip mill for thinner plate), then heat treated (annealed, normalised, or quenched and tempered, depending on material), descaled and pickled or shot-blasted. Plates are cut to size by plasma, oxy-fuel, waterjet or shearing.

Specification

ASTM B162

Size range

Thickness about 3 – 150 mm (and heavier on request), widths 1,000 – 3,000 mm, lengths 2,000 – 12,000 mm; cut-to-size and profile-cut parts

Finish

No.1 (hot-rolled, annealed and pickled) for stainless; shot-blasted, mill scale or primed for carbon steel

Ends

Mill edge, sheared, plasma or waterjet cut, profile cut to drawing

Testing & documents

1. Chemical analysis and tensile tests (per plate or heat)
2. Impact tests for low-temperature and pressure-vessel plates
3. Ultrasonic testing (e.g. ASTM A435 / A578) when specified
4. IGC, HIC and simulated PWHT tests as required
5. Flatness and dimensional inspection
6. EN 10204 3.1 certificate; 3.2 with third-party inspection

How it's madeHot-rolled coil is cold-rolled to final thickness, then annealed and pickled (2B/2D) or bright annealed (BA), temper-passed, and polished or textured as needed. Coils are then levelled and cut into sheets.

Specification

ASTM B162

Size range

Thickness about 0.3 – 6 mm, standard sizes 1,000 × 2,000, 1,219 × 2,438 (4 × 8 ft), 1,250 × 2,500 and 1,500 × 3,000 mm; custom cut lengths

Finish

2B, 2D, BA, No.4 (brushed), HL (hairline), No.8 (mirror), embossed, PVC or laser-film protected

Ends

Sheared or slit edges; laser-cut blanks on request

Testing & documents

1. Chemical and mechanical tests
2. Surface and finish inspection
3. Thickness and flatness checks
4. Hardness and bend tests as specified
5. EN 10204 3.1 certificate; 3.2 with third-party inspection

How it's madeHot-rolled coil (HRC) comes from the hot-strip mill. Cold-rolled coil (CRC) is further reduced on a cold mill, then annealed and pickled or bright annealed, and skin-passed. Slitting lines cut master coils into narrow strips to the width you order.

Specification

ASTM B162

Size range

Thickness about 0.3 – 12 mm; widths from narrow slit strip (about 10 mm) to 1,250 / 1,500 / 2,000 mm; coil ID 508 / 610 mm; coil weights to order

Finish

No.1 (hot-rolled, annealed, pickled), 2B, 2D, BA, No.4 for stainless; HR black, pickled & oiled, CR for carbon steel

Ends

Mill edge or slit edge

Testing & documents

1. Chemical and mechanical tests
2. Thickness profile and surface inspection
3. Hardness and bend tests
4. EN 10204 3.1 certificate; 3.2 with third-party inspection

How it's madeBillets are hot-rolled or forged to size, then heat treated (annealed, solution treated, or quenched and tempered) and finished by descaling, peeling, turning, cold-drawing or centreless grinding for bright bar with tight tolerance.

Specification

ASTM B160

Size range

Round bars about 3 – 500 mm diameter; hex 6 – 100 mm A/F; square and flat sections to order; lengths 3 – 6 m random or cut to size

Finish

Black (hot-rolled), peeled, bright drawn, centreless ground and polished (h9 / h11 tolerance)

Ends

Saw-cut, chamfered on request

Testing & documents

1. Chemical and mechanical tests
2. Ultrasonic testing for internal soundness
3. Hardness, IGC and impact tests as specified
4. Straightness and tolerance checks
5. EN 10204 3.1 certificate; 3.2 with third-party inspection

How it's madeButt-weld fittings are formed from seamless or welded pipe or plate by hot or cold forming (mandrel bending, hydraulic bulging, pressing), then heat treated, bevelled and finished. Socket-weld and threaded fittings are machined from forgings or bar.

Specification

ASTM B366 WPNL

Size range

Butt-weld ½" – 48" (larger fabricated to order) in schedules matching the pipe; socket-weld and threaded ⅛" – 4" in Class 2000, 3000, 6000 and 9000

Finish

Annealed & pickled, shot-blasted, black painted or galvanised (by material)

Ends

Bevelled (butt-weld), socket-weld, threaded NPT/BSP

Testing & documents

1. Chemical and mechanical tests of the starting material
2. Dimensional inspection to B16.9 / B16.11
3. Radiography of welded fittings (seamed WPW/WX)
4. Hardness, IGC and impact tests as specified
5. EN 10204 3.1 certificate; 3.2 with third-party inspection

How it's madeFlanges are forged from billets (or cut from plate for some blind and plate flanges), heat treated to the material specification, and machined: bore, face, raised face or ring groove, bolt holes and hub bevel.

Specification

ASTM B564 / to order

Size range

NPS ½" – 24" (B16.5), 26" – 60" (B16.47 Series A/B); Class 150, 300, 600, 900, 1500, 2500; EN 1092-1 PN 6 – PN 100 on request

Finish

Raised face (RF), flat face (FF) or ring-type joint (RTJ); serrated spiral or concentric face finish (typically 3.2 – 6.3 µm Ra)

Ends

Weld-neck bevel matched to pipe schedule; socket bore; threaded

Testing & documents

1. Chemical and mechanical tests of the forging
2. Dimensional inspection to ASME B16.5 / B16.47
3. Hardness, impact and IGC tests as specified
4. Ultrasonic testing of forgings on request
5. EN 10204 3.1 certificate; 3.2 with third-party inspection