Two Types of Titanium Tubes and Their Process Differences

Titanium tubes are generally classified into two types: seamless titanium tubes and welded titanium tubes.

Seamless Titanium Tubes

Seamless titanium tubes are produced through various extrusion processes, including cold-rolled tubes, spin-formed tubes, and drawn tubes. The majority of titanium extrusion products are cold-worked tube billets, with some also used as finished products such as hot-extruded tubes, profiles, and composites. The smallest specification for titanium tubes is a diameter of 2mm x 0.5mm, while high-precision, ultra-long pure titanium seamless tubes can reach lengths of up to 15 meters.

Extrusion Methods:

• Drilling/Piercing Extrusion Process: Utilizes drilling or piercing to create uniform wall thickness but results in higher metal loss.
• Diagonal Rolling Piercing Process: Uses diagonal rolling to pierce the billet, resulting in lower metal consumption but greater wall thickness tolerance.
• Hot Extrusion of Titanium Plates and Alloys: Uses extrusion machines with glass lubrication, achieving high extrusion ratios. Glass lubrication is the most advanced but not yet fully industrialized in China.

Lubrication Types:

• Lubricants used include grease, glass lubricants, and metal coatings.
• Glass lubrication is the most advanced globally but not fully industrialized in China.
• Metal coating involves wrapping billets with copper, soft steel, or other metals, with complex processes and high environmental impact during acid pickling.

Welded Titanium Tubes

Welded titanium tubes are characterized by shorter production processes, high efficiency, and no length limitations. They are suitable for producing thin-walled tubes in large quantities with consistent specifications, types, and grades.

Manufacturing Process:

• Steps: Titanium strip coil, longitudinal shearing and forming, welding, shaping and sizing, heat treatment, straightening, eddy current and ultrasonic testing, air tightness testing, finished welded tubes.
• Forming Methods: Continuous roll forming is common, with W-bending forming methods preferred for high-quality results and suitable for diameters larger than 200mm.
• Welding Methods: Includes high-frequency welding and argon arc welding, with argon gas protection required during and after welding when weld temperatures exceed 450°C.

In recent years, both state-owned enterprises and private companies in China have established or are preparing to establish over 80 production lines for welded titanium tubes, gradually increasing the proportion of welded tubes in the Titanium Tube market.

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