Specifications of commonly used aluminum and aluminum alloy pipes
The specifications of commonly used aluminum and aluminum alloy pipes are crucial parameters for measuring their size and performance, directly impacting their suitability for various applications. These specifications primarily include outer diameter, wall thickness, length, and material grade. These specifications must be determined based on the pressure, temperature, media characteristics, and processing and installation requirements of the intended use scenario. Aluminum and aluminum alloy pipes come in a wide range of sizes, with outer diameters ranging from 6 mm to 300 mm and wall thicknesses from 0.5 mm to over 20 mm. Lengths typically range from 6 meters to 9 meters, or can be customized to meet customer needs. Materials include grades such as 1-series pure aluminum, 3-series aluminum alloys, 5-series aluminum alloys, and 6-series aluminum alloys, meeting varying strength, corrosion resistance, and processing requirements.
Based on outer diameter and wall thickness, commonly used aluminum and aluminum alloy tubes can be categorized as small-diameter, thin-walled, medium-diameter, and large-diameter, thick-walled tubes. Small-diameter, thin-walled tubes typically have an outer diameter of 6-50 mm and a wall thickness of 0.5-3 mm. For example, 6061 aluminum alloy tubes with an outer diameter of 10 mm and a wall thickness of 1 mm are commonly used in piping systems for medical devices and precision instruments. Medium-diameter, medium-walled tubes have an outer diameter of 50-150 mm and a wall thickness of 3-10 mm. For example, 3003 aluminum alloy tubes with an outer diameter of 100 mm and a wall thickness of 5 mm are suitable for fluid transportation in the chemical and food processing industries. Large-diameter, thick-walled tubes have an outer diameter exceeding 150 mm and a wall thickness of 10 mm or more. For example, 5083 aluminum alloy tubes with an outer diameter of 200 mm and a wall thickness of 12 mm are commonly used in high-pressure applications such as shipbuilding and marine engineering. Furthermore, the wall thickness tolerance of aluminum and aluminum alloy tubes is typically controlled within ±10% to ensure dimensional accuracy that meets assembly requirements.
In terms of length specifications, the standard lengths of commonly used aluminum and aluminum alloy tubes are 6 meters and 9 meters, which are determined based on transportation convenience and processing efficiency, and are convenient for truck transportation and workshop lifting. For special application scenarios, such as large-scale building structures and bridge projects, long aluminum tubes of more than 12 meters can be provided, but special transportation equipment is required. The length of short-length aluminum tubes is more flexible and can be cut into 1 meter, 2 meters, 3 meters, etc. according to customer needs. It is suitable for the installation and maintenance of small equipment. In terms of length accuracy, the length deviation of fixed-length aluminum tubes generally does not exceed ±5 mm, ensuring the docking accuracy during installation and reducing processing allowances.
Matching material grades and specifications is the key to the application of common aluminum and aluminum alloy pipes. 1 series pure aluminum tube (such as 1060) has high purity and good thermal conductivity, but its strength is relatively low. It is suitable for low-pressure and low-temperature fluid transportation, such as air conditioning and refrigeration pipelines. The common specifications are OD 12-25 mm and wall thickness 1-2 mm. 3 series aluminum alloy tube (such as 3003) has manganese added to improve strength and corrosion resistance. It is suitable for transportation pipelines in the food and beverage industry. The common specifications are OD 25-80 mm and wall thickness 2-5 mm. 5 series aluminum alloy tube (such as 5052, 5083) uses magnesium as the main alloying element, has high strength and excellent seawater corrosion resistance, and is commonly used in ships and marine engineering. The common specifications are OD 50-200 mm and wall thickness 3-15 mm. 6 series aluminum alloy tube (such as 6061, 6063) contains magnesium and silicon, can be strengthened by heat treatment, has high strength and is easy to process. It is suitable for construction and machinery manufacturing fields. The common specifications are OD 16-100 mm and wall thickness 2-8 mm.
Industry trends indicate that the specifications of commonly used aluminum and aluminum alloy tubes are moving toward customization and refinement. As downstream industries increase their performance requirements for aluminum tubes, manufacturers can tailor non-standard specifications to meet specific customer needs, such as special-shaped tubes (elliptical and square) and reducers, to meet the design requirements of specialized structures. Furthermore, refined specification control continues to improve. Through precision rolling and online inspection technologies, the outer diameter tolerance is controlled within ±0.1 mm and the wall thickness tolerance is controlled within ±5%, improving product dimensional accuracy and consistency. In the future, with the development of high-end sectors such as new energy vehicles and aerospace, the demand for large-diameter, thin-walled, high-strength aluminum alloy tubes will increase, driving further improvement and innovation in the aluminum and aluminum alloy tube specification system.
