Seamless tubes are extruded and drawn from a solid piece of stainless steel, such as INC600 or SS310 . Welded tubes are made by welding a seam along the length of a stainless steel strip to seal the two edges together and form a tube. The difference in manufacture leads to some distinct differences in properties:
| Seamless Tubes | Welded Tubes |
| Can withstand high pressure | More consistent concentricity |
| More resistant to corrosion | Susceptible to corrosion along the welded seam |
| Are more expensive | Cheaper |
| Relatively short | Can be made into extremely long continuous tubes |
| Easier to make into heavy walled tubing | More suited to thinner walled applications |
| Higher purity | More susceptible to contamination due to the welding process |
If your application requires tubes that are highly resistant to corrosion and pressure, then a seamless tube is the better choice. If you have a limited budget and your application does not have any important safety restrictions, then a welded tube would be the better choice.
Kamet supplies both seamless and welded tubing in a variety of alloys and sizes. Please contact our expert advisors for guidance in the best option for you application.
