We supply electric resistance welded mechanical tubing to ASTM A513 Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is supplied as-welded; Type 2 is sink drawn, which sizes the outside diameter and brightens it without removing the internal weld flash. Type 6, not Type 2, is the normalised option.
Price: quoted per specification. Steel prices move with the raw material market, so every quotation is confirmed at the time of order.
Specifications
- Standard: ASTM A513 electric resistance welded mechanical tubing
- Type: Type 1 as-welded, Type 2 normalized or annealed
- Steel grade: 1008, 1010, 1020, 1026 (other grades on request)
- Size range: Quoted to your drawing
Steel grades
- 1008 — softest of the range, for bending and forming
- 1010 — general mechanical tubing
- 1020 — higher strength for bushings and spacers
- 1026 — highest strength of the common A513 grades
The four A513 types in one place
Type 1 and Type 2 are the two as-supplied welded options; Type 5 and Type 6 are the two that change the bore or the structure. Writing the type number on the drawing is the only way to get what you actually want, because two different types can be sold under the same “mechanical tubing” description.
| Type | How it is made | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | ERW, as welded, no post-weld cold work | Weld flash inside; ovality and wall variation as welded |
| Type 2 | ERW, then cold drawn without a mandrel (sink drawn) | Outside diameter sized and brightened; bore only partly improved, weld not removed |
| Type 5 | ERW, then cold drawn over a mandrel (DOM) | Mandrel sizes the bore and pushes the flash out; wall becomes concentric |
| Type 6 | ERW, then fully normalised after welding | Weld and heat affected zone returned to base metal structure |
When Type 2 is enough, and when to move to Type 5
Type 2 is the right answer when the outside diameter is what the part runs on: a shaft that turns in a bearing, a sleeve that is clamped on its outside, a furniture or general mechanical part that is painted. The bore is not sized, so anything that slides inside the tube will feel the weld flash.
Move to Type 5 when the bore is a working surface: bushings, shock absorber bodies, cylinder shells that will be honed, or any part where a piston or a seal travels inside. The mandrel is what makes the wall concentric and the bore clean, and that is the difference you pay for. Move to Type 6 instead when the part will be bent, flared or welded again by your customer and the weld zone has to behave like base metal.
What to specify in the order
| Item | What to write | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Type | ASTM A513 Type 1, 2, 5 or 6 | “Mechanical tubing” alone does not define the bore |
| Grade | 1010, 1020 or another low carbon grade | Decides yield and weldability |
| Size | Outside diameter × wall, tolerance | Sets what the mill can hold and the price |
| Bore | Flash removed or not, and any Ra requirement | Only the mandrel draw and honing change the bore |
| Condition | As drawn, stress relieved, or normalised | Decides whether the part can be machined or formed after delivery |
Packing and export
As-welded tube is shipped in mill bundles; drawn tube is oiled, end-capped and wrapped because the bright outside diameter is normally the finished surface. Bundles are strapped with padded bands to avoid marking the bright OD, and wooden cases are used where the customer’s handling equipment is rough. Certificates record the type, grade and heat number, which is what a receiving inspection needs to confirm it got Type 2 rather than Type 1.
Typical applications
- General mechanical parts
- Frames and light structural parts
- Bushings and spacers
Standard reference: see our ASTM A513 standard page for grades, delivery conditions and tolerances.
Quality and packing: tubes are protected with anti-rust oil and packed seaworthy, in wooden cases where agreed. Each lot is tested for chemical composition, yield and tensile strength, flattening, elongation and dimensions, with visual inspection and NDT available on request.
Request a quotation: send your size list or drawing through our contact page. We reply within one working day with price, tolerance and lead time.