Stainless Steel Tubes and Aluminum Tubes: Process, Performance Comparison and Selection Guide

Stainless steel tubes are mostly fabricated by arc welding or laser welding process, with high strength at the welds, which can withstand greater pressure and impact. The material itself has excellent corrosion resistance, especially in contact with water, acids and alkalis and other media, stable performance. The aluminum tube usually adopts the extrusion molding process, which has high production efficiency and can produce complex cross-sectional shapes. However, aluminum tubes are relatively difficult to weld, and the strength of the weld will be reduced compared to the base material.

In terms of weight, aluminum tubes have a clear advantage, with a density of about 1/3 that of stainless steel tubes, which makes them more popular in scenarios where equipment weight needs to be reduced, such as aerospace and automotive manufacturing. However, in high-temperature environments, the heat resistance of stainless steel tubes far exceeds that of aluminum tubes, which can maintain structural stability at temperatures above 500°C. Therefore, stainless steel tubes are a better choice for industrial furnaces, high-temperature piping, and other scenarios.