Short-Length Stainless Steel Coil Tube (30–100 m/Coil)
Product Overview
The Short-Length Stainless Steel Coil Tube (also designated as Coiltube) is a precision-engineered continuous tube product supplied in compact coil configurations ranging from 30 metres to 100 metres per coil. Manufactured by Wenzhou Jixing Metal Materials Co., Ltd., this product category is specifically designed to address the operational demands of applications where conventional long-length coils are impractical due to spatial constraints, manual handling requirements, or installation accessibility challenges.
Unlike standard long-coil tubes that may extend beyond 200 metres per coil, the short-coil variant offers a significant logistical and ergonomic advantage. The reduced coil length facilitates manual transportation without mechanical lifting equipment, making it an ideal solution for on-site fabrication shops, confined installation environments, and projects requiring frequent tube repositioning during assembly.
Material & Properties
Short-length coil tubes are typically fabricated from austenitic and duplex stainless steel grades, selected to deliver a superior combination of corrosion resistance, mechanical integrity, and formability. The following material grades are commonly available:
- Austenitic Grades: AISI 304 (UNS S30408), AISI 304L, AISI 316 (UNS S31608), AISI 316L, AISI 321, AISI 321H
- Super-Austenitic Grades: AISI 904L (UNS N08904), Alloy 20 (UNS N08200)
- Duplex Grades: 2205 (UNS S31803), 2507 (UNS S32750)
- Ferritic Grades: AISI 430, AISI 439
Key Material Properties:
- Corrosion Resistance: Excellent resistance to pitting, crevice corrosion, and intergranular corrosion (IGC) in chloride-rich environments, particularly for 316L and duplex grades
- Mechanical Strength: Tensile strength ranging from 520 MPa (AISI 304 annealed) to over 620 MPa (duplex grades), with elongation of ≥35% for austenitic grades
- Weldability: Superior weldability across all austenitic grades; low carbon (L) variants minimise sensitisation risk during welding
- Temperature Range: Operational from cryogenic temperatures (−196 °C) to approximately 870 °C (austenitic), with no ductile-to-brittle transition
- Magnetic Properties: Non-magnetic or weakly magnetic in the annealed condition (austenitic grades)
Specifications
The following table summarises the principal geometric and dimensional parameters for the short-length coil tube product:
| Parameter | Specification / Range | Standard Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Coil Length | 30 m – 100 m per coil | Manufacturer specification |
| Outer Diameter (OD) | 6.0 mm – 168.3 mm (custom sizes available) | ASTM A554 / EN 10217-7 |
| Wall Thickness (WT) | 0.5 mm – 12.0 mm | ASTM A554 / EN 10217-7 |
| OD Tolerance | ±1.0% to ±0.5% (standard / precision) | ASTM A554 |
| WT Tolerance | ±10% (standard) / ±5% (precision) | ASTM A554 |
| Surface Finish | 2B (cold-rolled and annealed), No. 1 (hot-rolled), BA (bright annealed), Mirror (Ra ≤ 0.4 μm), Pickled & Passivated | ASTM A480 / EN 10088 |
| End Condition | Plain cut, bevelled, or threaded (on request) | ISO 14289 / ASME B1.20.1 |
| Coil ID (Inner Diameter) | 150 mm – 600 mm (adjustable to site constraints) | Manufacturer specification |
| Delivery Condition | Annealed (soft), Solution-treated, or Cold-worked (¼-hard to full-hard) | ASTM A554 |
| Applicable Standards | ASTM A554, ASTM A213, EN 10217-7, EN 10216-5, GB/T 12771, JIS G3459 | — |
Manufacturing Process
The production of short-length stainless steel coil tubes follows a rigorous multi-stage manufacturing sequence designed to ensure dimensional accuracy, metallurgical homogeneity, and surface integrity:
- Hot Rolling / Hot Extrusion: The initial billet or ingot is heated to 1200–1350 °C and rolled or extruded into a seamless tube blank (pierce or extrude). This stage establishes the base geometry and breaks down the as-cast grain structure.
- Pickling & Descaling: The hot-rolled tube is subjected to acid pickling (typically a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid) to remove the mill scale oxide layer, ensuring a clean substrate for subsequent processing.
- Cold Drawing / Cold Rolling: The tube is drawn through precision dies or cold-rolled over mandrels to achieve the target OD, wall thickness, and surface finish. This step imparts significant dimensional accuracy (tolerances as tight as ±0.5%) and work-hardening benefits.
- Solution Annealing: The cold-worked tube is solution-annealed at 1050–1150 °C followed by rapid water quenching to restore full ductility, eliminate residual stresses, and homogenise the microstructure into a single-phase austenitic condition.
- Precision Sizing: Post-annealing, the tube may undergo final cold sizing (plug rolling or sleeve drawing) to refine dimensional tolerances without re-introducing significant work hardening.
- Passivation: A final passivation treatment (typically 20–30% nitric acid or citric acid immersion) enriches the chromium oxide passive layer on the surface, enhancing corrosion resistance.
- Coiling & Length Control: The continuous tube is wound into coils of controlled length (30–100 m) using precision winding equipment with real-time length monitoring. Coil ends are secured with steel strapping or wire ties, and each coil is labelled with heat number, grade, dimensions, and length.
Applications
The short-length coil tube format finds extensive use across multiple industries, particularly where the logistical advantages of compact coils are critical:
- Chemical & Petrochemical Processing: Heat exchanger tubes, reactor internals, process piping in confined plant areas, and instrument tubing where manual installation is required
- Food & Beverage Industry: Sanitary process lines, brewing equipment, dairy processing systems, and pharmaceutical-grade transfer tubing requiring easy coil replacement in compact fabrication areas
- Oil & Gas: Downhole instrumentation tubing, subsea umbilical components, and wellhead accessories where transport and installation occur in spatially restricted environments
- Medical Devices: Tubing for endoscopic instruments, dialysis equipment, and surgical tools where short, manageable coils simplify fabrication and sterilisation workflows
- Automotive & Aerospace: Fuel lines, hydraulic lines, exhaust components, and turbine hot-section components requiring precise material properties and controlled coil lengths for automated forming
- Construction & Architectural: Structural handrails, balustrades, and decorative applications in tight-access installations where large coils cannot be accommodated
- Research & Laboratory: Custom fabrication of experimental apparatus, laboratory-scale piping systems, and prototype components where short coils allow easy reconfiguration
Quality Certifications & Compliance
Wenzhou Jixing Metal Materials Co., Ltd. maintains a comprehensive quality management infrastructure ensuring full traceability and compliance with international standards:
- ISO 9001:2015 — Quality Management System certification
- ISO 14001 — Environmental Management System
- EN 10204 — Type 3.1 mill test certificates (MTC) issued with every shipment, documenting chemical composition, mechanical properties, heat treatment, and non-destructive testing (NDT) results
- ASTM / ASME — Compliance with applicable ASTM and ASME material specifications
- EU Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 2014/68/EU — Available for pressure-containing applications
- NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 — Compliance for sour service environments (on request)
- Third-Party Inspection (TPI) — Available upon customer request (e.g., SGS, Bureau Veritas, DNV)
Unique Selling Points
1. Optimised Coil Length for Ergonomic Handling
The 30–100 m coil length range is specifically engineered to eliminate the need for heavy lifting equipment. A single operator can safely transport and position the coil, reducing labour costs, minimising workplace injury risk, and accelerating installation timelines.
2. Ideal for Confined-Space Installation
In retrofit projects, offshore platforms, underground facilities, or densely packed process plants, the compact coil dimensions allow access through narrow corridors, hatches, and access panels where long coils are physically impossible to deploy.
3. Reduced Material Waste
Shorter coils enable more precise cutting and utilisation, minimising offcut waste during fabrication. This translates to direct cost savings and reduced environmental impact per installed metre of tubing.
4. Full Traceability & Customisation
Each coil is individually traceable from raw material heat number through final delivery. Custom coil lengths, surface finishes, end treatments, and packaging configurations are available to meet project-specific requirements.
5. Multi-Grade Availability
The short-coil format is available across a comprehensive range of stainless steel grades, including super-austenitic and duplex alloys, providing material selection flexibility without compromising logistical practicality.
Storage & Handling Recommendations
- Store coils on level, dry ground or on dedicated coil saddles in a covered warehouse to prevent surface damage and moisture-induced corrosion
- Maintain a minimum clearance of 1.0 m from other stored materials to prevent mechanical deformation
- Use appropriate rigging (soft slings or coil cradles) when lifting; never attach lifting slings directly to the coil body
- Inspect coil strapping and wire ties before unloading; replace if damaged or corroded
- Protect coil ends with plastic or rubber caps during storage to prevent edge damage and finger injury
For detailed quotations, custom specifications, and technical support, please contact Wenzhou Jixing Metal Materials Co., Ltd. directly with your grade, dimension, and quantity requirements.