Steel tubes are manufactured in all different shapes and are used in many different industries for a wide range of purposes. While many may think that steel tubes are always cylindrical and straight, they are actually made in a variety of shapes, sizes and thicknesses, depending on what they are needed for; sometimes they are cylindrical, but other times they are round, rectangular or shaped into coils.

A steel pipe manufacturer can create these components in different ways. Pipes can be welded or made seamlessly and they can be made from various mixes of metal alloys. Some manufacturers use scrap metal to create these as well. In the case of scrap metal, it must be melted down. During the process of melting, other elements like chromium, manganese and more are added to the mix in order to create the desired chemistry. Unwanted elements are removed. Melting is the beginning of the manufacturing process.

Once the materials have been melted, they are moved to a refiner. During the refinement process, more unwanted elements are eliminated and more desired components are added to ensue the steel is the appropriate chemistry and hardness.

After the desired mixture has been created, the liquid can be poured into molds. Once in the mold, the steel cools into ingots. If the steel is to be shaped into plates or sheets, or round objects, like bars or rods, the material is shaped using large rollers that apply a great deal of pressure.

To create blooms, which are what gets formed into steel pipes, the ingot is put through rollers that move in opposite directions in order to squeeze and stretch the material into thin, long pieces. Once the bloom is made, it is then processed further into what is called a billet. A billet is an even longer and narrower bloom. These are cut and stacked, then eventually are formed into a seamless steel pipe. To do so, the billets that will be used are heated and molded in to a round, which is a cylindrical shape. This piece is then placed in a furnace to heat it and then is rolled. In order to create a nice round shape, a piercer, which is shaped like a bullet, is placed through the middle of the billet while it is being rolled. Billets can also be worked into welded steel pipes. After the desired shape has been achieved, the pipes pass through a straightening machine. They can have joints added or be connected to other pipes; threading can be added as well.

Steel pipe manufacturers make these components to transport gas, as electrical conduit and for plumbing. These pipes range in size from tiny and extremely thin, such as a hypodermic needle, to thick and sturdy for more heavy-duty jobs.