We excel in providing a range of tube bending services for all kinds of clients. This is because our work can suit all manner of applications. Even better, we understand how to manipulate various tubing materials. Together with our exceptional equipment, it allows us to offer you the most professional service time and again.

Aluminium and steel tubes are ubiquitous in medical, research, construction, industrial, aerospace, and automotive applications. Both come with their pros and cons. For your project, you need to know which one is better. That is what we are going to explore here, looking at the various factors that will help you determine which of the two to use.

Physical and mechanical properties

One important area is the actual properties of the materials. They include physical factors such as the weight and size. Then you have mechanical features like malleability and strength.

With weight, we all know that aluminium is lighter than steel. In the same volume, aluminium’s weight is a third of what steel offers. Thus, it is cheaper to transport and easier to handle. The primary benefit of heavier steel is its fantastic durability. For mild steel though, it has the same weight as aluminium but isn’t as strong. Moreover, it’s more prone to cracking and fracturing.

Another thing most people know is that steel is stronger than aluminium. Due to its strength, it’s not likely to deform, warp, or bend under the influence of external forces. Compare to aluminium, steel can put up with higher pressure, stress, and impacts. It’s not easy to bend, deform, or warp under weight, heat, or force. Contact us if you need expert tube bending services to do it for you.

Lastly, there’s malleability. Aluminium is more malleable than steel. So, you can successfully extrude or bend it into all sorts of custom shapes or contours. This is without it cracking or breaking. Particularly for parts with straight and deep walls, aluminium is the better material. Moreover, it can work well in cold weather. As the temperature falls, it becomes stronger.

Corrosion resistance

The second thing to consider is corrosion resistance. Aluminium definitely performs better here. It comes with high corrosion and oxidation resistance. This is primarily because of its naturally occurring layer of oxide. You can also improve it with passivation. The aluminium doesn’t have to be processed after extrusion. The most important thing here is it doesn’t rust or call for any paint or coating that could scratch or wear.

With steel, it’s vulnerable to corrosion. Carbon steel does need surface treatments to stop corrosion or rust. This is particularly true if you use steel in a hot or humid place. Stainless steel has higher resistance, but is more costly.

Thermal conductivity

Aluminium has superior thermal conductivity to steel. It’s three times higher. This has resulted in its use in heat exchange equipment. Also, it is one of various reasons why it’s employed in air conditioning devices and car radiators. If heat transfer is essential in your applications, you should choose aluminium. Tube bending services are really useful here, ensuring accurate bends to suit even tiny spaces.

Electrical conductivity

Compared to most metals, steel isn’t as good of a conductor of electricity. It performs well, but other metals, including aluminium, are more effective. Thanks to its great electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, and lightweight, we tend to make high voltage overhead power lines from aluminium. The best conductor is the 1000 series. If you need lower conductivity, steel is the better choice.

Machinability

Since aluminium is rather soft, cutting and shaping it is easy. Even better, you can recycle it for reuse or remoulding. Steel has greater weldability than aluminium. It’s simpler to weld and the end welds are more consistent. Thus, steel has a better secondary processing rate.

Cost

A pound of aluminium tends to be more expensive than a pound of steel. Since aluminium is lighter though, you get more material per pound. This means you can produce more units. Saying that, you need to consider the cost of processing and raw materials. Generally speaking, the price of aluminium tubes will be slightly lower compared to steel tubes.

Tube bending services for all kinds of materials

At Multiform Tubes Engineering Ltd, we work with round, square, and elliptical tube in all kinds of materials. Examples include steel, aluminium, copper, brass, and more. We’ll deliver fantastic results for a growing list of applications.

Our tube bending services are suitable for almost any needs. So, if you’d like to do business with us, talk to our team.