A513 Steel Tube

Kloeckner provides ASTM A513 Type 1, a steel grade that forms one of the highest value tubes on the market.

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General Info About A513

Used primarily in the automotive, construction, and mechanical industries, A513 tube comes in three common formats — hot rolled square mechanical carbon steel, rectangular structural tubing, and hot rolled round mechanical carbon steel. This steel is often electric resistance welded and good for both mechanical and ornamental tubing.

A-513 tubing offers an attractive, finished appearance, which makes it useful for applications requiring aesthetic value. For instance, A-513 rectangular tubing can be used in supermarket shelves, furniture, or motorcycles.

The chemical composition of A513 tubing includes carbon, manganese, phosphorus, silicon, silver, and sulfur. A-513 comes in four grades, and the level of carbon content varies with the grade specifications. In A513 steel, carbon can vary from 0.18% to 0.23% of the alloy. The other elements remain generally consistent across the grades.

Due to its high carbon content, A513 steel tubing features a high tensile strength but lower weldability and machinability. 

ASTM A513 does not provide mechanical Properties for square tubing. The spec notes that for all square and rectangular tubing, tensile or hardness limits shall be upon agreement between the manufacturer and the purchaser.

A513 Type 1 A steel tubing is produced using hot rolled steel, and Type 1 B uses hot rolled steel that’s been pickled and oiled for a cleaner surface. ASTM A513 Type 2 steel comes from hot rolled steel that has been cold reduced.

Electric resistance welding creates the basic shape of the tube. Consequently, these tubes have a seam although some cold working processes such as Drawn Over Mandrel (DOM) can create nearly seamless tubing.

More Details About A513

  • Advantages/Disadvantages

    A513 steel tubing is similar to A500 but is tighter and less durable. As a result, A500 steel tubing gets more use in construction while A513 shows up in commercial products such as lawnmower handles.

    Can be worked to a tight tolerance

    A513 can be worked to a much tighter tolerance than A500. Tolerance refers to the metal’s variation from its specifications. A tight tolerance means that particular metal is stable and precise. If you are manufacturing products that require exact fit, a tight tolerance is important.

    Works well in consumer-facing products

    Because of its tight tolerance, A513 steel is a great choice for building most consumer products. That said, this metal has a relatively low load-bearing capacity. If you’re crafting recreational vehicles, A513 may be the right choice. If you’re constructing a skyscraper, you’ll want to keep looking.

    Durable and affordable

    A513 steel is highly durable and can be used in many applications. It’s also less expensive than A500 tubing. In fact, A513 is among the lowest cost mechanical metal tubings available.

  • Industries

    Automotive, construction, and mechanical industries all use A513 steel tubing.

    A513 automotive-grade steel goes in headrests, seat frames, windshield wipers, and drive trains. Residential contractors generally use this grade of steel for doors, windows, and engineering construction. Manufacturers of mechanical products use A513 in tools and hardware.

  • Applications

    The primary applications for A513 steel are those that require tight tolerances and few load-bearing properties. This grade of steel shows up in guardrails, bicycles, bicycle racks, kitchen appliances, and greenhouses.

  • Chemical Composition

    The chemical composition of A513 tubing includes carbon, manganese, phosphorus, silicon, silver, and sulfur. A-513 comes in four grades, and the level of carbon content varies with the grade specifications. In A513 steel, carbon can vary from 0.18% to 0.23% of the alloy. The other elements remain generally consistent across the grades.

  • Machining

    The best machining choice varies across the grades.

    Type 1 A513 steel is lower in carbon than other types. It can be hot rolled or hot rolled black. This makes it easy to bend, much like A-500 steel. As a result, type 1 A513 steel frequently shows up in furniture, fences, and storage racks. 

    Type 5 A513 steel can be machined through a process called Drawn Over Mandrel (DOM). After getting its basic form and shape from electric-resistance welding, DOM steel gets cold drawn through a die and over a mandrel. The die size and angle determines the outside diameter, and the mandrel determines the inside diameter. This process may get repeated several times before the mandrel is removed.

    DOM processing creates steel that is uniform in size and thickness and features a denser surface. Sometimes, DOM A-513 steel gets classified as “seamless.” This is not quite accurate, however, as the welding seam is still present although basically unnoticeable.

  • Welding

    A513 grade steel can be bent, flanged, flared, or flattened.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How strong is A513 steel?

    ANSWER:

    ASTM A513 does not provide mechanical properties for square tubing. For all square and rectangular tubing, tensile or hardness limits shall be upon agreement between the manufacturer and the purchaser.

  • Is A513 steel stronger than A-500 steel?

    ANSWER:

    A513 and A500 steel are both durable products. A500 is mainly used in construction since it can bear heavier loads. You often find A513 in commercial products that require tight tolerance but few load-bearing properties. Since it has fewer application uses, A513 is typically less expensive than A500.

  • Can you weld A513 steel?

    ANSWER:

    Yes! A513 steel is usually welded with an electric resistance weld. You can also buy the steel tubing in a welded condition. It is available hot or cold rolled and also pickled and oiled.

  • Is A513 steel the same as stainless steel?

    ANSWER:

    A513 steel is not stainless steel. It is a high-carbon alloy. Stainless steel contains at least 10.5% chromium — the element that makes it “stainless.” A513 contains no chromium.

Services provided to A513 Steel Tube products

Tapping

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Tube Laser

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Shearing

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Branches featuring A513 Steel Tube products

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Industries served by A513 Steel Tube

Construction

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Trailer and Truck Industry

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IT Infrastructure Storage

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Heavy Equipment & Construction

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Oil & Gas

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Fabricators & Machine Shops

Kloeckner leads the fabricators & machine shops...

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