TPi March 2016

to avoid contamination in the metal. In the case of small diameter tubing, the cleaning process needs to be that much more robust. Both Superior Tube and Fine Tubes use an immersion de-greasing process as well as a secondary cleaning operation for all small diameter products. What materials are used? Tubing manufactured by Superior Tube and Fine Tubes is essentially made to order for customers who specify not just the size but also the material to be used, as well as other special requirements. However, there are occasions when customers seek advice in relation to specific applications. Typically, both companies manufacture small diameter tubing in 300 series austenitic stainless steel, a range of high- temperature nickel alloys, and certain grades of both titanium and zirconium. How are they tested? The background to all testing procedures is the quality system that underlies them. Both companies hold ISO 9001 certifications as well as a wide range of industry and specific customer approvals. These certifications and approvals are supported by extensive in-house capabilities for metallographic testing, mechanical testing, non-destructive

Specialist tubing for cardiac stents

testing, some destructive testing, and visual and dimensional inspection.

An important point to make is that when testing small diameter or thin wall tubes, commonly used methods such as the Rockwell test are not ideal, as the relatively high load can distort surfaces or even punch holes through the tube walls. The critical need is to find a way of effectively correlating the results from different testing methodologies. Fine Tubes has undertaken detailed research with the UK National Physics Laboratory to find a meaningful comparison between hardness scales using different tests. A heritage of small diameter tubing Superior Tube was founded in 1934, and Fine Tubes in 1943. Between them, the two companies have a long record of producing high-performance tubing, including small diameter tubing, for the most demanding applications presented to them by their customers. Superior Tube took advantage of the 1939 New York World’s Fair to demonstrate that it had the capability to meet technological demands beyond those its customers yet required. On display was “the smallest tube ever made” – a tube with a total diameter of just 26/10,000 th of an inch. While it was manufactured purely for the sake of the exhibition, to demonstrate that it was possible, it has been claimed that tubes of this scale have been used for the artificial insemination of mosquitoes! Building on their heritages, both businesses are now part of Ametek Specialty Metal Products, a division of Ametek, Inc, and are positioned as market leaders in small diameter tubing for applications that require extremely tight tolerances, special mechanical properties or unusual alloys. Superior Tube and Fine Tubes pride themselves on being able to produce such exclusive products.

Hypoflex needle tubing

Fine Tubes Ltd – UK www.finetubes.com

Superior Tube Company – USA www.superiortube.com

84

Tube Products International March 2016

www.read-tpi.com