Automotive Stainless Steel Pipes

• ​Introduction

Automotive stainless steel pipes are specialized tubular components made from stainless steel alloys, designed to meet the rigorous demands of vehicle systems. They are widely used in exhaust systems, fuel lines, structural components, and hydraulic systems due to their excellent corrosion resistance, high-temperature performance, and mechanical strength.

• ​Main Functions

Fluid Transportation: Efficiently convey exhaust gases, engine coolant, and fuel while maintaining structural integrity.

High-Temperature Resistance: Operate reliably in temperatures ranging from -196°C to 800°C2, withstanding the heat generated by engines and exhaust systems.

Corrosion Protection: Resist degradation from road salts, moisture, and chemical exposure, extending service life.

Mechanical Strength: Withstand pressure fluctuations and vibrations, ensuring safety and durability.

Lightweight & Durable： Reduces vehicle weight while ensuring longevity.

• ​Tubing Standards

ISO 15540； ASTM A269 ; EN 10216-5，EN 10305-1； GB/T 12771.

• ​Material & Performance

304，316，409.

Key Performance Traits: Corrosion resistance: Form a passive film through alloying elements such as chromium and nickel to resist chemical corrosion and electrochemical corrosion. High-temperature stability: Maintain mechanical properties in high-temperature environments without obvious oxidation or deformation. Mechanical properties: Have sufficient tensile strength (usually ≥500MPa), yield strength, and elongation to meet the pressure-bearing and installation deformation requirements of automotive pipelines. Weldability and formability: Easy to weld (such as TIG welding, laser welding) and cold working forming (such as bending, diameter reduction), adapting to complex automotive pipeline layouts.

• ​Manufacturing Process

Raw material preparation: Select high – quality stainless – steel raw materials, and ensure that their chemical composition and mechanical properties meet relevant standards.

Heating and piercing: Heat the raw materials to an appropriate temperature, and then use a piercing machine to pierce them into hollow billets.

Cold rolling or hot rolling: Send the billets into cold – rolling or hot – rolling mills for multi – pass rolling deformation to make the pipes reach the required specifications and precision.

Welding (for welded pipes): If it is a welded pipe, use welding techniques such as TIG welding to weld the stainless – steel strips into pipes. Argon purging is usually required to ensure weld quality.

Finishing: Carry out straightening, end – cutting, grinding and other treatments on the rolled or welded pipes to further improve dimensional accuracy and surface quality.

Heat treatment and surface treatment: According to product requirements, carry out heat treatment such as bright annealing to eliminate internal stress, and can also carry out surface treatments such as polishing to improve appearance and corrosion resistance.

Inspection: Conduct 100% eddy – current testing on the pipes, and perform destructive tests at regular intervals to ensure that the pipes meet quality standards.

• Specifications