In the process of repair or construction, the final quality of work depends on the choice of materials. Thin-walled aluminum pipe has many varieties. To properly apply the product, you should understand the features of each type. It is also important to understand the principle of installing thin-walled aluminum pipes. Subject to the rules of installation and operation of the product, it is not difficult to create a durable and durable system that is safe in everyday life.
What is a thin-walled aluminum pipe?
The production of aluminum pipes is designed to satisfy the needs of maintaining the living activity of residential premises and buildings. There are a great many varieties of such products. Each type has a certain set of characteristics and has its own scope.
Thin-walled aluminum pipe has a material thickness of up to 5 mm inclusive. It possesses such qualities as reliability, resistance to lowering temperature, as well as corrosion resistance. Even in severe frosts, such pipes will be able to maintain their integrity.
The production of aluminum pipes is regulated by GOST 18475-82, 18482-79, 23697-79. The release of pipes from alloys occurs in accordance with GOST 4784-97, 1131-76.
A positive quality of aluminum is its good thermal conductivity, which is also taken into account when operating products from it. The scope of the pipe extends from roofing to pipe fittings. Due to the softness of the metal, the products are easy to process.
Application area
According to its characteristics, aluminum pipes have a wide range of applications. It is rational to use this material in irrigation systems. This is quite possible for its characteristics. Aluminum pipes are also used to equip sewers, and in combination with titanium - for water supply.
Thin-walled aluminum pipes are widely used in ventilation systems. Often used products for connecting gas messages. Aluminum pipelines are found in the chemical and oil fields. The use of products of this type is cost-effective and efficient in large-scale production, and for private consumers provides high reliability and quality of communications of various types.
Types of pipe sections
The production of aluminum pipes provides many areas of consumption with the necessary types of products. Depending on the required requests, the pipes differ in cross-section.
The round section is a hollow profile. Thin-walled round aluminum pipes are produced more often.
The rectangular cross-sectional view has the shape of the corresponding figure. This is one of the typical types of products.
A square section is a hollow profile, the sides of which are equal to each other and are at right angles to each other. This is also a typical type of product.
The profile pipe has a cross section of arbitrary shape and is most often made to order.
For water supply, sewerage, drainage, gas communications, a circular cross section of pipes is most often used. In the case when the ventilation of a building is equipped, sometimes square and rectangular types of products are used.
For production facilities or special equipment systems, aluminum profile pipes are produced.
Types of pipes by processing technology
The production of aluminum pipes involves various methods of processing products. There are pipes:
- without temperature treatment (hot pressed);
- cured (hardened at a temperature lower than recrystallization), are marked H;
- semi-prepared - H2 marking;
- annealed (hardened) - marking M;
- not fully hardened - T5 brand;
- artificially aged - marking T1;
- naturally aged - brand T.
Pipe Technology
The manufacture of aluminum pipes occurs in three different ways.
The first option is the deformation of the aluminum circle. This technology is characterized by hood, calibration, firmware at low temperatures.
The second method is to compress the material.
The third technology is the welding of an aluminum sheet or strip. In this case, hot tempering is used to eliminate internal stress at the welds.
The profile of the naturally aged and caked type with a wall thickness of up to 10 mm is allowed to be made without heat treatment. In the process of manufacturing non-standard pipes of round, oval sections, intermediate measurements of the outer diameter and thickness are performed. For each object and substance transported through pipes, aluminum is subjected to a certain type of treatment.
Type of internal and external surface
There are a number of defects, the presence of which on the final product is unacceptable. They can not be used in arranging the communications of the object, as they can reduce the strength of the aluminum pipe.
Unacceptable defects include:
- bundles;
- cracks;
- sinks;
- non-metallic additives;
- traces of nitrate, corrosion;
- friability;
- weights;
- burn marks on hardened pipes.
Acceptable for aluminum pipes, the presence of non-reducing strength phenomena:
- traces of the matrix and annular corrugations, provided that they do not go beyond the permissible deviations of the diameter;
- one fistula (a tubular strip at the weld due to gas emissions during welding) per 100 m of pipe;
- prints of a winding for pipes not less than 3 m long. They may be present at both ends of the product.
Alloy pipes
There are many options for manufacturing pipes from aluminum alloys with various metals. They are governed by special quality standards.
The most popular alloy is the composition of duralumin pipes. This is a very durable material. Its alloy consists of aluminum, copper, manganese and magnesium. Alloys of aluminum with titanium are also found. They are used even for the arrangement of water pipes.
The copper-aluminum pipe is used quite often. It is not just an alloy of these two materials, but a combination of strong metal bonds of the inner copper and outer aluminum layers. Such a product is used in heating and ventilation systems. Two-layer connection of materials allows to facilitate the design and gives strength, resistance to pressure in the system. A distinctive feature of copper-aluminum pipes is the lack of corrosion. Due to the special behavior of copper in the presence of aluminum in it, special fittings are used for such pipes.
Duralumin pipes
Duralumin pipes are considered more popular than copper-aluminum thin-walled pipes. They are resistant to deformation, corrosion, lightness, flexibility, as well as ease of installation. This aluminum thin-walled pipe is called D16T and it happens with an internal diameter of 7 mm and with a wall thickness of 0.5 mm. The letter "T" in the marking indicates that the material has undergone hardening and natural aging. The smallest size of the manufactured variety of these products is a thin-walled aluminum pipe D16T 7Λ0.5 mm.
The disadvantages present in this type of product are poor resistance to electrochemical destruction, the inability to directly connect duralumin pipes to cast iron and steel. Their cost is quite high. However, the main positive qualities more than cover all restrictions.
Pipe bending equipment
During the installation of pipes, they have to be bent, giving the system the desired shape. In order not to deform the inner diameter of the product, it is necessary to work using special equipment called a pipe bender. They are of the following types:
- Crossbow pipe benders. Use for products of a certain diameter.
- Spring fixtures. Thin-walled round aluminum pipe most often bends without deformation by this device.
- Segment type. Pulls the pipe around itself, giving it the required bend.
- Dorn pipe benders. They cope well with the task when it is necessary to flatten pipes with a very small radius at home.
According to the varieties of the drive, this equipment is divided into 3 types:
- manual, which are used to change the shape of pipes of small diameter;
- hydraulic ones will help bend products up to 3 inches in section;
- Electromechanical allow conditioning with high accuracy.
Methods for bending aluminum pipes
It is enough to simply flatten aluminum thin-walled pipes at home using several techniques.
The first way is to use a special machine. She sets the required bending angle. Then a pipe is inserted into the vice, and the lever is reduced to the desired radius.
The second method involves the use of a Volnov machine. The pipe is inserted between the rollers. One end is attached with a collar. The handle rotates the bracket. The roller will move after reaching the required level of bending.
The third technique uses a spring. It is selected in accordance with the diameter of the pipe. The wire is fixed to the spring. A pipe is started inside and a bending process is carried out. Itβs better to do it on a roller. Using the wire, the product is removed from the equipment. The spring will help to avoid deformation of the diameter of the product.
How to bend a pipe without a special tool?
In the arsenal of home tools it is not always possible to find special equipment for bending pipes. If you need to perform this operation, you have to do with improvised means. Aluminum pipe, GOST which does not allow deformation of the shape of the section of the product, will require special actions.
To flatten aluminum, a gas burner is required. The pipe should be fixed in a vice and heated at the bend. You can perform this action when the temperature of the material reaches the level when the sheet of paper brought to it will smoke. In the case of this action with a square pipe, you will need to resort to the help of a rubber mallet and two supports. Before the procedure, sand is poured into the pipe. It is clogged with wooden stakes. The action is slow, but the result will be good.
At hand, even profile aluminum pipes can be bent. In the place of bending, a dense spring should be installed by tying it with wire. Sand or water is also poured inside (if it is winter, and work is carried out in cold weather).
These are fairly simple but effective methods.
Thin-walled pipe welding
The best way to join metal structures is through welding. It should be carried out in accordance with GOST 10704-91 using gas or electric arc. Thin-walled aluminum pipes are connected in this way only by experienced specialists. If the diameter of the product is more than 40 mm, welding is carried out in stages. The first layer should be stepped, and the second should be continuous.
Initially, the points are soldered through one, and then they connect the missed places. After the first stage, the product is inspected for defects. When they are detected, errors are eliminated immediately.
Welding on subsequent layers is slow. In this case, the pipe should be turned.
The end result should have a smooth smooth seam, smoothly turning into metal. The joint in this case is even stronger than the material itself. Therefore, the reliability and durability of the connection by welding are guaranteed.
Understanding the production principle, as well as the characteristics and features of this type of communications, such as a thin-walled aluminum pipe, it is possible to correctly use the product in the repair conditions of a small room or industrial complexes. Understanding the rules of installation and handling of the presented product, it is permissible to assemble the structure at home even without the help of special equipment.