Difference between ASTM A513 and ASTM A500 rectangular tubes

What is a rectangular tube?
Rectangular tube is a long hollow steel material with a rectangular cross-section. They are typically made of steel, aluminum, or other metals and have a variety of uses and applications. When the bending and torsion strength are the same, the weight is lighter, so it is widely used in manufacturing mechanical parts and engineering structures.

The difference between ASTM A513 and ASTM A500 rectangular tubes:

ASTM A500 (also known as A-500) Carbon Steel Pipe is the standard specification for cold-formed welded and seamless carbon steel structural pipe in round, square, and rectangular shapes. ASTM A500 is the most common specification for hollow structural sections (HSS) in North America.

ASTM A513 is an ASTM standard for resistance welded carbon and alloy steel pipe used in mechanical structures.

1. Price
Since the manufacturing method and steel used in ASTM A500 rectangular tubes are superior to A513, the former is more expensive than the latter. If you value your current project very much and have strict requirements for it, then you can choose ASTM A00 rectangular pipe.

2. Application
ASTM A500 rectangular pipe is extremely durable with a minimum yield strength of 50,000 psi and can be used to support buildings, so it is always used in construction. ASTM A513, with a minimum yield strength of 30,000 psi, is used more in commercial and consumer scenarios, such as lawn mower handles. The latter bends more easily and thus lacks load-bearing capacity. Due to its limited use, its price is also lower than ASTM A500.

3. Manufacturing process
The biggest difference between ASTM A513 and A500 rectangular tubes is the manufacturing process. A513 rectangular tube is produced by resistance welding. This production method is equivalent to ERW welded steel pipe. ASTM A500 is produced using seamless or spiral welding methods. Generally speaking, the production method of the latter is more advanced than the former, which is one of the reasons why A500 is more expensive than A513.

4. Chemical composition
ASTM A513 is made from 1008-1015 steel, consisting primarily of iron with a small amount of carbon. This makes it ideal for applications requiring tight dimensional tolerances and a smooth surface finish. In comparison, the A500 is made from a higher grade of steel called A1085. A1085 has a higher carbon content than A513 and contains elements such as silicon and manganese. Therefore, the load-bearing capacity of A513 is larger than that of A513.

What are rectangular tubes used for?
1. Structural support: Rectangular tubes are widely used as support materials in construction and structural engineering. They can be used to make structural components such as frames, brackets, stairs, railings, etc.
2. Architectural decoration: Since rectangular tubes are available in a variety of sizes and surface treatments, they are often used in architectural decoration projects and various furniture, such as door and window frames, railings, tables, chairs, flower stands, indoor and outdoor decoration, etc.
3. Mechanical Engineering: Rectangular tubes are also very useful in the field of mechanical engineering. They can be used to manufacture racks, conveyor systems, conveyor belt supports, machine components, etc. At the same time, rectangular tubes can also be used to manufacture storage equipment, such as storage tanks, warehouses, etc. Their strength and sealing properties can ensure the safe storage of materials.
4. Steel structure buildings: In industrial and commercial buildings, rectangular tubes are widely used to manufacture steel structure frames. They have high strength and stiffness and can support long-span buildings.
5. Automotive industry: Rectangular tubes are increasingly used in the automotive industry. It can be used in automobile chassis, body structure, load-bearing components, etc.
6. Energy and power industry: Rectangular tubes are commonly used in oil and gas pipeline systems, transmission lines, support structures for solar and wind energy installations, etc.

Rectangular tube process requirements:
① Rectangular tubes must be made on a dedicated import assembly line to ensure the manufacturing accuracy of the rectangular tubes and the tightness of the rectangular tubes.
② The cutting of rectangular tube fittings should be fully automated using computer software on imported special machines, and the automatic plasma cutting process should be completed on imported special plasma cutting machines for sheet metal.
③ The bite connection of rectangular pipes should use imported automatic articulators for the bite process.
④ The connection between the rectangular tube body and the plug-in flange should adopt a rivet-free connection process, and imported equipment should be used for the rivet-free connection process.
⑤The connecting flange of the rectangular tube should adopt the connecting plate flange and plug-in flange connection technology. When the large side length of the square tube is less than or equal to 2000mm, the common plate flange connection form should be used. When the large side length of the square tube is greater than 2000mm and When the pipe is less than or equal to 2500mm, the plug-in flange connection should be used. The rectangular square tube should have mechanically pressed reinforcement ribs, and the spacing between the reinforcement ribs should be about 300mm.

Go here to learn more: The difference between square tube and rectangular tube