     +1 888 984 1043

Home Elliott  Products  Resources  Expert Tips Request A Quote

English  

Minimum vs Average Wall Tubes & Why It

Matters
Getting the right tools for your application is critical in order to complete the job right
the first time. One of the most overlooked factors when ordering tooling, is
determining whether you have minimum wall or average wall tubing.
When ordering tubes, it is very unlikely that each wall
thickness will be exactly the same. Industry tolerances
allow for ±10% thickness. That’s a total variation of up
to 20% from the smallest to largest thickness, resulting
in a wide range of sizes. For example, if you have .083”
average wall tubes, the actual wall could be anywhere
between .091” and .075”. If you were to buy a 14 BWG
expander to fit .083, it would likely still work for either
extreme due to the expansion range that the tool is
capable of achieving.
However, many times a heat exchanger manufacturer
needs to achieve a very specific thermal transfer. In
order to achieve this, they need to guarantee that the
wall thickness of the tubes will be a minimum thickness.
So for many applications, the manufacturer will request
minimum wall (min wall) tubes.
A min wall tube offers the same total variation in wall
thickness that an average wall tube does, but the
variation is applied differently. It allows for -0% and
+20%. So the wall will never be less than the specified
thickness. For example, a .083” min wall tube will range
from .083” to .100” wall thickness.
Share This Article, Choose Your Platform!
Related Posts
 
At the upper end of that range, a normally sized tube
expander will not have enough clearance to enter the
tube. If you have min wall tubing, it is recommended
that you drop down one expander size. So instead of
ordering a 14 BWG expander, you would drop down to a
13 BWG. This ensures that the expander will fit inside of
the tubes and still achieve the proper range of
expansion.
If you are unsure whether or not you have min wall or
average wall tubing, it is important that you measure the
inside diameter (ID) of your tubes prior to ordering
tooling. If you do not take an average measurement, you
may end up having to order additional sizes or spend
time re-rolling tube joints later on. Taking ID
measurements are always recommended, even if you
know what type of tubing you have. The more precision
measurement you have, the more accurate you can be
when
ordering your tooling.
Overall, it is important to understand the difference
between average and min wall tubing, and to know the
type you are working with in order to achieve the best
results.
   

ELLIOTT TOOL TUBE TOOL PRODUCTS METAL FINISHING PRODUCTS CONTACT US
TECHNOLOGIES

 Tube Installation  Burnishing Tools Phone: +1 (937) 253-

 Why Choose Elliott? 6133

 Tube & Pipe Cleaners  Mechanical Joining

 Our Team Tools Toll-Free: +1 (888) 984-
 Tube Testers 1043

 Careers  Internal Recessing

 Tube Plugs Unit Fax: +1 (937) 253-9189
 Contact Us
 Tube Removal

SEARCH
 Nutrunners

Search... 

Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Return Policy

    
Copyright 2017 Elliott Tool Technologies | All Rights Reserved