Cold Forming of Austenitic

Stainless Steel Tubes

Prepared by Reviewed by
Manish Kumar Dhiman Rishikesh Kumar
Sr Manager ( Quality) Consultant | Global Technical Support |Business Development |Lead
Manish_dhiman07@yahoo.co.in/9808592178 Auditor |QA&QC| Welding| Pipe Mills | Steel Plants | Metallurgist
rishikr06@gmail.com/9978902884
 Condition : We need bend with tube[ OD -44.5mm x thk(t)- 6.35mm] of SA213 TP347H of nominal bending
radius(R) 65mm radius through cold forming. The design temperature is 590˚C. What will be strain
value ?. Whether the heat treatment required ? If required , then what will be Temperature and time ?
 During cold forming, mechanical properties – eg: tensile properties( Yield strength , elongation) , hardness, etc
are proportionally changes based on strained developed. Due to excessive straining, there will be affect on
the material performance during service. Hence heat treatment is required to check in this Stainless steel
Material as per Table PG-19 ASME Sec I. The heat treatment requirement based on strain developed and
design temperature of material.
 The formulas for the strain calculation for various shapes formed of material as given below ( As per PG -19
ASME Sec I)

a) Cylinders formed from plate.

b) Spherical or dished heads formed from plate.

c) Tube and pipe bends

where.,
R = nominal bending radius to centerline of pipe or tube
r = nominal outside radius of pipe or tube
Rf= mean radius after forming
Ro = original mean radius (equal to infinity for a flat plate)
t = nominal thickness of the plate, pipe, or tube before forming
 In our condition, material is in tube form and hence % strain is calculated as below:

Here, Tube radius (r) = 22.25mm

Tube thickness (t) = 6.35 mm
Nominal Bending Radius (R)= 65mm
Design Temp. = 5900C
% Strain = ( 100 X 22.25)/ 65 = 34%
Based on the Design temp and %Strain. The heat treatment shall be required to perform and Heat Treatment condition
shall be as per below:
a) Rate of Heating= No limit- best practice in Industries
b) Minimum Soaking Temperature = 20000F/10950C
c) Maximum allowable temperature variation in soaking temperature= 2500F/1400C
d) Soaking time = 10 minute minimum [ 20 minute/inch of tube thk(t) or 10 minute min, whichever is greater]
e)Rate of Cooling = No limit- best practice in Industries
At least 1 inch unblended shall be also part of heat treatment in both ends. Heat Treatment chart/graph shall be
generated during process to ensure the compliance of the above condition and verified by authorized persons. There is
no restriction for rate of heating and cooling. However, Best Industrial practice to be adopted with less variation while
heating and cooling among thermocouples.

Heat Treatment chart/graph

‘b’ ‘c’
Temperature

‘a’ ‘d’ ‘e
’

Time
Thankyou