Brief description and comparison of LSAW, SSAW and ERW pipes

LSAW Pipes have a slight advantage over SSAW Pipes. The following points explain why.

SSAW pipes have greater residual stresses than LSAW pipes. The straight seam submerged arc welded pipe undergoes a uniform expansion process.

The stress concentration phenomenon of SSAW pipe welds belongs to the severe category. SSAW pipes have a larger heat affected zone than LSAW pipes. The heat-affected zone is considered a weak point where failure may begin.

The geometric accuracy of LSAW pipe is better than that of SSAW pipe, which is the key to ease of installation.

LSAW pipe has approximately 60% fewer welds than SSAW pipe.

Brief description and comparison of LSAW, SSAW and ERW pipes

Quality steel pipe is produced by three (3) manufacturing processes: Seamless, LSAW (Longitudinal Submerged Arc Welding) and ERW (Electric Resistance Welding). LSAW and ERW tubes are highly regarded for their wide range of applications. They are widely used in basic solutions and systems, marine construction, structural construction, and various applications in the fields of hydraulic engineering, petrochemical, chemical and power industries, agricultural irrigation, and urban construction.

LSAW pipe comes in two types: longitudinal (single or double straight seam weld, DSAW) and helical (also known as SSAW, HSAW or SAWL). LSAW pipe differs from other LSAW pipes in that LSAW pipe has a seam weld on the inside and outside of the pipe, while the latter has only one seam weld on the outer surface, longitudinal or cross-section.

SSAW and LSAW pipes are manufactured using a common manufacturing process known as the "JCOE and UOE Forming Process". The difference is that SSAW pipes are welded in a helical or helical position while LSAW pipes are welded longitudinally.

The SSAW pipe is wound and welded by steel strip, its rotation direction is inclined to the axis or the center of the pipe, and the weld seam is helical. LSAW pipe is made by forming a steel plate into a cylinder and joining the ends together by straight-line welding.

LSAW pipe diameters typically range from 16" to 60" (406mm to 1500mm). They have good high pressure and low temperature corrosion resistance.

However, CSC Steel can supply pipe with diameters between 1 inch and 167 inches (21 mm and 4267 mm) and thicknesses between 3/32 inch and 4 inches (2.1 mm and 100 mm). ESC steel pipe is manufactured using LSAW in maximum diameter and thickness and is highly recommended for load bearing piles, composite wall piles and other applications. In the oil and gas industry, large diameter API 5L LSAW pipe is used to efficiently transport hydrocarbons over long distances.

HSAW (Spiral Submerged Arc Welding) or SSAW pipe diameters typically range from 20" to 100" (406 mm to 2540 mm). One of the advantages of SSAW is the possibility of obtaining different diameters

ERW pipe
ERW Tube Forming
   SSAW pipe is made from standard size steel strip without cutting. On the other hand, the length of the spiral weld is much longer than the length of the pipe, the cost is higher, and it is prone to cracks, pores, slag inclusions, partial welding, etc.

HSAW or spiral welded pipe is used in non-critical applications such as water distribution and not for oil and gas. CSC recommends SSAW pipes as main piles and dredging pipes for our composite walls.