Steel Tubing Fabrication Services

Steel tubing is a generic description of metal tubing. There are specific types of steel, each has its own properties best suited for the individual application. Some typical steels include 1008-1020 carbon steel, stainless steel 300 and 400 series, steel alloys. Tubular parts can also be made from non-ferrous metals like copper, brass, and aluminum.

Material can be formed in a variety of shapes including round, rectangular, or custom cross-sections. It is characterized by high strength and durability, both of which make it suitable for use in a wide range of industrial applications. When sourcing steel tubing for a project, a supplier may offer various fabrication options to ensure the material is ready for use.

At G & J Steel & Tubing, Inc., we offer full-service metal tube fabrication solutions. Our core offerings include bending, end forming, laser cutting, and welding. We also provide tube cutoff, coiling, assembly, stamping, machining, and finishing services.

Our Steel Tubing Fabrication Capabilities

Founded in 1976 as a tube and metal distributor, our acquisition of Masterson Metal Products and Die Form Tube in the early 1990s allowed us to expand our service offerings to encompass tube fabrication, including the following:

. Tube Bending

Tube bending is a metal forming process that bends straight tube lengths into precise shapes and configurations without compromising the internal profile or structural integrity of the tube. The most common bend angles are elbow bends of varying degrees or U-bends, we also accommodate custom tube configurations for any application.

Our tube bending capabilities include:

• Compression bending: A bending method that employs the use of a stationary bending die. While it offers faster processing speeds and low per-unit tooling costs, it is not suitable for designs that are complex or require mandrels.
• Rotary draw bending: A bending method that uses a movable bending die. It is suitable for use in automated machining operations that involves more complex part designs.
• Coiling: A bending method that creates tight and compact tubing configurations that are generally used in heat exchange applications.

For more details on our bending capabilities, visit our tube bending page.

. Tube End Forming

Tube end forming refers to the process of shaping the end of tubes to allow for assembly with other components. The shape of the tube end depends on the specifications of the application, but some of the most common include bead, expand, flange, flare, flat, groove, nose, notch, swage, and tap.

When forming these tube end shapes, we employ the following methods:

• Ram: A cold forming method that uses specialized tools to press—i.e., ram—the end to form the desired shape.
• Spinning: A forming method that shapes the material by spinning either the tool or workpiece at high speeds.
• Hydroforming: A forming method used to create irregular or non-concentric shapes at the end or away from the end.

For more details on our end forming capabilities, visit our tube end forming page.

. Tube Laser Cutting

Laser cutting is a fabrication process that employs the use of a high-powered laser to cut material, such as tubing, to the desired lengths. Due to its non-contact nature, it offers a lower risk of mechanical distortion than traditional cutting methods. Additionally, it achieves higher cutting precision and accuracy and better quality edges.

We employ laser cutting operations to cut tubing to size and the walls of tubing to accommodate requests for special features or shapes, such as slots, through holes and notches.

For more details on our laser cutting capabilities, visit our tube laser cutting page.

. Tube Cutoff

Tube cutoff refers to the cutting of tubing to size. In addition to employing our proprietary Shear-Form® method for high-precision, high-accuracy tube cutoff applications, we use the following cutoff processes:

• Abrasive cutting
• Cold saw cutting
• Electrolytic cutting (electrochemical machining)
• Lathe-style cutting
• Rotary cutting

For more details on our cutoff capabilities, visit our tube cutoff page.

. Tube Coiling

Tube coiling is a specialized bending process that winds tubing into tight coils. We offer capabilities for any coil configuration, including standard (e.g., box, double, helix, and serpentine) and irregular designs.

For more details on our coiling capabilities, visit our tube coiling page.

. Tube Stamping & Laser Cutting

Our stamping and laser cutting capabilities allow us to form holes, notches, and slots at the edges and along the lengths of tubes to meet assembly requirements. We accommodate all workpiece lengths and configurations in various materials, including aluminum, brass, carbon steel, and copper.

For more details on our stamping and laser cutting capabilities, visit our tube stamping and laser cutting page.

. Tube Machining

Machining is a manufacturing process that utilizes various machine tools to remove material from the workpiece. We employ several machining methods—including boring, drilling, milling, turning, and threading—to produce different design elements on tubing, such as chamfers, holes, notches, and slots.

For more details on our machining capabilities, visit our tube machining page.

. Tube Finishing

Finishing improves the functional or aesthetic properties of a material. Our finishing capabilities include annealing, anodizing, heat treating, painting, passivating, and plating.

For more details on our finishing capabilities, visit our tube finishing page.

. Tubular Assembly

In addition to fabrication and finishing, we provide assembly services. We install fastening and mounting hardware using gluing, mechanical locking, riveting, and welding methods. Once assembled, we subject each product to rigorous testing to verify it meets specifications.

For more details on our assembly capabilities, visit our tubular assembly page.

Industrial Applications of Steel Tubing

At G & J Steel & Tubing, we are proud to serve customers from a diverse set of industries, including the following:

• Aerospace & Aircraft
• Air Compressor
• Air Conditioner
• Automotive
• Beverage
• Electronics
• Engine
• Gas & Appliance
• Heat Exchanger
• OEM
• Utility (Power/Sewer/Water)

For some examples of our tube fabrication work, browse through our case studies section.

Why Partner With G & J Steel & Tubing?

At G & J, we are the ideal partner for all steel tubing needs. By choosing us as their source for steel tubing, our customers benefit from our:

• Extensive industry experience. We have over four decades of experience distributing metal tubes, and nearly three decades of experience providing tube fabrication services.
• Comprehensive fabrication capabilities. We offer numerous fabrication services, including bending, end forming, laser cutting, and more. Additionally, we offer finishing and assembly services to ensure our customers’ tubing needs are fully met. Beyond steel, we also accommodate many other metals, including aluminum, brass, carbon steel, copper, nickel, and stainless steel.
• Automation. Many of our work cells are automated with robotic loading, movement, and unloading with conveyor transfer systems. This improves quality repeatability, increase capacity, and lower cost. All of our automated equipment is WiFi capable and operational and inspection data can be controlled using artificial intelligence monitored by the latest SAP Leonardo AI systems.
• Commitment to quality. Our ISO 9001:2015 certified facility is equipped with a vision measuring system, which allows us to test each fabricated part for conformance to the set tolerances. Additionally, we are well-versed in PPAP III sample submissions and in-process and final inspection techniques. Our entire staff has also been trained in the LEAN Manufacturing System.
• Superior customer service. For customers looking for design upgrade or optimization assistance, we offer in-house design and engineering services. Our experts help troubleshoot or improve designs to make high-volume production as cost-efficient as possible through the design, tooling, and manufacturing stages. We use the latest SAP MRP system to schedule and monitor production to offer you on-time delivery.

To learn more about our tube fabrication services or partner with us on your next project, contact us, or request a quote today.