Welded Tube Forming Machine: Automatic High-Frequency Steel Pipe Production Line

Description:An ERW welded tube forming machine (tube mill) is a continuous cold roll forming production line that transforms steel strips into round, square, rectangular and special-shaped welded pipes via high-frequency induction welding. As a core equipment for metal pipe manufacturers worldwide, this integrated line covers decoiling, strip leveling, edge trimming, roll forming, HF welding, weld bead removing, sizing, straightening and flying cutting. ZTRFM’s welded tube forming machines are engineered for stable weld quality, high running speed and low maintenance, ideal for pipe factories serving construction, solar, scaffolding, furniture and mechanical industries.

What Is a Welded Tube Forming Machine?

The welded tube forming machine, also known as ERW tube mill or HF welded pipe machine, is designed for electric resistance welding. Flat steel strip is gradually rolled into a tubular blank through multiple forming stands. The two strip edges are heated instantly by high-frequency current, squeezed and fused together to form a solid weld seam. After welding, external and internal weld burrs are removed, then the tube goes through sizing and straightening to lock outer diameter, roundness and straightness before flying cutoff to fixed lengths.

Unlike seamless pipe production, ERW tube mills support continuous high-speed running, lower raw material cost and flexible specification switching. Finished welded pipes can meet ASTM, BS and API standards for structural and general fluid delivery applications.

Core Features & Advantages of ZTRFM Welded Tube Forming Machine

Precision Multi-Stage Roll Forming System

Roll tooling adopts GCr15 bearing steel with hard chrome treatment. All shafts are CNC precision ground for concentricity control. The forming pass layout is optimized by 3D simulation to avoid edge wave, twisting or uneven deformation. Separated forming section and sizing section ensure stable shape control for both thin-wall and medium-thick-wall tubes. Optional quick-change roller sets reduce mold replacement time for factories producing multiple pipe sizes.

Solid-State High-Frequency Induction Welding Unit

We match energy-saving solid-state HF welders. Localized rapid heating creates a narrow heat-affected zone, delivering uniform, crack-free weld seams. The welding power can be adjusted according to strip thickness and line speed, greatly lowering burn-through risk and scrap rate. Weld strength reaches or exceeds the base metal performance for most structural pipe requirements.

PLC Servo Automatic Control

Siemens PLC + 7-inch English HMI touchscreen is standard. Operators set pipe diameter, wall thickness, cut length and production quantity directly on the panel. The system synchronizes feeding, welding power, tracking and flying cutting automatically. Production recipes can be saved for fast specification switch. Real-time running data, fault alarm and production counting help operators manage the whole line easily. Remote diagnosis support is available for overseas customers.

Burr Removal, Sizing & Straightening

Inline scarfing tools clean outer and inner weld beads smoothly. The sizing stand fine-tunes OD tolerance and ovality. Multi-roll straightener corrects tube bending to guarantee straightness. For high-grade pipe lines, we can integrate eddy current testing or ultrasonic inspection to detect welding defects online for quality traceability.

Heavy-Duty Stress-Relieved Machine Frame

The base frame uses thick steel plate welded structure with stress relief annealing. It resists long-term vibration deformation under continuous high-speed operation. Gearboxes use heavy-duty lubrication design for stable transmission and long service life, suitable for 24-hour continuous shift production.

Flying Cut-off Without Line Stop

Servo flying saw cuts pipes to preset length while the line keeps running. Cutting surface is flat with minimal burr, no need for secondary grinding. Length tolerance is controlled within ±0.3mm for standard configurations.

Complete Working Flow of the Welded Tube Mill Line

Hydraulic Uncoiler: Supports 3–8 tons steel coil, with tension control to avoid strip loose or scratching.

Leveler & Edge Trimming: Eliminates strip camber; trims uneven edges for consistent welding joint.

Forming Section: Step-by-step cold rolling turns flat strip into round tube blank.

High-Frequency Welding & Squeezing: HF induction heating + squeeze roller fuses the seam.

Burr Scarfing: Remove internal and external weld bead.

Cooling Tank: Water cooling stabilizes weld structure.

Sizing & Straightening: Calibrate diameter, roundness and straightness.

Flying Cutting: Cut tubes to required length automatically.

Discharge Rack: Finished pipes slide out for bundling and packing.

Typical Technical Parameters

ZTRFM customizes tube mills according to customer target pipe range. Below is the reference for popular small & medium ERW tube lines:

Process material: Carbon steel, galvanized steel, low alloy steel

Round tube OD range: 16mm – 114mm (custom up to 219mm)

Square / rectangular tube: 20×20mm – 100×100mm

Wall thickness: 0.4mm – 5.0mm

Production speed: 20–80 m/min (depends on wall thickness and pipe size)

Roller material: GCr15, HRC 58–62, hard chrome plated

Control system: PLC + touch screen + servo feeding

Cutting way: Hydraulic / servo flying saw

Standard coil weight: ≤5 tons (heavy-load decoiler optional)

Power supply: Customized to local voltage & frequency

Applications of Pipes Made by This Tube Forming Machine

The welded tubes produced on ZTRFM ERW lines are widely used in many markets:

Scaffolding tubes for building construction

Solar photovoltaic support frame pipes

Greenhouse and agricultural framework

Furniture, handrail and decorative hollow sections

Highway guardrail, mechanical equipment structural tubes

Water drainage, fire protection and low-pressure fluid pipes

Warehouse rack, fence and engineering steel structure profiles

Why Choose ZTRFM as Your Welded Tube Forming Machine Supplier

Rich ERW Tube Mill Engineering Experience

ZTRFM specializes in cold forming and ERW tube mill design. Our engineers understand pipe production difficulties including welding penetration, ovality control, thin-wall forming and galvanized material welding. We do not supply universal standard machines only; every line is matched to your raw material, pipe range and target output.

Full Customized Design Service

Send us your pipe profile drawings, material grade and factory layout, and our technical team will provide layout drawing, power consumption list and foundation drawing before manufacturing. We can add optional modules: automatic stacker, online eddy current tester, inner burr removal device and automatic bundling system.

Strict Factory Testing Before Shipment

Each tube mill will run test production with customer-specified steel strip before delivery. We record welding condition, dimension tolerance, line speed and cutting accuracy and send test videos for customer confirmation. All electrical components and HF generators use well-known reliable brands.

Global After-Sales & Training

We supply English operation manual, electrical schematic and maintenance guide. Overseas engineers can be arranged for on-site installation, commissioning and operator training. Fast spare parts delivery and online video troubleshooting minimize downtime.

Frequently Asked Questions

What materials can the welded tube forming machine process?

Standard lines work for carbon steel and galvanized steel. Stainless steel versions need modified rollers, welding generator and cooling structure, which requires separate technical discussion.

Can one tube mill produce both round and square tubes?

Yes. After producing round tubes, you change the sizing rollers and adjust forming parameters to produce square or rectangular hollow sections. Different size ranges need matched roll tooling sets.

What is the delivery time?

Standard ERW tube mill: 35–50 working days after deposit and drawing confirmation. Lines with inspection system, automatic stacking or special large diameter design take 50–70 days.

Can the machine meet international pipe standards?

Yes. With proper configuration and online testing, the pipes can meet ASTM A500, BS EN 10219 and related structural pipe standards.

Do you provide roll tooling separately?

We supply matched forming rolls, squeeze rolls, sizing rolls and scarfing blades for our tube mills and also support custom roll tooling for existing customer mills.