What is Honed Tubing?

If you’ve ever wondered about honed tubing and its role in various industries, you’re in the right place. Honed tubing might sound like some obscure technical term, but it plays a crucial part in many applications, from hydraulics to automotive engineering. Let’s dive in and explore everything there is to know about honed tubing, from its definition to its manufacturing process, types, applications, and much more!

Understanding Honed Tubing

So, what exactly is honed tubing? Simply put, honed tubing is a specialized type of tubing that has undergone a honing process to ensure its internal surface is exceptionally smooth and accurate in size. This precision is critical, especially in applications where high-performance standards are non-negotiable.

The Basic Concept of Honing

To understand honed tubing, we first need to grasp the concept of honing. Honing is a machining process that involves the removal of material from the inner surface of a cylindrical tube. The goal? To improve surface finish and achieve exact dimensions. Think of it like a polishing process, but on the inside of a tube.

What Makes Honed Tubing Different?

Honed tubing stands out because of its unparalleled smoothness and precision. Unlike regular tubing, which might have imperfections or uneven surfaces, honed tubing has a perfectly uniform and polished internal diameter. This makes it ideal for use in hydraulic cylinders and other high-precision environments where friction, leakage, and wear must be minimized.

Different Types of Honed Tubing

There isn’t just one kind of honed tubing. Various types are available, each with unique characteristics suitable for specific applications.

Cold Drawn Seamless (CDS) Tubing

Cold Drawn Seamless (CDS) tubing is one of the most popular types of honed tubing. It is known for its superior strength and smooth internal surface, achieved through a cold drawing process that eliminates imperfections.

DOM (Drawn Over Mandrel) Tubing

DOM (Drawn Over Mandrel) tubing is another widely used type. It involves drawing the tube over a mandrel, which helps maintain a consistent wall thickness. This method provides excellent dimensional accuracy and smoothness, making it suitable for hydraulic cylinders and other precision applications.

The Pros and Cons of Each Type

Both CDS and DOM have their strengths. CDS is generally stronger and more resistant to deformation, while DOM offers exceptional accuracy and smoothness. The choice depends on the specific requirements of your application.

How is Honed Tubing Made?

Let’s peek into the manufacturing process to understand how honed tubing achieves its unique properties.

Raw Material Selection

It all begins with selecting the right raw materials. For example, at EASTAI, hydraulic cylinder tubing is produced using “Suitable To Hone” Drawn Over Mandrel (DOM) and Cold Drawn Seamless (CDS) tubing. The tubing is made from high-quality steel grades like 1020/1026 and ST52.3, which ensure the final product can withstand high pressures and mechanical stresses.

The Honing Process Explained

The honing process is where the magic happens. It involves using abrasive polishing stones and abrasive paper to remove small amounts of material from the inner surface of the tube. This step produces extremely precise internal diameter (ID) dimensions and significantly improves the internal finish, ensuring the tubing is ready for use in hydraulic cylinder applications without further ID processing.

Single-Pass Honing vs. Multi-Pass Honing

Honing can be done in a single pass or multiple passes, depending on the desired finish and precision. Single-pass honing is faster but less precise, while multi-pass honing offers better accuracy and finish quality.

Common Applications of Honed Tubing

Honed tubing isn’t just for show—it’s used in many real-world applications!

In Hydraulic Cylinders

One of the most common uses of honed tubing is in hydraulic cylinders, where the smooth internal surface reduces friction and wear, ensuring efficient and reliable performance. Honed tubing from EASTAI, for instance, is stocked in various sizes, ranging from 1.0” to 14.0” in internal diameter with wall thicknesses from 1/8” to 1”. These tubes are available in both standard and metric sizes, catering to a wide range of hydraulic cylinder applications.

4140 Hydraulic Cylinder Barrel

Dimension tolerance

In Automotive and Aerospace Industries

Honed tubing also finds use in the automotive and aerospace industries. Here, precision is paramount, and the tubing’s smooth finish helps maintain optimal performance in high-pressure environments.

Specialized Uses in Other Industries

Beyond hydraulics, automotive, and aerospace, honed tubing has applications in sectors like manufacturing, medical equipment, and heavy machinery, wherever precise fluid control and smooth operation are critical.

Benefits of Using Honed Tubing

Why choose honed tubing over regular tubing? Here are a few compelling reasons.

Enhanced Durability and Strength

Honed tubing is incredibly durable, capable of withstanding high pressures and extreme conditions without deforming or failing. With inside diameter tolerances stocked to the plus or minus side, these tubes ensure high reliability and performance in demanding environments.

Improved Surface Finish and Precision

The honing process results in a superior surface finish, reducing the risk of leakage, minimizing friction, and enhancing the overall efficiency of the system. EASTAI’s honed tubing, for example, achieves a maximum internal diameter finish of 14 Max Ra, providing exceptional smoothness for hydraulic applications.

How to Choose the Right Honed Tubing for Your Needs

Choosing the right honed tubing can be tricky, given the various factors involved. Here’s how to make the right choice.

Factors to Consider When Selecting

You must consider material compatibility, operating environment, required tolerances, and cost when selecting honed tubing.

Material Compatibility and Environment

Ensure the tubing material is compatible with the fluid and the environment in which it will be used. For instance, corrosive environments may require stainless steel tubing.

Tolerance and Dimensional Accuracy

Precision is key in many applications, so choose tubing with the right tolerances and dimensional accuracy to meet your specific needs. At EASTAI, tubing is stocked in lengths of 17’ to 24’ with cut-to-length services available, ensuring you get exactly what you need for your project.

Honed tubing is a vital component in various industries, known for its exceptional smoothness, precision, and durability. Whether used in hydraulic systems, automotive applications, or aerospace engineering, honed tubing ensures optimal performance and reliability. With options like EASTAI’s DOM and CDS tubing, you can choose the right specifications and finishes to match your unique requirements.