Benteler introduces pipe from free-cutting steel

Benteler Steel/Tube says it has succeeded in producing seamless tube from free-cutting steel for the first time, Kallanish hears from the company.

Free-cutting steel has been used for a long time as a solid material, mostly in the form of steel bar in the machining industry. Its high sulphur concentration offers advantages in machining operations such as turning, milling or drilling, with better chip formation and longer tool life.

Benteler claims that its proprietary product Benteler Smartcut combines the advantages of highly machinable free-cutting steels with the geometry advantages of a tube and thus optimises machining. The product line of seamless steel tubes in hot-rolled as well as cold-drawn types offers optimised solutions for various applications. In this way, economical machining can be realised for both smaller and larger quantities, the company says.

“Due to its material properties, Benteler Smartcut offers greatly improved, short chip formation,” says sales director says Jan Schwarzer. “The material concept enables faster machining and, as a result of the stable process, also automated machining, which can reduce costs by up to 40%.”

Christian Koehl Germany