The Benefits of Concentricity

“In GD&T, concentricity is a complex tolerance used to establish a tolerance zone for the median points of a cylindrical or spherical part feature. Concentricity is generally reserved for high-precision parts when there is a need to control median points.”  – eMachineShop

Precision-drilled custom tubing and tubular components are used in medical devices, aerospace applications, nuclearpower plants, industrial manufacturing plants, high temperature furnaces and many other designs.  When it comes to tubing and tubular components, concentric, seamless precision tubing is often chosen for its added reliability, rotational stability, strength and increased useful life.  Unlike welded tubing, seamless tubing is able to handle high pressure evenly, provides uniform fatigue properties and often reduces the frequency for inspections in high stakes uses.

Tube Hollows International specializes in manufacturing highly concentric tube hollows that meet critical design tolerances. The company machines ultra-high concentricity seamless precision tubing in the most challenging alloys, using gun drilling, trepanning, honing and other technologies.  I sat down with Tube Hollows to draw from their expertise and gain a greater understanding of the benefits of concentricity.  Tube Hollows’ Director of Business Development Alex Miller explained that when engineers define the component part and tubing requirements of complex engineering projects, they often must strike a balance between design specifications, cost, safety, and quality concerns.  The concentricity needs of a project can be determined by assessing how the part will function in its end use, whether or not the part will interact with other parts and the environmental factors influencing tolerances for the part.

According to Tube Hollows and leading engineering professionals, concentricity in seamless precision tubing:

• Increases efficiency (use of material, flow rates, etc.)
• Helps parts wear evenly and predictably
• Minimizes vibrations in rapidly rotating parts
• Handles high pressures consistently and effectively
• Yields higher quality and superior productivity for tube drawing processes that begin with a starting hollow
• Helps ensure a tight fit between tubing and other fixtures

To illustrate these benefits, we highlighted some key points in the infographic below.

Contact Tube Hollows International for more information and insights on custom tubing.