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T

Temper The condition produced in a metal by mechanical or thermal treatment and having characteristic structure and mechanical properties.

(1) Annealed Tempers — Tempers produced by annealing and usually defined by a nominal grain size or grain size range. The most commonly specified nominal annealed tempers are as follows:
.015 mm. 
.025 mm. 
.035 mm. 
.050 mm.
.070 mm.
.100 mm.
Certain alloys not composed entirely of alpha grains do not lend themselves to classification under the above listed tempers. The terms “Light Anneal” and “Soft Anneal” are also commonly used. Their mechanical properties are defined by applicable specifications.

(2) Rolled or Drawn Tempers —
(a) For flat products (except bar) and wire, these tempers are designated by the following terms and defined in applicable specifications:

Hard Extra Hard
Eighth Hard Spring 
Quarter Hard Rivet (applicable to wire only) 
Half Hard 
Three Quarter Hard Screw (applicable to wire only) 

(b) For rolled and drawn bar and rod, the temper designations commonly used are Quarter Hard, Half Hard, Hard, and less frequently Extra Hard, and are defined in applicable specifications.

(c) For tube, the temper designations commonly used are Light Drawn, Drawn (General Purpose) and Hard Drawn and are defined in applicable specifications.

(i) Light-Drawn Temper — Generally applied to tube where some degree of stiffness is desired without serious impairment of bending qualities.

(ii) Drawn (General Purpose) Temper — Applicable to tube only, commonly used where there is no real requirement for high strength or hardness on the one hand or for bending qualities on the other.

(iii) Hard-Drawn Temper — Used only where there is need for a tube as hard or as strong as is commercially feasible for the size in question.

Tensile Strength The value obtained by dividing the maximum load observed during tensile straining by the specimen cross-sectional area before straining. Also called “Ultimate Strength.” It is usually expressed in pounds per square inch.

Tension Test See Tests.

Tests

(1) Bend — A test sometimes made to indicate ductility or bending quality by bending a suitable specimen about a predetermined radius through a predetermined angle.

(2) Brinell Hardness — A test made to determine hardness on relatively thick sections of metal by pressing a steel ball of specified diameter into a test specimen under a specified load. This test is seldom used on copper and copper-base alloys. See ASTM E 10.

(3) Creep — A test to determine the extension of metallic materials due to the combined effects of temperature, tensile stress and time. Inherently, it is a long term test not suitable for specification purposes. See ASTM E 22.

(4) Cup — A test to indicate the ductility of sheet or strip wherein a cup is drawn from the metal until it fractures. Several modifications of the original Erichsen method are now in use. See ASTM A 344.

(5) Endurance — A test to determine the endurance limit of a metal’s resistance to fatigue by subjecting a specimen to repeated alternating or pulsating stresses.

(6) Expansion (Pin) — A test used to determine the capacity of the tube for expansion and to reveal surface defects by pushing a tapered pin into the open end of a specimen. See ASTM B 153.

(7) Flattening — A test made on annealed tube to indicate ductility and freedom from mechanical defects.

(8) Hydrostatic — A test to prove soundness and resistance to leakage oj’ tube and pipe under internal water pressure.

(9) Impact — A test made to determine the resistance of metals to failure by sudden shock load. See ASTM E 23.

(10) Mercurous Nitrate — An accelerated test to indicate the resistance of copper-base alloy products to season cracking. See ASTM B 154.

(11) Pneumatic — A test used to prove resistance to leakage of tube or pipe by the application of internal air pressure to the product while submerged in water.

(12) Rockwell Hardness — A test to measure hardness by determining the depth of penetration into a specimen of a penetrator under predetermined conditions of test. See ASTM E 18.

(13) Tension — A test to determine one or more of the following: tensile strength, yield strength, elongation and contraction of area. See ASTM E 8.

(14) Torsion — A test to determine the strength in torsion by measuring the torque required to twist a specimen of given length through a predetermined angle.

Threadless Pipe See Tube.

Tin Bronze See Copper Alloy — Phosphor Bronze.

T.O.E. (Total Other Elements) Elements other than those listed.

Tolerance The amount by which any characteristic, such as dimensional, chemical, physical or mechanical properties, may vary from that specified.

Torsion Test See Tests.

Tough Pitch Copper (Copper Nos. 110, 111, 113, 114, 115, 116, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130 and 141) See Copper.

Transcrystalline A term usually applied to a type of crack that passes through the grains as opposed to one that follows the grain boundaries.

Transcrystalline Cracking Fracture of metal through the grain or crystals as distinguished from intercrystalline cracking.

Trim Bronze (Copper Alloy Nos. 220 and 230) See Copper Alloy.

Tube A hollow product of round or any other cross-section, having a continuous periphery.

(1) Automotive and General Service Tube Seamless copper tube of small diameter conforming to the standard series of sizes commercially known as Automotive and General Service Tube as shown in TOLERANCE Section, page 40. It is furnished in soft temper and intended for use in gas and oil lines of automobiles and machines, and for field repairs and alterations.

(2) Bimetal Tube (Duplex) — A finished tube consisting of two different metal tubes mechanically bonded together by drawing one inside the other.

(3) Bourdon Gage Tube — Seamless tube of uniform wall thickness and special (usually oval) cross-section, produced to special dimensional tolerances and special temper for use as a pressure actuated measuring device, as in a Bourdon gage.

(4) Brazed Tube — Tube made from sheet or strip by forming and brazing.

(5) Butt Seam Tube — See Open Seam Tube.

(6) Capillary Tube — Tube of small inside diameter with highest quality of inside surface and to close diameter tolerances. It is subject to special tests to insure precision and uniformity of bore and is specially cleaned and packed.

(7) Condenser Tube — See Heat Exchanger Tube.

(8) Copper Drainage Tube (D WV) — Seamless copper tube conforming to the particular dimensions commercially known as Copper Drainage Tube (DWV) as shown in TOLERANCE Section, page 34. It is intended for above ground use only, for soil, waste, vent and other nonnressure applications.

(9) Copper Service Tube — Bendable copper water tube for underground water services. See Copper Water Tube.

(10) Copper Water Tube — Seamless copper tube conforming to the particular dimensions commercially known as Copper Water Tube and designated as Types “K”, “L”, and “M” as shown in TOLERANCE Section, page 33.

(11) Embossed Tube — Tube, the outside surface of which has been ornamented by means of rolling with a design in relief, regularly repeated in a longitudinal direction.

(12) Finned Tube — Tube having a series of metallic ribs on the outside or inside surface either parallel to the longitudinal axis or circumferentially extended from the tube to increase the effective surface area for heat transfer applications. The fins may be mechanically applied, drawn or integrally extruded from the tube wall.

(13) Fluted Tube—Tube of nominally uniform wall thickness, having regular longitudinal concave corrugations with sharp cusps between corrugations. See Figure 23.


(14) Fluted Outside and Plain inside Tube — Tube having fluted outside periphery and plain inside periphery.

(15) Heat Exchanger Tube — Tube manufactured to special requirements as to dimensional tolerances, finish and temper for use in condensers and other heat exchangers. See TOLERANCE Section, pages 31 and 32.

(16) Lip Tube — Tube of generally circular cross-section with nominally uniform wall thickness having one hollow or solid protuberance or lip parallel with the longitudinal axis, intended for use in heat exchangers, particularly in the dairy industry. See Figure 24.


(17) Lock Seam Tube — Tube made from sheet or strip, with a longitudinal, mechanically locked seam.

(18) Oil Burner Tube — Small diameter seamless copper tube of soft temper in coils intended for use in oil burner installations. See also Automotive and General Service Tube.

(19) Open Seam Tube A shape, other than extruded shape, of generally tubular form of nominally uniform wall thickness but having a longitudinal unjoined seam or gap of width not greater than 25% of the outside diameter or greatest overall dimension. See Figure 25.


(20) Pipe, Seamless — Tube conforming to the particular dimensions commercially known as Standard Pipe Sizes (SPS) and designated as Regular and Extra Strong, as shown in TOLERANCE Section, page 35. See also Threadless Pipe (TP).

(21) Reeded Outside — Plain inside Tube — Tube having reeded outside periphery and plain inside periphery.

(22) Reeded Tube — Tube of nominally uniform wall thickness having regular longitudinal convex corrugations, either with rounded or sharp cusps between corrugations. See Figure 26.


(23) Refrigeration Capillary Tube — See “Capillary Tube”.

(24) Refrigeration Service Tube — Seamless copper tube in small diameters and conforming to the standard series of sizes commercially known as Refrigeration Service Tube as shown in TOLERANCE Section, page 38. It is furnished in coils of soft temper with special inside cleanliness, dehydrated, with the ends sealed and intended for use in refrigeration installations.

(25) Roped Tube — Tube of nominally uniform wall thickness, having the appearance of stranded rope. See Figure 27.


(26) Rope-Fluted Tube — Tube of nominally uniform wall thickness, both fluted and 
roped. See Figure 28.


(27) Rope-Reeded Tube — Tube of nominally uniform wall thickness, both reeded and roped. See Figure 29.


(28) Seamless Tube — Tube produced with a continuous periphery at all stages of the operation, in contrast to “brazed”, “welded”, “open seam” and “lock seam” tube.

(29) Threadless Pipe (TP) — Seamless copper tube of standard pipe outside diameter conforming to particular dimensions commercially known as Threadless Pipe (TP) as shown in TOLERANCE Section, page 36. It is furnished in hard temper, straight lengths and intended for assembly with brazed joints.

(30) Tubular Shape — Tube of non-uniform wall thickness or of irregular periphery or both. See Figure 30.


(31) Twisted Tube — Tube of symmetrical cross-section other than round having nominally uniform wall thickness and which has been twisted. See Fig. 31.


(32) Welded Tube — Tube made from sheet or strip, with a longitudinal welded joint.

Tube Measurement Terms
(1) Concentricity — Concentricity implies coincidence of the centers of the OD and ID. However, since a relative displacement (eccentricity) of the centers is difficult to measure directly, while the resulting variation in Wall Thickness is relatively easy to measure, Concentricity and Eccentricity are preferably expressed in terms of the latter. Thus as a practical matter, Eccentricity is here defined and conventionally measured as the difference between the Maximum Wall and Minimum Wall determined at any one cross-section. Measurement of the individual Wall Thicknesses can best be made with a micrometer caliper. See Figure 32.
Studies of commercial tube show that the Eccentricity increases with increase of both Nominal Wall and Nominal OD.

Eccentricity or Departure from
True Concentricity = Max. Wall – Min. Wall

% Concentricity = Max. Wall – Min. Wall x 100 / Average Wall

(2) Diameter — Average inside — For all practical purposes the Average ID is the average, at only one cross-section, of the maximum and minimum measured diameters usually found at or very close to 90° to each other. The individual diameter measurements are most commonly made with a micrometer caliper. Alternately and more conveniently the Average ID may be obtained for all practical purposes by subtracting twice the Average Wall Thickness from the Average OD. If the tube were perfectly round, the maximum, minimum and average diameters would, of course, all be the same. See Figure 33.  The great majority of commercial tubes are specified with respect to OD and Wall with no direct indication of required ID or tolerance therefore. However, when the ID is specified, the ID tolerance will be as shown in TOLERANCE Section, page 24, table 2.


Average ID = Max. I.D. + Min. I.D. / 2
or, alternately = Average OD – 2 x Average Wall

Departure of Actual Average ID from
that specified = Average ID – Spec. ID
(If Average ID is greater than Spec. ID)
or, alternately = Spec. ID – Average ID
(If Average ID is less than Spec. ID)

(3) Diameter — Average Outisde — For all practical purposes the Average OD is the average, at any one cross-section, of the maximum and minimum measured diameters usually found at or very close to 90° to each other. The individual diameter measurements are most conveniently made with a micrometer caliper. Here again if the tube were perfectly round, the maximum, minimum and average diameters would, of course, all be the same. See Figure 34.
Studies of a very large number of commercial tubes made by a number of producers show definitely that the variation of the Average OD from its nominal, and therefore a reasonable Average OD tolerance, is entirely independent of wall thickness. For instance, Average OD tolerance should be identically the same for a tube 1 in. x 1/4 in. as for a tube 1 in. x .020 in.

See TOLERANCE Section, page 24, table 2.

Average OD = Max. OD + Min. OD / 2
Departure of Actual Average OD
from that specified = Average OD – Spec. OD
(If average OD is greater than Spec. OD)
or, alternately = Spec. OD – Average OD
(If Average OD is less than Spec. OD)

(4) Diameter At Any Point — inside — Inside Diameter may be measured at any point around the periphery. Such individual measurements may depart from the nominal due either to the tube being larger than nominal, smaller than nominal, out-of-round or a possible combination of these.

To determine the exact degree of departure of the Diameter At Any Point from the nominal diameter, the most practical method of measurement is with a micrometer caliper. For inspection purposes where it is desired only to determine whether or not the stated tolerance is exceeded, limit gages are more practical. From the standpoint of practical use, it is frequently important to specify and to check the ID at the minimum point where, for instance, some other member must enter the tube. For this purpose a round “go” plug gage is generally used. On the other hand there is almost never any real need for specifying or checking the Inside Diameter at the maximum point, but if this should be required, a “no-go” plug gage of round-edged rectangular cross-section may be used.

The variation of the ID At Any Point from its nominal is the result of two entirely independent factors: namely, the variation of the Average Inside Diameter from its nominal and the departure from Roundness. However, the total variation found in good commercial practice seldom approaches the maximum theoretically possible from these combined factors. See Figure 35.
Inasmuch as tube users seldom specify a tolerance on ID At Any Point, no schedule is established.

Departure of Actual ID At Any Point
From that specified = Max. ID – Spec. ID
or, alternately = Spec. ID – Min. ID

(5) Diameter At Any Point — Outside — Outside Diameter may be measured at any point around the periphery. Such individual measurements may depart from the nominal due either to the tube being larger than nominal, smaller than nominal, out-of-round, or a possible combination of these.

To determine the degree of departure of the OD At Any Point from the nominal diameter, the most practical method of measurement is with a micrometer caliper. For inspection purposes where it is desired only to determine whether or not the stated tolerance is exceeded, limit gages are more practical. From the standpoint of practical use, it is frequently important to specify and to check the OD at the maximum point, where for instance, the tube must enter a given hole. For this purpose a “go” ring or “go” snap gage is generally used. On the other hand there is almost never any real need for specifying or checking the OD at the minimum point. But if this should be required, a “no-go” snap gage, but not a ring gage, may be used. The variation of the Outside Diameter At Any Point from its nominal may be the result of two entirely independent factors namely, the variation of the Average OD from its nominal and the departure from Roundness. However, the total variation found in good commercial practice seldom approaches the maximum theoretically possible from these combined factors. See Figure 36.

Inasmuch as tube users seldom specify a tolerance on OD At Any Point, no schedule is established.

Departure of Actual OD at any Point
from that specified = Max. OD – Spec. OD
or, alternately = Spec. OD – Min. OD

(6) Roundness — Roundness implies a truly circular periphery of the inside or the outside surface. Since experience shows the degree of departure from roundness is the same on the OD and the ID, but is more readily measured on the former, it is customary to determine departure from roundness of the OD, even when the tube is specified as to ID only. Out-of-roundness is determined as the total difference found at any one cross-section, between the individual maximum and minimum Outside Diameters which usually occur at or about 90° to each other. Roundness is not expressed as plus and minus. See Figure 37.

Departure from Roundness
(i.e., Out-Of-Roundness) = Max. OD – Min. OD

% Out-of-Roundness = Max. OD – Min. OD x 100 / Average OD

Measurements can best be made by means of a micrometer caliper. Roundness is not to be confused with Concentricity as there is no connection whatever between the two. Roundness tolerances, given in TOLERANCE Section, page 27, are applicable to hard drawn and drawn general purpose tube only.

(7) Wall Thickness — At Any Point — Wall Thickness may be measured at any point around the periphery. Such individual measurements may depart from the nominal due to the wall being either thicker than nominal or thinner than nominal, or to the tube being eccentric, or a possible combination of these.

To determine the degree of departure from the nominal, the most practical method of measurement is with a micrometer caliper. For inspection purposes where it is desired only to determine whether or not the stated tolerance is exceeded, limit gages are most practical. A “go” gage is generally used to check the maximum Wall Thickness and a “no-go” gage to check the minimum Wall Thickness. See Figure 38.

The variation of the Wall At Any Point from its nominal is the result of two entirely independent factors; namely, the variation of the Average Wall from its nominal and the Eccentricity. The total variation found in good commercial practice seldom approaches the maximum theoretically possible from these combined factors. See TOLERANCE Section, page 24, table 1.
Figure 38 – Exaggerated for Illustration

Departure of Actual Wall at any Point
from that specified = Max. Wall – Spec. Wall
or, alternately = Spec. Wall – Min. Wall

(8) WaIl Thickness — Average — For all practical purposes, the Average Wall Thickness is the average at any one cross-section, of the maximum and minimum wall thickness, usually found at or very close to 180° apart. The individual measurements are most conveniently made by means of a micrometer caliper. If the tube were perfectly concentric, the maximum, minimum and average wall thicknesses would of course all be the same. See Figure 39.

Studies of commercial tubes show the variation of Average Wall Thickness from the nominal is dependent only on the diameter of the tube, and practically speaking, independent of the Wall Thickness itself; i.e., the Average Wall Thickness tolerance should be the same fora tube lin. x. 100 in. as for a tube 1 in. x. 020 in., whereas the Average Wall Thickness tolerance for any 2 in. diameter tube must be greater than for any 1 in. tube.

In as much as tube users seldom specify a tolerance on Average Wall, no schedule is established.
Figure 39 – Exaggerated for Illustration

Average Wall = Max. Wall + Min. Wall / 2
Departure of Actual Average Wall
from that specified = Avg. Wall – Spec. Wall
(If Average Wall is greater than Spec. Wall)
or, alternately = Spec. Wall – Average Wall
(If Average Wall is less than Spec. Wall)

Tube Sheet See Condenser Tube Plate.

Tubing A series or system of tubes, collectively. This term is not recommended to designate an individual tube or type of tube.

Tubular Shape See Tube.

Tumbling See Barrel Rolling.

Twist A winding departure from flatness. See Figure 40.
Figure 40 - Exaggerated for Illustration

Twisted Tube See Tube.


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Busby Metals, Inc. is a stocking distributor of brass, bronze, copper, beryllium copper & aluminum bus conductors. Inventory includes rod, bar, sheet, strip, plate, tube, pipe, wire, castings & forgings. specialty alloys available from stock include: aluminum, naval, tobin, commercial, manganese, phosphor & silicon bronzes; beryllium, tellurium, leaded, zirconium, chromium, ETP & oxygen free coppers; free cutting brass; nickel silver; copper nickel. International specifications. Custom shapes. Metric sizes. Metal processing performed. Accredited ISO 9000 and MIL-I-45208A quality system. Chemical & physical test reports available. Technical support provided.