Tubes according to BWG standards

Among the range of products that Tecra supplies, there are also tubes according to BWG (Birmingham wire gauge) standards that is tubes whose thickness has been established by the wire gauge system, born in the UK in the Eighties of the XXth century.

It still represents a reference for tubes categorization in different fields. According to this system, each specific thickness corresponds to a precise measure of the internal and external diameter, expressed in millimeters or inches.

These kinds of tubes are manufactured by different metal alloys depending on the application needs:

  • stainless steel – AISI 304/304L or 316/316L-, typically used in chemical, pharmaceutical and food industry;
  • copper used in case of air conditioning systems, hydraulic systems and fluid transmission systems;
  • aluminium especially used in the aerospace, automotive and food field;
  • brass used for the production of fittings, valves and hydraulic or pneumatic components.

Generally speaking, BWG tubes are used for the following applications:

as well as in metal constructions for heat exchangers, fences and other components.

It follows that the choice depends on the application needs, the context in which tubes are used, temperatures and pressures to which tubes are subject and substances they transport.

Stainless Steel Pipe BWG series

Thickness (mm)
Outside Diameter0,5080,5590,6350,7110,8891,0671,2451,4731,6512,1082,4132,7693,0483,404
(inc)(mm)25BWG24BWG23BWG22BWG20BWG19BWG18BWG17BWG16BWG14BWG13BWG12BWG11BWG10BWG
1/8"3,170,0330,0360,040,0420,0510,0560,059-------
3/16"4,760,0540,0580,0630,070,0860,0980,1090,1210,128-----
1/4"6,340,0740,080,090,10,1220,1340,160,1790,1950,2250,2380,25--
5/16"7,930,0940,1030,120,1280,1530,1740,210,2380,260,3080,3340,360,372-
3/8"9,520,1140,1250,1410,1570,1920,2250,2570,2980,3260,3930,430,470,4930,584
7/16"11,110,1340,150,1660,1850,2270,2540,310,3550,3920,4770,5270,580,6150,706
1/2"12,70,1670,1690,1910,2130,2630,3120,3580,4150,4570,5610,6230,690,7360,792
9/16"14,280,1750,1920,2160,2410,2970,3520,4080,4720,5220,6420,7160,7980,8570,926
5/8"15,870,1950,2140,2420,2690,3340,3950,4550,530,5880,7280,8130,9080,9781,082
11/16"17,460,2150,2360,2670,2970,3680,4370,5050,5890,6530,810,9081,0181,0991,197
3/4"19,050,2350,2580,2920,3370,4050,4530,5530,6480,7190,8951,0081,1291,2221,333
7/8"22,220,2750,3020,3430,3820,4740,5650,6530,7650,8161,0611,1961,3451,4621,603
1"25,40,3160,3520,3930,4390,5450,6130,750,8820,9811,2311,391,571,7051,874
11/4"31,750,3570,4360,4940,5520,6860,7720,9491,1161,231,571,7762,022,192,415
11/2"38,10,4780,5250,5950,6650,8430,9261,1561,3711,4581,9032,162,4552,6292,957

ASTM A269 / A213 Pipe Manufacturing Standards

  • Dimensional tolerances on the external diameter ± 0.1 mm
  • Dimensional tolerances on thickness ± 10%