Alloy: a metal made by combining two elements. All types of steel are alloys, but “alloy steel” is steel with a specific combination of elements that boosts strength
Annealing: a heat treatment process that makes steel easier to bend and work with
ASTM: an organization (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) that develops international standards for many products, including steel pipe and tube
Baghouse: an emission control device that filters gas streams through cloth or fiberglass bags in order to trap particles
Billet: a solid length of steel, produced through either continuous casting or hot rolling, that will be further processed to form a final product
Blast furnace: a large, brick-lined cylinder in which hot air and gases blast through iron ore, coke and limestone to extract iron from the ore
Burr: a ridge that forms on the edge of strip steel as a result of slitting, trimming, shearing or blanking
Coil: a tightly wound sheet of steel
Ductility: the ability to change shape without fracturing
ERW: electric resistance welding, a welding method using an electrical current and applied force to transform a sheet of steel into a tube or pipe
Extrusion: the process of shaping material by making it flow through a shaped opening in a die
Fabricate: to machine, form or join steel to create its finished state
Forging: a metal part that’s worked to a predetermined shape by hammering, pressing or rolling
Inmetco: a coal-based process that produces a scrap substitute using iron oxide fines and pulverized coal
Line pipe: a type of pipe used in the surface transmission of oil, natural gas, and other liquids
Molybdenum: an alloying element used as a raw material for some stainless steel classes
Pickling: a process that cleans rust, dirt and oil off a steel coil so more work can be done to the metal
Pig iron: the melted iron produced in a blast furnace
Skelp: an entry material for pipe mills; the properties of which allow for the welding operations required for pipe production
Terne: a sheet metal that is coated with a combination of lead and tin
Threads: the ridges on the end of a steel pipe that allow for the attachment of fittings
Zekelman Industries: the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in North America