METHOD OF MANUFACTURING STEEL FUEL-CONVEYING PIPE

Abstract

Provided is a method of manufacturing a high-quality steel fuel-conveying pipe that is highly resistant to corrosive fuel. The method is characterized by including screening and classifying a steel pipe material as one having an initial flaw (such as a fine crack, wrinkle flaw, or weld defect part) exceeding a preset threshold or one having the initial flaw not exceeding the preset threshold on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material, removing the initial flaw on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material having the initial flaw not exceeding the threshold by mechanical cutting, and subjecting the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material to a surface treatment such as Ni plating.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a steel fuel-conveying pipe having an anti-rust film layer on an inner peripheral surface of a steel pipe material, the method comprising: screening and classifying the pipe material as one having an initial flaw exceeding a preset threshold or one having the initial flaw not exceeding the preset threshold, removing the initial flaw on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material having the initial flaw not exceeding the threshold by mechanical cutting, and subjecting the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material to a surface treatment.

2. A method of manufacturing a steel fuel-conveying pipe having an anti-rust film layer on an inner peripheral surface of a steel pipe material, the method comprising: performing flaw detection on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material to detect an initial flaw, screening and classifying the pipe material as one having a detected value exceeding a preset threshold or one having the detected value not exceeding the preset threshold, removing the initial flaw on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material having the detected value not exceeding the threshold by mechanical cutting, and subjecting the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material to a surface treatment.

3. The method of manufacturing a steel fuel-conveying pipe according to claim 1, wherein the initial flaw on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material is removed by a gun drill processing machine for use in deep hole processing.

4. The method of manufacturing a steel fuel-conveying pipe according to claim 1, wherein the surface treatment is Ni plating.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting one example of a process of manufacturing a steel fuel-conveying pipe for implementing a method of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram depicting a gun drill processing machine for use in a removal step of initial flaw of the pipe material in the process of manufacturing the steel fuel-conveying pipe depicted in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0015] In the method of manufacturing a steel fuel-conveying pipe according to the present invention, as one example of the manufacturing process is depicted in FIG. 1, firstly, a pipe material which is a base material of the pipe is manufactured, as a pipe to be processed, in a pipe material manufacturing step 1. The pipe material manufacturing step 1 corresponds to, for example, a drawing step and a welded pipe manufacturing step. The pipe material to be manufactured in the pipe material manufacturing step 1 is, for example, a steel pipe using a low-carbon steel or alloy steel such as carbon steel pipes for mechanical structural use including STKM, SCM, STK, and STS and having an outer diameter of 10 mm to 30 mm and an inner diameter of 5 mm to 20 mm.

[0016] Next, as acceptance inspection of the base material of pipe, flaw detection is performed on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material by a flaw detector to detect an initial flaw (such as a fine crack, wrinkle flaw, or weld defect part) in a flaw detection step 2 of the pipe material. Subsequently, in a screening and classifying step 3 of the pipe material, the pipe material is screened and classified as a pipe material with a value detected in the flaw detection step exceeding a predefined threshold or a pipe material with the detected value not exceeding the threshold. As for the threshold of the initial flaw (such as a fine crack, wrinkle flaw, or weld defect part), its reference value is set at, for example, a depth of 150 m. The pipe material exceeding this threshold is processed as a defective piece, and the pipe material not exceeding the threshold is fed to a next initial flaw removal step 4. In this regard, the threshold is determined, for example, based on the type, inner diameter, and material thickness of the pipe material; and the size of the fine crack, wrinkle flaw, weld defect part, or the like.

[0017] In the initial flaw removal step 4, the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material not exceeding the threshold is subjected of mechanical cutting with a magnitude equal to or larger than the threshold, thereby removing the initial flaw. As the method using mechanical cutting for use as a method of removing the initial flaw (such as a fine crack, wrinkle flaw, or weld defect part) on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material not exceeding the threshold, a method using a gun drill processing machine 7 for use in deep hole processing depicted in FIG. 2 is used. This gun drill processing machine 7 for use in deep hole processing is of a type of cutting with a cutting tool 7-2 attached to a main body 7-1 being pushed into a pipe material fixed to a jig (omitted in the drawing) while being rotated. The processing is a scheme using a tool focusing on hole straight-ahead movement, which is a so-called gun drill, and thus the gun drill processing machine 7 for use in deep hole processing is suitable as means of removing an initial flaw on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material.

[0018] The pipe material not exceeding the threshold with the initial flaw on its inner peripheral surface removed by the gun drill processing machine 7 for use in deep hole processing in the initial flaw removal step 4 is subsequently subjected to a surface treatment such as Ni plating in a surface treatment step 5 on the inner surface of the pipe material. On that occasion, the surface treatment is performed along the inner surface of the pipe material. In the case of the pipe material with the initial flaw on its inner peripheral surface removed in the initial flaw removal step 4, the inner surface is free from a fine crack, wrinkle flaw, or weld defect part, and therefore a portion to which the plating solution is not applied is not present at all, and the entire inner surface is reliably subjected to the surface treatment. Therefore, a product with the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material subjected to the surface treatment such as Ni plating in the surface treatment step 5 retains sufficient anti-rust power with respect to corrosive fuel, and thus the occurrence of corrosion or rust is completely eliminated and it is clear that the product is excellent in corrosion resistance.

Examples 1 to 6

[0019] In the pipe material manufacturing step 1, steel-made drawn pipe materials (samples Nos. 1 to 6) manufactured by a drawing apparatus and having an outer diameter of 15.6 mm and an inner diameter of 9.8 mm were each used as a base material of pipe. In the flaw detection step 2, flaw detection was performed on the inner peripheral surface of each of the drawn pipe materials by a flaw detector to detect an initial flaw (such as a fine crack, wrinkle flaw, or weld defect part). Then in the screening and classifying step 3 of the drawn pipe materials, the pipe materials were screened and classified as one having a value detected in the flaw detection step 2 exceeding a preset threshold (150 m) and one having the detected value not exceeding the threshold. In the next initial flaw removal step 4, the inner peripheral surface of each drawn pipe material not exceeding the threshold was cut by the gun drill processing machine 7 for use in deep hole processing. The machining allowance at that time was 0.2 mm (each surface). Subsequently in the surface treatment step 5, electroless Ni plating was performed on the inner peripheral surface of each drawn pipe material with the inner peripheral surface being cut to form a NiP (electroless Ni) plated layer having a film thickness of 3 m to 5 m.

[0020] The results of a corrosion resistance test performed on the steel drawn pipe materials in the present examples in the following manner are depicted in Table 1.

[0021] Corrosion Resistance Test

[0022] The inside of each steel drawn pipe material with Ni plating on the entire inner surface of the pipe material was filled with corrosive fuel (containing 20% alcohol-mixed fuel (gasoline), organic acid of 500 ppm, moisture of 5%, and chlorine of 10 ppm), and a corrosion situation inside the pipe when left at a temperature of 100 C. for 1000 hours was checked. A corrosion resistance evaluation was made by checking the presence or absence of red rust by a visual check and a stereomicroscope.

Conventional Examples 1 to 3

[0023] Steel-made drawn pipe materials having an outer diameter of 15.6 mm and an inner diameter of 9.8 mm, which were equal to those of Embodiments 1 to 6, were used, and the inner peripheral surface of each of the drawn pipe materials was subjected to the same electroless Ni plating as that of Embodiments 1 to 6 without mechanical cutting of the inner peripheral surface of the pipe materials after drawing to form a NiP (electroless Ni) plated layer having a film thickness of 3 m to 5 m. The results of a corrosion resistance test performed in a method similar to that of Embodiments 1 to 6 are also depicted in Table 1.

[0024] From the results in Table 1, in any of the steel drawn pipe materials of the present invention in Embodiments 1 to 6 in which flaw detection was performed on the inner peripheral surface of each pipe material after drawing, the inner peripheral surface of the drawn pipe material not exceeding the preset threshold was removed by mechanical cutting, and then an electroless Ni plated layer was formed, no occurrence of red rust inside the pipe was observed and excellent corrosion resistance was recognized.

[0025] On the other hand, in any of Conventional Examples 1 to 3, occurrence of red rust was found on the inner peripheral surface of each drawn pipe material, and it was found out that corrosion resistance is inferior, compared with the steel drawn pipe material of the present invention.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Result of Corrosion resistance test Layer thickness Results of Coating on (straight Corrosion Inner pipe part) resistance Sample No. Pipe material surface (m) test Examples of 1 Steel drawn Electroless 3 Present pipe material Ni invention 2 Steel drawn Electroless 4 pipe material Ni 3 Steel drawn Electroless 4 pipe material Ni 4 Steel drawn Electroless 5 pipe material Ni 5 Steel drawn Electroless 4 pipe material Ni 6 Steel drawn Electroless 3 pipe material Ni Conventional 1 Steel drawn Electroless 4 x examples pipe material Ni 2 Steel drawn Electroless 4 x pipe material Ni 3 Steel drawn Electroless 5 x pipe material Ni : No occurrence of red rust x: Occurrence of red rust

Examples 7 to 12

[0026] In the pipe material manufacturing step 1, steel-made welded pipe materials (sample Nos. 7 to 12) manufactured by a welding pipe manufacturing apparatus and having an outer diameter of 15.9 mm and an inner diameter of 9.9 mm were used as base materials of pipe. As for the depth of a weld defect, a depth to be removed was investigated in advance by a statistical scheme, the machining allowance of the inner surface of each of the pipe materials was set based on that predicted maximum flaw depth, and the inner peripheral surface was cut by the gun drill processing machine 7 for use in deep hole processing for a cutting amount with a threshold (150 m) of the preset machining allowance. The machining allowance of the inner peripheral surface at that time was 0.2 mm (each surface). Subsequently in the surface treatment step 5, electroless Ni plating was performed on the inner peripheral surface of each welded pipe material with the inner peripheral surface being cut to form a NiP (electroless Ni) plated layer having a film thickness of 3 m to 5 m.

[0027] The results of a corrosion resistance test performed on the steel welded pipe material in the present examples in the same manner as that of Embodiment 1 are depicted in Table 2.

Conventional Examples 4 to 6

[0028] Steel-made welded pipe materials having an outer diameter of 15.9 mm and an inner diameter of 9.9 mm, which were equal to those of Embodiments 7 to 12, were used, and the inner peripheral surface of each welded pipe material was subjected to the same electroless Ni plating as that of Embodiments 7 to 12 without mechanical cutting of the inner peripheral surface of the pipe material after pipe manufacture to form an NiP (electroless Ni) plated layer having a film thickness of 3 m to 5 m. The results of a corrosion resistance test performed in a method similar to that of Embodiments 1 to 6 are also depicted in Table 2.

[0029] From the results in Table 2, also in the present embodiments, in any of the welded pipe materials of the present invention in Embodiments 7 to 12 in which the depth of a weld defect part after welded pipe manufacture was preset by a statistical scheme, the inner peripheral surface of each welded pipe material was removed by mechanical cutting by more than the preset threshold, and then an electroless Ni plated layer was formed, no occurrence of red rust inside the pipe material was observed and excellent corrosion resistance was recognized. On the other hand, in any of Conventional Examples 4 to 6, occurrence of red rust was found on the inner peripheral surface of the welded pipe material, and it was found out that corrosion resistance is inferior, compared with the steel welded pipe material of the present invention.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Result of Corrosion resistance test Layer thickness Results of Coating on (straight Corrosion Inner pipe part) resistance Sample No. Pipe material surface (m) test Examples of 7 Steelwelded Electroless 4 Present pipe Ni invention 8 Steel welded Electroless 5 pipe Ni 9 Steel welded Electroless 4 pipe Ni 10 Steel welded Electroless 4 pipe Ni 11 Steel welded Electroless 3 pipe Ni 12 Steel welded Electroless 4 pipe Ni Conventional 4 Steel welded Electroless 4 x examples pipe Ni 5 Steel welded Electroless 5 x pipe Ni 6 Steel welded Electroless 4 x pipe Ni : No occurrence ot red rust x: Occurrence of red rust

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0030] 1 pipe material manufacturing step [0031] 2 flaw detection step [0032] 3 screening and classifying step [0033] 4 initial flaw removal step [0034] 5 surface treatment step [0035] 6 product [0036] 7 gun drill processing machine [0037] 7-1 main body [0038] 7-2 cutting tool