Rathgibson of Janesville, Wis. has expanded production of precision-welded tubing in stainless steel, nickel, and titanium that are being marketed for use in the manufacture of high-purity nickel alloy heat exchangers, sub-sea umbilicals, titanium desalination equipment and down-hole pressure tubing.

Because the products are being shipped into the Middle East, Africa, China and Southeast Asia, the firm has maintained comprehensive quality control procedures and testing services on its products. "We are constantly seeking ways to maintain the highest quality in our products," says Harley Kaplan, CEO of RathGibson. Various quality-assurance procedures include destructive testing on tensile strength, Rockwell hardness, and hydrostatic measurements; metallurgical testing for reverse bend, flattening, reverse flattening, and flange; corrosion testing and such nondestructive testing as dual frequency eddy current, ultrasonic testing, air underwater testing, digital radiography and film-based x-ray.


A reel containing 30,000 feet of RathGibson Zinc Clad, lean duplex subsea umbilical tubing destined for installation off the West Coast of Africa.