How Are Tanks Made?

[Quarrior]

Hi All,

I've been looking around the net and have not seen the answer to my question.

In essence, I tend to be a curious person, guess that's one reason I'm into Scuba, always looking for new things to learn and experience.

Anyway, I'm wondering where I can find information on how tanks are made and what materials are used. Not just the type of metal, but, what grade of metal and what specifications are used. I'm also interested in understanding the manufacturing process.

Thanks

Brian

 

[mustfajohnson]

Most Al tanks are made by the extrusion method. A big plug of aluminum is put in a form and a shaft is driven into the form to form the basic tank. A good site to start, http://www.psicylinders.com you can also check out the Luxifer website. Also http://ss.fm/

 

[TDunbar]

If you are ever in Riverside, CA or Garner, NC, you can tour the Luxfer facility and watch the manufacturing process.

On the PADI Prescriptive Lesson Guides are several videos that show the manufacturing process for steel and aluminum tanks. Ask your LDS or a PADI instructor to play the videos for you.

Todd D

 

[herman]

Luxfer is located in Garham, not Garner.
A Luxfer rep came to one of our club meeting several years ago with a video of how tanks are made. Very interesting.

 

[dlegros]

Go to http://www.faber-italy.com/dex.htm and select "Production Cycle" for info on how steel tanks are made.

Dom

 

[Quarrior]

Go to http://www.faber-italy.com/dex.htm and select "Production Cycle" for info on how steel tanks are made.

Dom

Thanks Dom, I like pictures.

Brian

 

[TDunbar]

yes, Herman. It's Graham. I should know better than to post off the top of my head. Have you taken the tour? They make the small cylinders in NC and weren't running the press when I was up there.

 

[herman]

I have not been there but we had a rep come to a club meeting with a video of the process. Wish it was in Garner, I only live a couple of miles from there.

 

[pescador775]

How?
Curious one, there is more to the story. Aluminum and steel tanks are manufactured of special, annealed metal alloys. Some, probably the majority, of SCUBA tanks are 'pressed'. Actually, disk shaped metal billets are placed in an extrusion press and rammed in several stages until the typical cylinder shape is formed. Then, the cylinder is spun in an electric furnace to form the neck. After that, the necks are subjected to a threading machine. From there they may be heat treated, coated, anodized or plated.

Smaller steel tanks, US Navy aluminum tanks or foreign tanks (Asahi) are made from preformed pipe. The pipe sections are spun and necked. One neck is plugged and faired off. The other end is necked in the usual way. The other processes are similar to above.

Pesky

 

[rmediver2002]

I have an older video from Luxfer (AL) and just got one from PST (steel) within the last month for cylinder hazmat training, the companies will in most cases provide some great resources for training. You could ask at your LDS and see if they have a copy to lend or ask them if they could call the manufacturer and request a copy for thier employee cylinder (compressed gas) haz-mat training program.

If they do not currently have a training program in place, you have the additional oppertunity to ask them if they would like you to write one or refer them to someone you know.

Jeff Lane