What are Hollow Section Pipes / Tubes
Hollow section tubes are steel tubes with uniform wall thickness and a hollow centre. Common shapes are:
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SHS = Square Hollow Section
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RHS = Rectangular Hollow Section
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CHS = Circular Hollow Section
APL Apollo uses ERW (Electric Resistance Welded) manufacturing for many of its hollow sections, with both black/plain steel and coated/galvanised versions.
Key Specifications of APL Apollo Hollow Sections
Here are the ranges of sizes, thickness, lengths etc from APL Apollo’s product lines:
| Property | Value / Range |
|---|---|
| Shapes available | SHS (Square), RHS (Rectangular), CHS (Circular)+3 |
| Square Hollow Section (SHS) sizes | From ~12 mm × 12 mm up to ~300 mm × 300 mm for black/structural hollow sections. |
| Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) sizes | From ~26 mm × 13 mm up to ~400 mm × 200 mm for structural tubes.+2 |
| Circular Hollow Section (CHS) / Round Tubes | Outer diameters ~21.3 mm to ~355.6 mm in some DFT-structural version; in lighter/thinner wall versions smaller diameters are used.+2 |
| Thickness (Wall / Gauge) | Ranges from ≈ 0.8 mm up to ≈ 12 mm, depending on size & load requirements. |
| Lengths | Typical lengths are 4.0 m up to 12.0 m for many series. Some special / shorter lengths also available. |
| Steel Grades / Strength | Some of the hollow section tubes are of high-tensile steel; grades mentioned include YST 310, YST 355 etc. |
| Finish / Coating Options | Plain (black) hollow sections; also galvanised / GI / Galv tubes; some are pre-galvanised or have enhanced zinc coatings in “Apollo Galv” range.APL Apollo |
Product Lines & Special Variants
APL Apollo offers several specific hollow-section product lines, with slightly different positioning / properties:
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Apollo Structural: Standard hollow sections (RHS/SHS) in black/ERW for general structural applications.
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Apollo Fabritech: Higher strength hollow sections, used in more demanding structural work; using high tensile material.
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Apollo DFT (Direct Forming Technology): Allows customised rectangular/square profiles, fast turnaround; larger sizes, wide thickness range.
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Apollo Build: More for regular/residential & commercial construction uses; cost-effective black hollow sections.
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Apollo Galv: Galvanised hollow sections (square, rectangular, circular) for corrosion‐sensitive environments.
Typical Use Cases / Applications
Hollow sections from APL Apollo are used in many situations, including:
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Structural frameworks: columns, beams, trusses etc.
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Residential & commercial buildings (supports, windows/doors frameworks, balconies).
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Pre-Engineered Buildings (PEBs).+2
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Infrastructure: warehouses, industrial buildings, sheds etc.
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Agricultural equipment, fencing, gates, railing, furniture.
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Areas with exposure to moisture / weather (when galvanised).
Advantages & Considerations
Advantages:
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Higher strength-to-weight ratio compared to solid steel sections of same external dimension.
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Good from aesthetic & structural point of view (clean profiles, easier to assemble).
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Uniformity & precision with ERW & DFT manufacturing.
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Availability of coated options (galvanised etc.) to resist corrosion.
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Flexibility: many sizes, custom dimensions in some product lines (especially DFT).
Considerations / Limitations:
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Wall thickness must be adequate for load / buckling considerations, especially in longer columns.
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Welding, connections etc need care (hole punching, bending) to avoid weakening.
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Corrosion protection required in harsh environments if plain steel.
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Cost increases with wall thickness & treated finishes.
