Dimensions
Outside diameter and wall to ASTM B491 / B210 or EN 754-7 tables, or tighter on drawing. Ovality is controlled so that end fittings and O-rings seal.
Coiled round tube for vehicle fluid lines
1200 and 1100 H112 Automotive Aluminium Tube Coil
1200 and 1100 tube coil is small-diameter, seamless round tube in commercially pure aluminium, wound in long continuous lengths. It bends easily, conducts heat well and brazes cleanly, so vehicle and heat-exchanger makers use it for connecting lines, cooler circuits and refrigerant pipework. Metline supplies H112 and annealed O-temper tube coil to manufacturers worldwide.
- Alloys
- 1200, 1100
- Tempers
- H112, O
- Size
- OD 4 – 19 mm, wall 0.4 – 3 mm
- Form
- Pancake or level-wound coils
What is aluminium tube coil?
Tube coil is round tube supplied wound on itself rather than in straight lengths. Long coils let a manufacturer straighten, cut and bend tube automatically, with far less scrap and fewer joints than straight 6 m lengths. Fewer joints mean fewer potential leak paths, which matters in any sealed fluid circuit.
Small-diameter coils in 1100 and 1200 are usually produced by continuous extrusion, where aluminium rod is fed into a rotating grooved wheel and forced through a die without the stop-start of a billet press. The process gives seamless tube with a uniform structure in very long lengths. Larger or tighter-tolerance tube may be extruded on a press and then drawn.
The as-extruded H112 temper is soft and ready for bending. Where tube will be bent very tightly, flared or expanded, it is supplied annealed (O temper). Neither alloy can be heat-treated for strength, so post-braze properties equal those of O temper whatever the starting condition.
1200 and 1100 chemical composition (wt %)
| Element | 1200 | 1100 |
|---|---|---|
| Si + Fe | 1.00 max | 0.95 max |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.05 max | 0.05 – 0.20 |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.05 max | 0.05 max |
| Zinc (Zn) | 0.10 max | 0.10 max |
| Titanium (Ti) | 0.05 max | — |
| Others, each / total | 0.05 / 0.15 | 0.05 / 0.15 |
| Aluminium (Al) | 99.00 min | 99.00 min |
Registered Aluminum Association limits, also listed in EN 573-3 as EN AW-1200 and EN AW-1100. The two are interchangeable for most tube uses; 1100 is slightly stronger because of its copper, while 1200 is common in European and Asian specifications.
Mechanical and physical properties
| Temper | Tensile strength | Yield strength (0.2 %) | Elongation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H112 extruded, specified minimum | 75 MPa / 11 ksi | 20 MPa / 3 ksi | — | ASTM B221 / B491 basis |
| O, typical | 90 MPa / 13 ksi | 34 MPa / 5 ksi | 30 – 40 % | For tight bends, flares and expansion |
| H14 drawn, typical | 125 MPa / 18 ksi | 115 MPa / 17 ksi | 10 – 20 % | Straight lengths needing stiffness |
Physical properties
- Density
- 2.71 g/cm³
- Thermal conductivity
- about 220 – 230 W/m·K
- Melting range
- about 643 – 657 °C
- Coefficient of thermal expansion
- 23.6 µm/m·°C
Working pressure depends on diameter, wall thickness and temperature. Calculate it from the post-braze (O temper) strength with a suitable safety factor, and confirm by burst testing.
Tube coil sizes and weights
Typical supply range
- Outside diameter
- About 4 – 19 mm (inch sizes such as 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 in)
- Wall thickness
- About 0.4 – 3 mm
- Coil type
- Pancake (flat) coils or level-wound coils for automatic lines
- Condition
- H112 or O; inside cleaned and dried, ends capped
- Standards
- ASTM B491 (extruded coiled tube), ASTM B210 / B483 (drawn tube), EN 754 / EN 755
Weight per metre and approximate metres per tonne for common automotive sizes (density 2.71 g/cm³):
| OD × wall (mm) | kg per metre | metres per tonne (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 × 0.5 | 0.015 | 67,119 |
| 6 × 0.5 | 0.023 | 42,712 |
| 6.35 × 0.8 | 0.038 | 26,454 |
| 8 × 0.5 | 0.032 | 31,322 |
| 8 × 1 | 0.060 | 16,780 |
| 9.53 × 1 | 0.073 | 13,770 |
| 10 × 1.25 | 0.093 | 10,739 |
| 12 × 1.75 | 0.153 | 6,548 |
| 12.7 × 1.2 | 0.117 | 8,511 |
| 15.88 × 1.65 | 0.200 | 5,003 |
| 16 × 2 | 0.238 | 4,195 |
| 19.05 × 1.65 | 0.244 | 4,091 |
Tolerances, cleanliness and leak testing
Inside cleanliness
Refrigerant and oil circuits need low residual oil and particles. Ask for internal cleanliness limits and dry, capped ends.
Leak and eddy-current testing
In-line eddy-current testing finds wall defects along the full coil length; pressure or helium leak testing is done on the finished assembly.
Bend testing
Flattening, flaring and expansion tests confirm that the tube will form without cracking.
Certification
EN 10204 3.1 certificate with chemistry and mechanical results for each lot.
Packing
Coils wrapped in film with desiccant, palletised or cased for export.
Automotive uses of 1100 / 1200 tube coil
- Heat-exchanger connecting tube: inlet and outlet tubes and jumpers on condensers, evaporators, heater cores and oil coolers
- Air-conditioning circuits: low-pressure and small-diameter refrigerant lines and capillary-style tubes
- Oil and transmission cooler lines: bent tube connecting radiator-mounted coolers to the gearbox or engine
- Coolant and auxiliary circuits: battery-cooling distribution lines and small coolant tubes in electric vehicles
- Instrument and vent lines: low-pressure tubing where corrosion resistance and easy routing matter
Brake lines are a common error in older descriptions of aluminium tube coil. Hydraulic brake pipes are almost always steel or copper-nickel because of their very high pressures and safety rules; 1xxx aluminium is not used for them. For higher-pressure refrigerant lines, 3003 or 6063 tube is normally specified.
1100 / 1200 compared with 3003 tube and copper
| Property | 1100 / 1200 | 3003 | Copper (C12200) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical tensile, O temper | ~90 MPa | ~110 MPa | ~220 MPa |
| Thermal conductivity | ~220 W/m·K | ~160 – 190 W/m·K | ~340 W/m·K |
| Density | 2.71 g/cm³ | 2.73 g/cm³ | 8.94 g/cm³ |
| Bendability | Excellent | Very good | Excellent |
| Brazing | Very good | Very good | Excellent |
| Typical use | Low-pressure lines, connectors | Refrigerant lines, higher pressure | Legacy and service lines |
Step up to 3003 tube coil when you need about 20 % more strength at similar formability.
How to order tube coil from Metline
- SpecifyAlloy and temper (e.g. 1100-O), OD and wall, coil type and coil weight, cleanliness requirement and volume.
- Confirm the standardASTM B491, B210 or B483, EN 754 / EN 755, or your own drawing and test specification.
- QuoteWe confirm availability, tolerances, certification and delivery terms (EXW, FOB, CIF or DAP) for your plant or port.
- Process and inspectCoils are eddy-current tested where specified, cleaned, dried, capped and wrapped with desiccant.
- Document and shipEach lot ships with an EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate, heat or lot traceability and a packing list, in seaworthy export packing. Third-party inspection can be arranged on request.
References and standards
- ASTM B491/B491M – Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Extruded Round Tubes for General-Purpose Applications
- ASTM B210/B210M – Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Drawn Seamless Tubes
- ASTM B483/B483M – Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Drawn Tube and Pipe for General Purpose Applications
- EN 573-3 – Aluminium and aluminium alloys: chemical composition and form of wrought products
- The Aluminum Association – International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits (Teal Sheets)
Aluminium (aluminum) tube coil: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between H112 and O temper tube coil?
H112 is the as-extruded condition, soft enough for normal bending. O is fully annealed, with the highest elongation, and is chosen for tight bends, flaring and expansion into fins or fittings.
Is 1200 tube the same as 1100 tube?
Both are 99.0 % aluminium. 1100 has a small copper addition that makes it marginally stronger; for most tube uses the two are interchangeable.
What sizes of tube coil are available?
Typically 4 – 19 mm outside diameter with 0.4 – 3 mm walls, in metric or inch sizes, as pancake or level-wound coils.
Can aluminium tube coil be used for brake lines?
No. Brake pipes run at very high pressures and are made from steel or copper-nickel. 1100 / 1200 tube suits low- and moderate-pressure fluid and heat-exchanger lines.
How is tube coil cleaned and packed?
Tube is cleaned internally, dried, capped at both ends and wrapped with desiccant, then palletised or cased for export.
Do you supply tube coil outside India?
Yes. Metline ships tube coil worldwide with mill certificates and EXW, FOB, CIF or DAP terms.
Need aluminium tube coil?
Send the size, temper, coil type and volume, and our team will reply with availability and a delivered quotation.
