Both are ERW carbon steel mechanical tubing made to ASTM A513-24. The difference is the input strip: Type 1 (A.W.H.R.) is welded from hot-rolled steel — heavier walls, broader gage range, lower cost. Type 2 (A.W.C.R.) is welded from cold-rolled steel — smoother surface, finer finish, tighter dimensional control.
Grades (1008–1020), chemistry, shapes, and the governing standard are identical between the two types. If the tube will be machined, plated, painted, or visible, specify Type 2. If it won't — or if you need walls heavier than 0.134″ — Type 1 does the job for less.
| Type 1 · A.W.H.R. | Type 2 · A.W.C.R. | |
|---|---|---|
| Input strip | Hot-rolled coil | Cold-rolled coil |
| Surface finish | Standard mill surface | Smoother, finer finish |
| Wall thickness | 0.065″ – 0.250″ | 0.035″ – 0.134″ |
| Relative cost | Lower | Higher |
| Dimensional control | Standard A513 | Tighter ID/OD control |
| Shapes & sizes | Round 1″–3½″ OD · Square ½″–5″ · Rectangular to 4″×6″ | |
| Grades | 1008 – 1020 (others on request) | |
| Standard | ASTM A513/A513M-24 | |
Size ranges and tolerances as produced by Major Metals. Full chemistry and dimensional tolerance tables are on the ASTM A513 spec page.
The part doesn't need a polished surface or tighter ID/OD control, or it needs walls heavier than 0.134″. Typical calls: agricultural equipment frames, material handling, conveyor structures, OEM weldments that get worked, not seen.
The tube will be machined, plated, painted, powder-coated, or visible in the finished product. Typical calls: fitness equipment, furniture tubing, plated automotive components, and light-wall parts down to 0.035″.
As-welded hot-rolled (Type 1) and as-welded cold-rolled (Type 2). Both describe ERW tubing left in the as-welded condition — the difference is whether the input strip was hot-rolled or cold-rolled steel.
Generally yes. Type 1 uses hot-rolled strip and is the lower-cost option. Type 2's cold-rolled input strip adds cost but delivers a smoother surface, finer finish, and tighter dimensional control.
Type 2. Its cold-rolled surface takes plating, paint, and powder coat cleanly. Specify Type 2 whenever the tube will be machined, plated, painted, or visible in the finished product.
Same shape envelope — round 1″–3½″ OD, square ½″–5″, rectangular to 4″×6″ — but different wall ranges. Type 1 runs 0.065″–0.250″ wall; Type 2 runs 0.035″–0.134″ wall. For heavy walls, Type 1 is the answer; for light walls, Type 2.
Yes. Both are manufactured to ASTM A513-24 in grades 1008–1020, and both carry the same published OD tolerances in Major Metals' size range. The type controls input strip and surface quality, not the governing standard.
Tell us what the tube does — machined, plated, welded, hidden, visible — and we'll confirm the right type, grade, and size, with a quote to match.
Request a Quote
