Russian Research Institute of Tube and Pipe Industry (Chelyabinsk, Russia):

Vydrin A. V., Dr. Eng., Prof., Deputy Director, e-mail: vydrinav@rosniti.ru
Struin A. O., Cand. Eng., Head of laboratory, e-mail: struin@rosniti.ru

The results of XXI International scientifi c and technical conference "Tubes 2014" that has been occurred in Chelyabinsk in September 2014 are observed. The most part of materials was devoted to the problems of import substitution and developing of the new tube products. The conference slogan was nominated as «Innovation vector», mainly it was related to production of welded tubes. For the first time, many presentations were made in the area of production of plate as billet for welded tubes manufacture. The most attention in this field was paid to forming of steel structure at each production stage, in order to provide the required complex of mechanical and corrosion-resistant properties. Increase of the interest to production of large diameter pipes has been indicated in relation with realization of several large projects of pipeline construction for gas and oil transportation in Russia and other CIS countries. It is shown that precision of geometrical dimensions and high toughness of welded joint are the most important technological characteristics for such pipes. Consumption for longitudinal-welded stainless tubes of small diameter at the internal market makes appr. 25,000 t. Dur to better quality and lower price of foreign tubes, the import rate in this market segment constitutes 40–45%.