Both tubes look exactly the same on the outside, it’s what is on the inside that counts.
When tube is formed there is a weld bead created where the two edges of the rolled stainless meet. The tube is then polished externally to a 320 grit finish, and if it is going on to be Dairy Tube it is also polished internally to remove the weld bead and create a hygienic internal surface. Dairy Tube is therefore suitable for food and beverage lines.
Since General Purpose Tube still has the weld bead on the inside it is suitable for non-hygienic uses such as glycol, wastewater and handrails. General Purpose Tube is typically cheaper than Dairy Tube due to having one less step in the production process. General Purpose Tube is also known as Handrail Tube.
