PIPE JOINING | MACHINERY
New and effective techniques for joining of plastic pipe in the field are vital, as they are critical to the eventual service life of the whole system
End to end: latest news in pipe joining
Once pipes have been made and delivered, their separate sections need to be joined together in the field – as quickly and accurately as possible and taking local conditions into account. McElroy recently launched its new In-Ditch 1600
machine, which can fuse large-diameter pipe up to 65in outside diameter (OD) in tight spaces. The In-Ditch 1600 is designed with a compact, two-jaw carriage and a top-loading heater and facer for added flexibility. It can fuse onto as little as 15in of exposed pipe with minimal excavation required. Multiple lifting points, a carriage spreader bar and skidded carriage provide ease of mobility and fit within a small envelope. A roll cage helps protect the carriage and hydraulics as they are lowered into the ditch. The carriage of the In-Ditch 1600 has the same 30,000lbs of clamping force per jaw as its estab- lished MegaMc 1600, and the same 3,000psi maximum pressure. The In-Ditch 1600 is also compatible with the DataLogger, which records
www.pipeandprofile.com
each step of the fusion process for added jobsite accountability. “The In-Ditch 1600 gives all contractors the
option of butt fusing fittings, flanges and tie-ins for a lot less than traditional electrofusion fittings in that diameter,” said Brett Stone, sales channel manager at McElroy. McElroy recently supplied its joining equipment
for a project involving polyamide 12 pipe – which it said was the first example of the material being installed under new rules. The project – in Henderson, Kentucky – is the first
PA 12 installation under the Pipeline and Hazard- ous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Mega Rule that went into effect in January 2019, said McElroy. This should open up the market to wider use of PA12 pipe, it added. In the USA, the material had previously been installed only via special regulatory waivers. The new Mega Rule approved the use of plastic pipe for a greater range of high-pressure applications,
May 2020 | PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION 37
Main image: McElroy’s In-Ditch 1600 can fuse large-diameter pipe in tight spaces
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50
