MACHINERY | PIPE JOINING
Right: A recent project in the USA installed the first PA 12 pipe under the new ‘Mega’ rule, which came into effect last year
eliminating the waiver process for PA12 and making it available for wider use. McElroy says that it helped to train fusion
operators in the process of joining PA12 pipe – which is says is similar to that of fusing PE pipe – and far easier than welding steel pipe. The material was produced by Evonik, and the pipe was extruded by Teel Plastics. Teel supplied 2,800ft of 200psi PA12 pipe, as well as specially designed ‘weak link’ mechanisms to aid in the installation. These were used in each section of the pipe to help ensure that as it was pulled through the bored holes, the links would break in the event of a snag instead of stressing the pipe itself.
Below: Two new guides detailing the steps for electrofusing HDPE joints and couplings are available from PPI
Electrofusion guides The US-based Municipal Advisory Board (MAB) has published two guides detailing the steps for electrofusing joints and couplings for HDPE pipelines. The guides are available from the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI). Both cover generic electrofusion procedures for field joining: one cover PE pipe up to 12in; the other covers pipe of 14-30in. Both documents explain procedures, equipment, installers’ training, testing, inspection and qualifica- tion for electrofusing HDPE pipe. Those who are trained and qualified in accordance with these MAB documents demonstrate that they also have the knowledge and understanding of the general procedures and techniques of ASTM F1290. “These publications are important for the owners and installers,” said Camille George Rubeiz, co-chair of MAB, and senior director of engineer- ing for PPI’s municipal and industrial division. “The sections on pipe preparation while simple are among the most important steps to follow when electrofusing pipe sections. The HDPE fused joints create leak-free, self-restraint, monolithic piping systems. Also, the fused joints will eliminate infiltration into the pipe as well as exfiltration into
the environment.” MAB has also published other guides, including
one that details the various methods and steps needed to repair a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipeline in the field. MAB Basic HDPE Repair Options (MAB-4) – details the various methods and steps for repairing a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipeline in the field.
Bead assessment GF Piping Systems has launched an inspection tool that can assess a weld bead and provide a seal of approval quickly and objectively. The Weld Bead Inspection (WBI) tool provides
peace of mind for piping systems in a range of sectors, by assessing the quality of infrared-weld beads reliably. It can be applied to both Progef (PP) and Sygef (PVDF) components, with every element designed to be intuitive and efficient. Using infrared butt fusion to join plastic piping components together produces a weld bead. In the past, experienced welders or quality control managers assess the quality of the bead visually. However, says GF, this expertise is on the wane. The device is about the size of a computer mouse and houses photo-sensory technology. Welds for demanding applications can now be digitally inspected to ensure potential weaknesses are highlighted objectively – to reduce the risk of expensive leaks. “The tool can fit up to 15 different pipe diam- eters and analyse 4-16 different points of a weld,” said Peter Waefler, product manager for jointing technology at GFPS. “It can assess a weld bead and provide a seal of approval quickly and objectively.” The tool comes in two sizes to check the connec- tions of pipes in a range of sizes from d20 up to
38 PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION | May 2020
www.pipeandprofile.com
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