PC-MAY22-PG56.1_Layout 1 16/05/2022 10:33 Page 56
GROOVED COUPLINGS
A BETTER SOLUTION IN PIPE JOINING
Shaun Hughes, Victaulic regional sales manager, Southern UK, asks if traditional pipe joining methods are still best for the job
F
or as long as modern construction has been around, traditional pipe joining methods, like welding, threading or
flanging, have always been the go-to for contractors, simply because they were the best option at the time. As a result, they are often repackaged again and again within new project specifications. But what if there is a better solution? What if
this inertia is preventing enhanced performance, installation efficiencies and cost savings from being achieved? Enter grooved mechanical pipe joining. Although on the surface a similar product
to either flanged or welded joints, grooved couplings command contrasting qualities. They’re closest in kind to flanging, in that they involve tightening bolts to join two pipe spools together, but this is where the similarities end. A flanged solution, even at the smallest scale, will require star pattern tightening of 4 bolts. In contrast, a grooved coupling only requires two bolts to tighten the coupling around the pipe, after being secured within the groove.
A preferred alternative Let’s stop for a minute and think about the demands of a modern building project. Construction deadlines are getting shorter, budgets are being tightened, blueprints are being more demanding. Time, cost and performance: these are where contractors are feeling the heat. This is where grooved couplings really appeal as a preferred alternative to the traditional methods. Time is a finite commodity, especially for
contractors, which is why the speed and ease of which a solution can be installed is integral. Compared to flanging and the intensive welding process, grooved couplings still only take on average a sixth of the time to complete the same job. How do grooved couplings save time
during installation? This relates to a number of factors, all combining to create a time- saving solution. Take for instance only having to tighten two bolts; take the 360-degree rotation allowing the coupling to be orientated at any angle around the joint; take
56 MAY 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL
being able to overcome the challenge of finding qualified welders. Time is money, especially in the construction
industry. Extra time on a job equals extra labour costs, extra provision and material renting costs, and potentially a fine for delivering the project past the deadline. Clients and contractors do not want to pay more than they strictly need to, and with budgets being tightened, any time-saving solution is good for the bottom-line. From my personal experience at Victaulic, I have seen countless project managers choose grooved solutions because they save time and money, while increasing efficiencies across the project. Grooved couplings are also making for safer jobsites: there are no open flames
required for the welding process and no hazardous fumes released during the installation process. In the case of Victaulic, we also provide contractors with free training and tutorial tools to ensure the installation goes as smoothly as possible and pay regular visits to the jobsite during installation. Naturally, performance is key as well.
Certainly, the traditional methods have always reassured contractors with their sturdiness and their reputation of providing a decent outcome.
Rigid or flexible While grooved solutions certainly give no ground to the traditional joining methods in terms of robustness and reliability – ensured by a triple seal system between groove, gasket and housing which is enhanced when pressurised – it’s the additional qualities that have been turning contractors’ heads. Grooved couplings come in two different varieties: rigid, which permits neither linear, angular or rotational movement at the joints; and flexible, designed to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction and to allow controlled linear and angular movement at each joint. Employing either one or the other, or a combination of the two, means grooved couplings can be used in virtually every application. Flexibility really is the buzz word for grooved
couplings. Traditional solutions facilitate pipe expansion and contraction by expansion loops or flex connectors. Grooved couplings are different: they save on required space and have a long history of proven reliability. This is why grooved couplings are gaining
popularity in the industry, and becoming the preferred alternative to traditional pipe joining. They could represent the future for the industry.
Victaulic
www.victaulic.com
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