TPi January 2015

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34 Tube Products International January 2015
products & developments
Plastlock pipe coupling launched at
marine trade fair
Teekay Couplings launched its new
Plastlock pipe coupling at the SMM
marine trade fair in Hamburg, Germany.
Enabling simple, rapid and permanent
joining of plain-ended plastic pipes, the
product will increase the ability of the
marine industry to specify plastic pipes
in builds and therefore realise the cost,
time, space, weight and simplification
benefits of the material.
Key to the new product’s capability
is its patented dynamic axial restraint
system, which locks plastic pipes
together without the need for gluing,
heat fusing, flanging or pipe inserts.
The system has two pipe wall gripping
rings that adapt to higher levels of load
as pressure in coupled pipes increases.
These rings rotate on the pipe surface
under higher loads, increasing the area
gripping the pipe and reinforcing the
seal.
This design concept follows through
into the pipe anchoring mechanism,
which includes three anchor rings at
staggered heights. A chamber between
each ring allows the pipe wall to migrate
around the area where each anchor ring
engages with it. These features allow
for a dynamic lock on the pipe, ensuring
all rings are continuously in contact
with the pipe wall, resulting in a hold
that permanently locks the two pipes
together.
“By simply butting two plastic pipes
together and connecting them with
a Teekay Plastlock pipe coupling,
engineers can create a permanent
coupling in an extremely short period
of time and with a structure that is
often stronger than the plastic pipes it’s
connecting,” said Ian Webb, director
at Teekay Couplings. “This should be
seen as a significant new product by
the marine industry. Plastic pipes have
a multitude of potential applications in
marine engineering, many of which are
likely to prove quietly revolutionary in
what they enable designers to achieve.”
With methods of plastic pipe joining
such as heat fusion or gluing, there is
a cure time, which prolongs installation
and delays testing and commissioning.
If cure times are not closely observed,
leaks at the joints can start to appear
prematurely. In addition, hot working
and fumes created by gluing present
risks that have to be mitigated. As
a result of these considerations and
costs, metal piping is still extensively
used in marine engineering.
Plastic piping has relatively low initial
cost and can now be more quickly and
easily installed, as well as maintained.
There is no possibility of corrosion, so
the design process is simplified, as is
the resulting installation. It is also much
lighter, allowing fuel efficiencies.
Teekay states that Plastlock is likely
to enable major design innovations,
such as allowing tighter and neater
pipework layouts that maximise space
– particularly important on passenger
ships. Pre-fabricated spool pieces,
produced in factory conditions and
joined together on site, can now be used
to simplify builds. Very low maintenance
(or maintenance-free) pipe systems will
also be more cost-effective to install.
Plastlock is designed to work with a
wide range of plastics used in piping,
including polyethylene, polybutylene,
polypropylene, PVC-C, PVC-U and ABS.
The range includes 15 different sized
couplings, fitting pipes with outside
diameters from 25 to 315mm.
Couplings to fit plastic pipes outside the
standard range can be manufactured
to order. Plastlock is engineered to
conform to WIS-4-24-01 and BS 851:
2103 standards. Minimum burst is four
times working pressure.
Teekay Couplings Ltd – UK
Electric bevelling – end preps
where air is unavailable
Esco Tool has introduced a new
portable end prep tool that is suitable
for metal fabricating shops and other
applications where compressed air is
not available.
The Esco Millhog® Mini electric pipe
bevelling tool features an 1,800W,
110/230 VAC, 40-60Hz motor and a
self-centring draw rod mechanism that
rigidly mounts into a tube or pipe ID.
Developed for end prep applications
where compressed air is not available, it
uses the same wedge-lock blade locking
system as the air-powered model and
pulls a thick chip without oils.
Suitable for boiler tubes and pipes
from 31.8mm ID to 168.3mm OD, the
bevelling tool has two-speed operation:
low speed (18 rpm) for stainless steel,
P-91 and exotic alloys; and high speed
(60 rpm) for mild and carbon steels. It
can perform any angle of prep, including
compound bevels and J-preps.
Esco Tool – USA
Esco’s Millhog Mini
electric pipe bevelling tool