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June 2016
T
he revised specification has
been promulgated as SANS
8779: 2016: Plastic Piping Sys-
tems – Polyethylene (PE) Pipes for
Irrigation – by the SABS
Standards Division, re-
ports Renier Snyman,
technical and product
manager at DPI Plastics.
SABS 533 Part 1 spec
covered high-density PE
systems (HDPE) Parts 2
and 3, which were based
on outside diameter (OD)
dimensions.
Following the deci-
sion by the Department
of Trade and Industry
that South Africa would
switch to international
specifications, in order
to assist its integration
into the global export
market, the SABS adopted
ISO 4427 spec for PE pipe in 1999. A
five-year moratorium was placed on
SABS 533 Part 1, which expired in
2007. Companies that subscribed to
the specification in terms of the SABS
permit scheme that allowed them to
use the SABS mark on their products
were particularly affected.
The lack of internal diameter
based fitting specifications led to
manufacturers adopting the old
SABS 533 Part 1 in order to ensure
consistent quality. The review pro-
cess of the old specification was
Enhanced ergonomic and new trademark
features for the Bosch IXO cordless screwdriver
include the switch for forward
and reverse rotation,
which has been
modified to
make it easier to
operate.
Bosch IXO
The latest specification for polyethylene (PE) piping systems for
irrigation applications is SANS 8779.
Specs for PE piping systems
T
o drive screws, slide the
switch forward, then slide it
backward to loosen them. The
on/off switch has also beenmodified
to enable the IXO to be operated in
different grip positions.
The tool can nowbe charged using
a micro USB cable, and its charging
time has been reduced to threehours.
It uses a ‘Power Light’, which is an
adjustable
white LED
bright light,
positioned on
the head of the
screw driver. “When set to scattered
light, it reliably illuminates the work
area. Set to spotlight mode, the light
will be cast precisely on the screw
head. Switching between the two is
quick and easy – simply loosen the
black screwdriver cap and rotate
it 180 degrees,” says Bosch Brand
Manager, Ninet Bosman.
The Bosch IXO is a tool that boasts
practical functionality and has revo-
lutionised the market. The basic ver-
sion comes with a charging cable and
ten screwdriver bits in a slim metal
casket that resembles a clutch bag.
It can be clicked onto a higher
module, in which the matching
adapters and other accessories can
be stored.
■
initiated originally by the
South Africa Irrigation
Institute (SABI).
The SABI contended
that the lack of a guiding
or master specification
placed the entire irriga-
tion industry at risk in
terms of the compatibil-
ity between the available
pipe and fitting systems.
This is due to the fact
that small, uncontrolled
specification changes can
result in widespread pipe
failures.
SANS 8779, according
to the SABS, “specifies
the pipes (mains, sub-
mains and laterals) made from PE,
intended to be used for the convey-
ance of water for irrigation, where
the nominal OD is specified from
12 mm up to and including 63 mm,
or the nominal ID is specified from
10mmup toand including100mm.”
■
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