Production processes

Basic Types of Pipe

There are three basic types of plastic pipes:
Solid wall pipe

Extruded pipes consisting of one layer of
a homogeneous matrix of thermoplastic
material which is ready for use in a
pipeline.

Structured wall
pipe

Structured-wall pipes and fittings are
products which have an optimized
design with regard to material usage to
achieve the physical, mechanical and
performance requirements.

Structured Wall Pipes are tailor made
solutions of piping systems, for a
variety of applications and in most
cases developed in cooperation with
users.

Barrier pipe

Pipe incorporating a flexible
metallic layer as the middle of
three bonded layers. Barrier
pipe is used, for example, to
provide additional protection
for the contents passing
through the pipe (particularly
drinking water) from
aggressive chemicals or other
pollution when laid in ground
contaminated by previous
use.
Most plastic pipe systems are made from thermoplastic materials. The production method involves melting the material, shaping and then cooling.
Pipes are normally produced by extrusion.



Pipe Extrusion


Pipes made from PVC, PE and
PP and other thermoplastics are
usually manufactured by
extrusion.
This process starts by feeding
plastic material (pellets, granules,
flakes or powders) from a hopper
into the barrel of the extruder.
The material is gradually melted
by the mechanical energy
generated by turning screws and
by heaters arranged along the
barrel.
The molten polymer is then
forced into a die, which shapes
the polymer into a pipe that
hardens during cooling.

A great advantage of extrusion is
that pipes can be made to any
length. Due to its flexibility,
pipes can be made at long lengths
even coiling on a reel. Another
advantage is the extrusion of
pipes with integrated coupler
including rubber seal.



Jointing


Pipes can be connected in a
variety of ways to form reliable
and leak-free pipe systems. They
can be connected by either a push
fit joint with rubber seal or by a
solvent cement system or by
welding.

Straight pipes are mostly
connected by pushing the plain
end of one pipe into the socketed
end of another. This technology
is mainly used by PVC and PP
piping systems. A variety of
fittings are available to make
branches or bends or to connect
the pipe to other materials.

PE pipes for water pressure and
gas distribution can also be
connected by welding systems.
Two pocesses are mostly used:
Butt welding to connect pipe to
pipe ends, and electro welding of
fittings containing a heating wire
to allow melting of materials
together. A variety of fittings are
available. Welding systems have
proven to be very reliable.



Injection Moulding

Fittings such as joints, elbows or T-pieces are usually produced by injection-moulding.

In injection-moulding, the plastic
material is fed from a hopper into
the melting section of the
injection-moulding machine.
After melting, the material is
transported forward by the screw
and homogenised before being
injected into the mould to form
the shape of the desired product.
In the cooling step, the plastic
solidifies. Then the mould is
opened and the product is ejected.




Blow Moulding

In the blow moulding process, the plastic is melted and extruded into a hollow tube that is then captured by closing it into a cooled metal mould.
Air is then blown into the tube inflating it into the desired shape. After the plastic has cooled sufficiently, the mould is then opened and the part
is ejected.

Inspection chambers, manholes, septic and storage tanks are some of the products manufactured by this technique. Typically, these products are
much lighter and easier to handle than non plastic materials.



Rotational Moulding

The rotational moulding process is a high temperature, low pressure plastic forming method that uses biaxial rotation to produce hollow, one piece
parts. In the plastic pipe industry, it is typically used to make large inspection chambers, water and septic tanks from polyethylene (PE) or
polypropylene (PP).