Plumbers Cleared in Investigation of Iplex Pro-fit Pipe Issues, Fletcher Building Investors Wary

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PPN- The Leading Source of Industry News on Polymer Pipes and Plastic Pipe Testing

Global News on Plastic Piping and Fittings in Real-Time


NEWSMAKERS: * Australian Plastic Piping Failures * CPVC * Dr. John Scheirs * ExcelPlas * Failure Analysis * Fletcher Building * Iplex * Master Plumbers * McElroy * PEX Pipe * Plastic Pipe Failures * Polybutylene Pipe Failures * Pro-Fit™ * REHAU * Reliance Worldwide Corporation * Rothenberger * RWC * Sappco * Sunbelt * Viega * Vinidex * Water Hammer

BREAKING NEWS

Plumbers Cleared by Investigation into Iplex Pro-fit Pipe Problems

Fletcher Building Investors are Wary the Group is Entering a Troubled Time
Shouldering $NZ1.4bn of net debt and facing potential liabilities from pipe product defects sold in Western Australia by its Iplex unit.

Failed PB Piping in WA – What Happens Now?
The extent to which Iplex® Australia is ultimately held to have any responsibility for the Pro-Fit™ PB-1 pipes failures and the impact that may have on the company is not known at this time. Those matters will depend on resolution of a number of matters, including: (i) the final determination as to cause(s) and the allocation of responsibility between Iplex® Australia and other parties; (ii) the type and scale of remediation required, including the cost of undertaking it; (iii) other losses suffered by third parties ultimately attributable to Iplex® Australia; (iv) if and how any relevant insurance policies respond; and (v) the time frames over which payments may be required. For example, removing Pro-fit from houses in Western Australia may take a number of years to do, given the scale of that task and the constrained resources in the Western Australia market likely to be available to undertake that work. If Iplex® Australia was to become subject to litigation in respect of this matter, final judgment may not be reached for some time i.e. many years.

Reliance Worldwide (RWC) Share Price Tanks 9% as Profits Slump

Institutional Owners May take Dramatic Actions as Reliance Worldwide Corporation Limited’s (ASX:RWC) Recent 11% Drop Adds to One-Year Losses

INDUSTRY NEWS

Failure and Fracture in Polyethylene Pipes: Overview, Prediction Methods, and Challenges

Thermal Analysis Under Static and Fatigue Conditions of PE100 Pipes [PDF]

ROTHENBERGER Trail Blazes with ROWELD Pipe Welding System

Sunbelt Invests £2.6m in Pipe Fusing Machines from US manufacturer McElroy

Plastic Pipe Company in Trademark Dispute

Plumbing Company Collapses into Liquidation Owing $750k, 14 Staff Lose Jobs

Plumbing Connection – Polybutylene Pipe Investigation Update

PEX Pipe and CPVC Pipe Failure Causes Explained

Vinidex and Iplex Pipelines Exhibiting at No Dig Downunder (Brisbane, 12-14th September, 2023)

Sappco Wins Big Saudi HDPE Pipes’ Supply Contract

Will the Carbon Economy Ever Come for Plastic Pipes?

Polyethylene Pipes have Failure Rates Four Times Higher than Asbestos-Cement Pipes

Avoiding Water Hammer and Other Hydraulic Transients in Plastic Pipes
For “weak” pipes such as PVC, the cumulative damage caused by hydraulic shocks can pose an unacceptable risk of catastrophic failure.

REHAU Polypropylene Sewer Pipe Systems Awarded Gold Medal

Viega Pexfit™ Pro: the Flexible and Reliable Plastic Pipe

REHAU Announces Partnership with BDA Manufacturers in USA

GF Piping Systems Positions Itself As Global Leader in Polymer Piping

Radiation Crosslinking in Critical Infrastructure Piping Applications (Video)

Strain-Based Design and Assessment for Pipeline Integrity Management: A Review of Applications and Gaps

Finite Element Analysis for Winding Process of Plastic Pipe Reinforced by Cross Helically Winding Steel Wires

CONDITION ASSESSMENT

ExcelPlas Pipe Condition Assessment (PCA)
Owners and operators of plants have been using thermoplastics for many years, transporting water, gas and chemicals along their process. However, for operational and maintenance purposes, the asset integrity of the piping system is required. This could be for a number of reason, such as piping system maintenance, ability to maintain current service conditions. EP offers its 30 plus years of plastic piping application experience to assess the fitness for service of used piping. Our specialists inspect the samples in our state-of-the-art accredited materials testing laboratory for piping components, to give our clients the necessary information to make an informed decision and next steps during a project’s operational, maintenance or design phases resolve threats to client assets. ExcelPlas offers the following testing to determine the condition of plastic pipes:
Technical Data:

  • Visual Inspection
  • Dimensional check
  • Oxidation Induction Time (OIT)
  • Melt Flow Rate (MFR)
  • Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
  • Hydrostatic Test
  • Differential Scanning Calorimetry test (DSC)
  • Vicat test
  • Microscopic analysis
  • Report with assessment of the integrity of the piping material

PLASTIC PIPE CONSULTANTS

Plastic Pipe Consulting Experts and Services
If you need a team of pipe plastic experts, then ExcelPlas Consulting is the obvious choice – our size is our strength in a market dominated by single consultants.
We provide services on everything from material selection, product testing, processing to failure analysis
https://www.excelplas.com/contact-us/

PIPE FAILURE ANALYSIS

ExcelPlas Investigating Poly Pipe Failures
Through failure analysis & forensic chemistry, we help clients improve product performance, increase profits, & resolve product liability claims with plastic pipes and fittings.
We are dedicated to unmatched excellence in failure analysis, investigative chemistry, material testing, and expert witnessing for plastics, polymers and composites.
With over 25 years of investigative experience, the staff at ExcelPlas are uniquely positioned to help clients resolve the most challenging performance and processing issues related to materials and finished pipes and fittings.
https://www.excelplas.com/contact-us/

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ExcelPlas Labs Pipe Failure Investigations
ExcelPlas Labs have created a new benchmark in failure analysis of HDPE, PP-R, PB and PEX pipes in addition to PVC &  CPVC pipes as well as composite GRP and GRE pipes.  When a plastic pipeline fails to perform as intended, our team can determine the root cause of failure (e.g.  oxidative failure, chemical failure, creep failure, over-stress failure, fatigue failure, design failure, etc).  ExcelPlas are experienced with all plastic piping failure modes and mechanisms including Slow Crack Growth (SCG) Rapid Crack Propagation (RCP), Environmental Stress Crack Resistance (ESCR), Oxidative Stress Cracking (OSC), cyclic fatigue, manufacturing defects, and polymer material problems.
http://www.excelplas.com/

ExcelPlas Strain Hardening Test (SHT) for HDPE Pipes
The SHT in accordance with ISO 18488 is a relatively new, but excellent way to obtain a rapid indication of the Stress Crack Growth (SCG) resistance of your piping material. This tensile test performed at 80°C has become in just a few years the new standard for Batch Release Testing (BRT). And not without reason.  The test requires only a very small amount of material, the results are very reliable with a very low inter-laboratory scatter and the results are available within a few days, regardless of the PE grade. The SHT is usually performed on resin material but it can also be performed on samples taken directly from pipes or sheets. As accredited lab, EXCELPLAS is happy to discuss the possibilities with you, whether it is for BRT, benchmarking, quality control of your (high performing) PE grade or for polymer compliance/ validation.
http://www.excelplas.com/

Australia’s Plastic Pipe Testing Laboratory
ExcelPlas Laboratories provides a comprehensive plastic pipe joint testing service and is equipped with a state-of-the-art laboratory to test a range of polymer materials including polyethylene and polypropylene. ExcelPlas can carry out testing on plastic tube and pipe ranging in wall thickness from 3mm to 1200mm. ExcelPlas Laboratories provide a comprehensive service to Industrial & commercial companies, environmental consultants, Government bodies, and local Authority customers throughout Australia and Asia. All testing is carried and out in accordance with ASTM, ISO & WIS methods and is fully accredited to ISO 17025 by NATA.

  • Butt Fusion Weld Testing
  • Weld Testing
  • Testing of Electro-fusion Welds
  • Tear on saddle joints
  • Crush De-cohesion of Electro-fusion welds
  • Polymer & Plastics Identification
  • Chemical & Thermal Testing
  • Site Audits

http://www.excelplas.com/

ExcelPlas – the Australian Pipes & Fittings Testing Laboratory

  • Accredited to ISO 17025 by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) Australia, and is Australia’s largest laboratory dedicated for the testing of plastic pipes and fittings to various Standards which include Australian, European and International Standards.
  • The staff employed at the laboratory have a combined experience of more than 85 years within the plastics industry specifically with manufacturing, quality control and the research and development of plastic piping systems including HDPE, PEX, PP-R, PVC, U-PVC, M-PVC, O-PVC, ABS, GRP, GRE and PB.
  • Services provided include conformance testing, compliance testing, batch release testing, root cause analysis for field failures and non-destructive testing of samples.

http://www.excelplas.com/

ExcelPlas Lab Specialising in HDPE Pipe Condition Monitoring, Failure Analysis and Testing
In the event of a HDPE buttweld or electrofusion weld failing during initial testing, or in service, we can conduct investigations to assist in identifying the root cause of the failure.
This service also extends to the premature failure of the pipe or fitting itself.
http://www.excelplas.com/plastic-pipes

ExcelPlas Pipe Testing is a Leader in the Field of Polyethylene (PE) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Testing
ExcelPlas is accredited with the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) for butt weld tests, bend and tensile tests, peel decohesion tests on electro fusion sockets and failure mode determination
http://www.polypipetesting.com.au/butt-fusion-welds/

New UHMWPE Pipe for Tailing Offers Greater Than 4X the Abrasion Resistance of PE100 (Australia wide)
http://slurrypipes.com.au/

ExcelPlas Poly Pipe Weld Inspection Lists Top 7 Causes of Weld Failure:

  • Lack of scraping
  • Inaccurate scraping
  • Contamination from dirt, water, oil or clays
  • Lack of Paralell-ness of fusion faces
  • Misalignment of surfaces
  • Time, temperature and pressure deviations
  • Not adhering to cool times

We have extensive experience in inspection of poly pipe welds for assuring welded joint quality.  Direct Poly Pipe Inspection ensures that operators are following the proven welding procedure; this reduces the occurrences of operational errors which lead to defects such as inclusions, lack of fusion (LoF), porosity and misalignment.
More information, contact [email protected]

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