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When it comes to cabling or sewage, there is nothing that works as well as thermoplastic pipes. Their industrial applications are numerous, making it indispensable to test them with high precision before the pipes begin their service to the cities, enterprises or private households. External loads' impact is one of the most important measures used in pipe quality control. Absence of such tests can lead to failure to comply with the established industrial standards.
The critical pipe testing parameters are ring stiffness and ring flexibility. To define ring stiffness, one needs to measure how a pipe reacts to an external force that is applied radially at a constant deformation rate. Pipes of a certain length are usually squeezed between a pair of platens, and the resistance is measured to ISO 9969 / ASTM D2412 for thermoplastic pipes or to EN 1228 for pipes with glass fiber reinforcement. Profile/corrugated pipes are inspected along their ID in order to avoid ridge flattening.
For the second parameter, a pipe is subjected to external force in order to measure how long the pipe will endure without structural damage. This parameter is tested to ISO 13968 until the product fails or a deformation of 30% of pipe OD is recorded.
Following the demand from pipe manufacturers to push the limits of measuring equipment even further, Zwick engineers develop an extensive series of testers for pipes of various diameters across a wide load range. The latest offering is a tailored system based on an expanded Z330E electro-mechanical machine providing maximum test load of 330 kN, aimed at extra-large pipes with a diameter of up to 3.5 meters.
A dedicated Zwick displacement transducer, permanently machine-mounted and offering easy positioning inside the pipe, provides flexible operator-friendly capabilities of ring stiffness measuring. Finally, TestXpert III proprietary software handles testing sequence for increased efficiency and ease.
Zwick machines prove to be highly reliable and are a must for efficient and trouble-free production of certified industrial pipe, no matter its diameter.
