Article published in: Ambiente Plástico 2020

The quality testing is a key business imperative

The Danish manufacturer of test equipment, SCITEQ has more than 50 years of experience developing test equipment for the pipe and fitting industry. The test equipment developed and produced in Denmark is installed worldwide in many different segments of the pipe industry. SCITEQ Sales Director and Partner, Peter Sejer “we see all the challenges and pitfalls that comes with hydrostatic pressure testing and with selecting the right testing equipment for the task and we know how important it is for the laboratories and pipe producers to be accurate and valid test results. The quality approval is a key factor in the business.”

 

The purpose of pressure testing pipes and fittings.

The purpose of pressure testing is to investigate the various limits of the pipeline. Testing the elasticity and durability in pipes, hoses and fittings when exposed to temperature and pressure changes can prove reliability and maximum capacity. Manufacturers and test institutes can hereby establish whether the product meets the requirements according to international and local standards.

 

Pressure testing explained in short

A pipe sample is placed in a temperature-controlled environment, such as a thermo tank, an oven, or a conditioning chamber. Then exposed to very accurate internal hydraulic pressure for a given period of time. This can be in the form of a “static test” where failure is not expected, or in the form of a “burst” test where failure is expected after a given time. Typically, 60 second to rupture, where pressure is recorded.

 

Testing different materials and diameters

Many pipe companies produce a wide range of diameters and in different materials i.e. PVC, O-PVC, PP, PE HDPE etc. With a wide range of diameters and different plastic materials, comes also the demand for a versatile pressure testing rig delivering a very accurate internal pressure regulation and at the same time supplying enough flow to pressurize, or even burst large expanding samples.

SCITEQ technical manager, Thomas Gedsig Nielsen shares his experience from setting up test configurations together with numerous test labs. “We often see small brittle samples, where even the slightest overshoot can cause a failed test, because it is tested on the same pressure rig as larger samples, meaning that labs are often caught in a dilemma. They need to be able to use the same equipment for both high and low pressure, while still ensuring high control accuracy – and at the same time being able to test at both high and low flow supply. This need calls for flexible solutions with un-compromising accuracy”.

SCITEQ SIGMA – the new generation of pressure test equipment.

Combining all these features in one versatile pressure rig is complex and not an easy task. Nevertheless SCITEQ has recently launched the new pressure test systems –  SIGMA Pressure test system and ECO line Pressure test solution. It is a modular pressure series utilizing the unique Dynamic control pressure system (DCPS). The DCPS is using two solenoid valves in series to control the pressure inlet flow, instead of the conventional 1 valve. This enables boosting high flow into the pipe at the beginning of the test, by just using one valve and later decreasing the flow by utilizing both valves and thereby regulating every little pressure increase in ultra-fine increments until set pressure is reached. Thomas Gedsig Nielsen comments “With this technology and decades of improvement in control regulation, we have fulfilled that task and are able to deliver such a versatile pressure test equipment. On top of that it has integrated communication with our thermo tanks”. The SIGMA system is controlled via extremely intuitive browser based control software, which can be operated from any browser enabled device.

 

With the SCITEQ pressure test series consists of a cabinet installed with up to five drawers configured according to customer needs:

  • Up to 50 pressure test stations for 0-160 bar and with 2l/m flow. These are the most common stations as they cover a large pressure spectrum and has a control accuracy better that +/- 1% of set pressure
  • Burst modules, which is the high flow high pressure end of the spectrum, with 8, or 15l/m and up to 200 bar.
  • HCP modules, which are our high volume, high control accuracy and medium pressure solution. Our HCP modules delivers up to 100 bar and 15l/m flow.
  • One pump feeding the above mentioned drawers

 

Test laboratories needs scalability and accuracy at all times

PSILab is a North American plastic pipe testing ISO 17025 accredited laboratory. PSILab chose SCITEQ SIGMA equipment for their test lab as it offers optimal scalability and accuracy demanded for the quality approval procedures. Resin and pipe manufacturers as well as engineers and installers depend on PSILab to help them understand the quality and performance of their products.

Steve Ferry, PSILab President and Laboratory Director ‘from cell classification testing to pipe stiffness to hydrostatic pressure testing to elevated temperature testing, SCITEQ’s equipment helps us get the work done efficiently, accurately, and safely. We are very pleased with our ongoing partnership with SCITEQ and we appreciate the fact that their state-of-the-art instruments play a vital role in our laboratory testing operations’. The SIGMA pressure test system offers ultimate flexibility and modularity when it comes to testing plastic pipes and fittings. So, if test requirements changes the modular and compact design of the SIGMA series allows for fast and easy servicing and upgrading, making the SIGMA Pressure test system a highly cost efficient and futureproof solution

 

SCITEQ Industry 4.0

The SIGMA pressure series is prepared for IoT and industry 4.0 cloud based communication and data storing as well as local data storing according to customers preferences. The new software is easy and intuitive to operate and offers quick-to-set-up recipes as well as optimized real time monitoring & logging enabling comprehensive analysis options of tests results.

“The advantages of the new generation of quality test equipment include optimized control, greater efficiency in testing and improved data analysis” says Peter Sejer, SCITEQ partner and sales director.

The company introduced the SIGMA solution at the k-show 2019 as this was the perfect opportunity to show the industry that SCITEQ is moving in a new direction, putting focus and efforts into optimizing the SCITEQ product range for industry 4.0. “We are not only introducing new hardware, but in fact a new and revolutionary to the operation of pressure testing” says Peter Sejer

 

Futureproof pipe tests
All SCITEQ pressure test equipment is developed and manufactured in Denmark using only European high quality components ensuring a long service, minimal maintenance and low energy consumption. The software is updated on-line as is the SCITEQ service and support, whereas the yearly calibration and preventive maintenance is conducted on-site by SCITEQ skilled service technicians.

Learn more about SCITEQ
Visit the www.SCITEQ.com for more information about the full range of testing equipment for pipe and fittings. For a closer look at the SIGMA solution a visit to the www.360.sciteq.com is recommendable, here you will find a 360 degrees view of product range of test equipment in 3D and video.

Contact us for further information. We are happy to show you some examples.

 

 

 

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