Pipe production: description

The production of pipes differs depending on the material of manufacture, the intended purpose of the product, the diameter, the profile, the method of connection and other technological factors. Consider the features of the release of these products and their brief characteristics.

Classification

Steel products are attributed to obsolete pipes for water supply and other systems. They are susceptible to corrosion, so they require a protective coating. As it is often used zinc, which affects the price increase of products.

Cast-iron counterparts are more resistant to rusting, but not so strong. They are of a high mass and require special fastening when laying. Of these structures are equipped with water, heating and sewage systems.

Metal-plastic pipes have become very popular. The combination of metal and plastic allows you to achieve excellent quality indicators. Make a water pipe from such elements is not difficult. The disadvantages of the products include weak heat resistance and the possibility of leakage in the docking areas.

Plastic pipes include several types of polymer products. These include low / high pressure polyethylene (HDPE, PVD) and cross-linked polymer modifications. They have a small mass, are durable, do not lend themselves to corrosion. Among themselves, the species differ in characteristics and properties, but they have a common production technology.

Copper pipes are the most expensive option. The material is characterized by high technical parameters, resistance to moisture, temperature changes. Thanks to the appearance, such products can become a real decoration of the interior.

Profile pipe production

We will start with a review of the features of the production of the products in question by cold deformation. Equipment for manufacturing is a compact machine consisting of a set of rolls through which a pipe is passed. Such devices differ in power and throughput. On the most powerful aggregates, it is possible to produce pipes not only welded, but also seamless.

Non-conforming products are mainly manufactured on devices for the production of profile modifications. Such designs are suitable for the furniture industry, as well as the release of decorative elements. The materials in question are in demand in different enterprises, but they are not suitable for installation where an increased reliability factor is required.

Full technological cycle

The production line of pipes for this technology is based on the use of special sheet metal in rolls (strips). It is supplied directly from the metallurgical plants. The thickness of the blanks can be different, which makes it possible to manufacture the structures of necessary reliability for various special purposes.

Since in the first stage the strip is larger than the required width, it is cut into pieces of the correct size. The material is processed on a special slitting machine. The output produces ribbons with a width of 50 millimeters, which are welded into one continuous element.

The resulting blank is wound on a drum, which ensures the continuity of the process. The tape is fed to a forming mill equipped with several tanks, in which a circular endless part is created. At this stage, the cold, non-heated steel is predominantly used.

The main stages of manufacturing a profile pipe

The above manipulations lead to the formation of a blank with an open seam. The pipe is passed through the welding unit, in which welding is carried out using high-frequency currents. During the process, the edges of the product are compressed by rollers, the melt is squeezed from the inner and outer parts. The resulting grate is removed immediately with a chisel.

Further production of pipes according to this technology provides cooling of the billet by exposure to a special emulsion solution. Profiling the part includes the following steps:

1. The processing of the pipe on the rollers, which allows to achieve the same cross-section along the entire length of the structure.
2. Further the pipe from four positions is processed by other rolls, after that the finished profile production with a square or round section is obtained.
3. To obtain an oval design, additional finishing on the second roller is not required.

At the finish stage, the profile blanks are cut to the specified dimensions with the required profile.

Quality control

Finished products undergoing the final control procedure. There are two main parameters for analysis:

1. Visual inspection is carried out by a specialist, which makes it possible to detect defects caused by the wear of the rollers or their failure.
2. Check by flaw detector. It allows you to identify possible problems in the finished product, not visible to the eye.

To level internal stresses that appear in the steel after deformation, the finished pipes must be heated at all stages of production, and then naturally cool in air.

Manufacture of plastic pipes

Products made of this material are used in the industrial sector and in the private sector. When manufacturing polyethylene elements, special machines are used - extruders. They are divided into disk, screw and combined models. Most often in the production of pipes, screw type devices of various designs are used. In such an extruder, the main part is an auger. The principle of the machine can be compared with the functionality of a mechanical grinder. The units can be equipped with one or more working elements.

Disk analogs are divided into single or multi-disk modifications. The extruder operates by moving the raw material with special elements that provide adhesion. The main advantage of this machine is the good mixing of polymer pellets. Minuses include a small pressure in the working area, which does not give an opportunity to obtain products with high reliability parameters and the correct geometric shape.

Combined (worm-disk) extruders include models equipped with both knots. Used in the processing of polymers with reduced elasticity and viscosity.

Equipment

The production line of plastic pipes includes the following elements:

• Extruder.
• Automatic loading hopper for polyethylene granules.
• Dryer.
• Automated controller of production stages.
• Filters removable type.
• Pulling device.
• Vacuum molder and calibrator.
• Automatic cooling system with water bath.
• Conveyor belt.
• Cutting device with cutter.
• The device for automatic stacking of the finished product.

Technology

The production of HDPE pipes involves the use of extrusion (ejection) technology. It consists in homogenization, controlled softening and plasticization of the feed in the extruder. Next, the finished product is formed with a spinneret, followed by cooling and final calibration.

Any plant for the production of polymer pipes is equipped with a receiving bunker of an extruder. It loads granular raw materials. Then the polymer enters a working cylinder equipped with heating elements. The pellets from the loading section are moved to the hotter sections of the tank, the raw materials are melted, homogenization, and feeding the melt to the forming head (spinneret).

Final stages

The working head determines the shape of the finished product and its quality characteristics. A technological feature is that when feeding the melt, the die has a fixed temperature.

Depending on the design of the heads, heating elements of flat or cartridge type are used. Passing the outer matrix and the shaping mandrel, the pipe acquires the appearance of a finished product. During the calibration, the part enters the vacuum bath, where the final formation takes place. This is done by a pressure that presses the workpiece against the calibration tool. Then the products are cooled and fed to a conveyor equipped with pneumatic track locks. At the final stage of production of polypropylene pipes, standard cutting is performed using cutters or a circular saw.

Own production

Having decided to establish a private line for the production of plastic pipes, first of all, it is necessary to take into account what the level of product quality will be. If products are oriented to furniture companies and small construction companies, a compact machine that provides output for products for fittings, fences, fences and other non-conforming structures is quite suitable.

For the organization of the line for the manufacture of polymer elements, the required set of devices is presented above. Below is a list of equipment for the production of profile pipes from round analogues:

• Installation for bending the profile.
• Line for obtaining blanks from round tubes.
• Welding automated unit.
• The device for cutting finished products.

Customer Reviews

Users note the strength and reliability of modern pipes, if they are made by a bona fide manufacturer. To the advantages of steel profile production, consumers attribute high strength, designed for special operating conditions, as well as reliability of connections. Among the minuses - a lot of weight, the complexity of processing and transportation, susceptibility to corrosion.

Plastic analogues delight users with low weight, flexibility, wide scope of application, environmental friendliness. Among the disadvantages of such pipes is the susceptibility to deformations from heating or mechanical stress.