Gulf Construction Online - Widos welding solution ensures a perfect joint

Pipes

Widos butt-fusion machine ... for pipes of up to 2,400 mm diameter.

Widos welding solution ensures a perfect joint

01 August 2011

GIVEN the increasing demand for large-diameter high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes, particularly in vital installations in the Middle East, the need to ensure their integrity is paramount. BMC Gulf, the distributor for Widos Kunststofftechnik pipe welding equipment and tools in the region, says it offers contractors and fabricators the right solution to achieve a perfect welding joint.

“Demand for large-diameter HDPE pipes has been increasing dramatically year on year,” says Wajid Ali Khan, senior sales engineer at BMC Gulf. “Many of these pipes are used for the seawater intake and outfall of desalination plants, which require a 100 per cent reliable piping system. Downtimes are expensive for the owner and a critical issue in ensuring a reliable water supply. Hence, a perfect butt-fusion welded joint is key to achieving a high-quality sustainable piping system.”

The Germany-based Widos, which has more than 60 years of experience in the manufacture plastic pipe welding machines and equipment, is one of the leading companies in its field. Widos manufactures welding machines for pipes with an outside diameter (OD) of up to 2,400 mm and has established a reputation for offering customised solutions, often exceeding client expectations, he says.

Thanks to their robust design, Widos welding machines can be used for operations in harsh environments and in extreme climatic conditions. “This means large-diameter pipes up to OD 2,400 mm can be joined under construction site conditions, providing a reproducible welding quality using a fully-automated CNC (computerised numerical control)-controlled hydraulic unit and applying the latest international welding guidelines and technical codes,” he points out.
The “easy-to-operate” user interface guides the machine operator through the welding process. All Widos butt-fusion machines are available in manual, semi-automatic or fully-automatic versions, to suit clients’ requirements.

Widos also offers fabrication systems for pipe fittings. Khan elaborates: “A large pipe requires large fittings. With its wide range of workshop machines, Widos always has the right solution for a fabricator. The processing machines are characterised by a flat machine bed for convenient loading at a comfortable working height. The various clamping tools can be operated hydraulically and are assembled on the main unit for the fabrication of HDPE bends, T-pieces and branches.

“In order to ensure that the preparation of the necessary segment pieces is as precise as possible, Widos offers sawing devices for workshop operation.

These flexible and efficient systems are characterised by their modular construction and can be adjusted to specific requirements. “For example, each Widos standard RS saw can be fitted with tools to produce radius cuts for the fabrication of 90-, 60- or 45-degree outlets in the field of the saddle welding technique.”

In addition, Widos has special proven solutions for the fabrication of fittings such as reduced T-pieces. Stable production machines permit the manufacture of reducers with outlets having OD of up to 630 mm and main pipes up to OD 1,000 mm, in all the necessary pressure stages, using the saddle welding technique in the workshop, he says.

Widos flexible heated tools eliminate the need for refitting of the convex-concave attachment plates found in conventional systems.

Also offered as an option by Widos are integrated drilling systems that permit the drilling of the outlets before or after the welding operation.