FLOWTITE® – The world’s leading glass-reinforced plastic

(GRP) pipe now satisfying the needs pipe market for over
30 years.

Introduction

The Flowtite technology is part of the Saudi Arabian Amiantit Group and is
the world's leading GRP pipe technology. FLOWTITE pipe is available in diameters
from 100 mm (4 inch) to 4000 mm (160 inch) and with operating pressures up to 32
bars (450 psig), dependent on diameters.

Flowtite is designed in accordance to AWWA M45, Fiberglass Pipe Design and

meets most international and national standards for glass-reinforced plastic pressure
and non-pressure pipes used in the public works market. Here are a few leading
examples:

ISO 10467 – Plastic piping system for pressure and non pressure drainage and
sewerage.
ISO 10639 – Plastic piping system for pressure and non pressure water supply.
AWWA C 950 – Standard for Fiberglass Pressure Pipe
ASTM D 3262 – Standard Specification for “Fiberglass” (Glass-Fiber-Reinforced
Thermosetting-Resin) Sewer Pipe
ASTM D 3754 - Standard Specification for “Fiberglass” (Glass-Fiber-Reinforced-
Thermosetting-Resin) Sewer and Industrial Pressure Pipe
Manufacturing: Process Technology

The most advanced state-of-the-art process for manufacturing large diameter

GRP pipe is the Flowtite continuously-advancing mandrel process. The winder
accommodates a range of diameters from 100mm to 4000mm.

The basic winder is composed of a

continuous steel band supported by beams which
form a cylindrically shaped mandrel. The beams
rotate, friction pulls the band around and roller
bearings allow the band to move longitudinally so
that the entire mandrel continuously moves in a
spiral path toward the end of the machine.

As the mandrel moves, fine graded filler, glass

fibers, resin and surface materials are metered on
in precise amounts under the direction of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and
computer (PC).

The PLC-PC modules provide integrated process control based on pre-programmed

recipes.Only basic pipe data such as diameter, pressure and stiffness class needs to be
entered and the computer calculates all the machine settings. Material consumption as
well as pipe thickness is continuously monitored and logged. The logged data is ac-
cumulated and reports printed when needed.

Pipe Wall Build Up

A typical pipe wall build up as shown below in the figure consists of

Exterior (Surface mat), Skin (Hoop and Chop glass), Core (Hoop,
Chop, and Sand), Skin ( Hoop and Chop), Liner ( Chop glass), and
Interior ( Surface mat).
Well cured liner with randomly oriented chopped glass provides good
chemical resistance, no air inhibition and the reinforcement prevents
the crack propagation.
Skins with high content of continuous glass rovings in hoop direction
provide high E-Modulus, Little creep, good long term performance and
low coefficient of thermal expansion.
Skin-Core-Skin sandwich to provide the structure of the pipe and is
cost effective for stiffness.

Pipe Wall Build – Up

Pipe Wall Build – Up

The temperature of the laminate is measured at 20 different positions in the curing
zone. Temperatures are shown graphically on the PC monitor. Another device
measures the thickness of the laminate with rotation of the pipe at the cut. Minimum,
maximum and average thickness are recorded and displayed on the operator's PC
monitor.

Raw materials are fed to the mandrel from overhead. A metering pump system, two
glass fiber choppers, one sand unit feed and two polyester resin mixers with dispenser
are included. A release film and surface mat and other surface liner materials are
applied from rolls adjacent to the mandrel.

Curing of the laminate is accomplished with a combination of induction heating

through the steel band and infrared elements directly heating the laminate. With the
dual resin delivery system, the equipment has the capability of applying a special
inner liner resin for severe corrosive applications while utilizing a less costly resin for
the structural and outer portion of the laminate.

The saw unit is synchronized with the continuous longitudinal movement of the
laminate, which ensures a clean perpendicular cut of the Flowtite pipe. The operator
presets the length of pipe in the control system so the saw operation is completely
automatic. Pipes can be cut to any length from 0.3 meters to 18 meters. After passing
the cutting station, the cured pipe is supported on lifting tables that are specially
designed for receiving the pipes. The pipe is then moved by conveyor to the on-line
chamfering and calibration unit and then to the hydrostatic pipe tester.