Technical Details

Millennium Project Number: M-2002-007

Project Title: Weld Zone Butt Fusion (WZIM)

Project Start Date: 2002

Projected End Date: 2005

Technical Details: The objective of this project is to develop a field tool that is capable of inspecting the integrity of butt fusion welds in PE pipes. The tool will use a laser-based system that will recognize images of pipe joints and automatically and digitally interpret those images to assign a pass/fail rating. This new technology will utilize the previously-tested Weld Zone Inspection Method (WZIM) by applying a pre-determined amount of local heat energy to the surface of the weld after removing the bead.

n the past, test methods were somewhat successful in detecting planar flaws and particulate contamination, but they could not detect cold joints (i.e. a rare occurrence but one that represents joints that are of good quality visually but fail in a brittle manner when tested in flexure or tension). This approach is targeted to result in a cost-effective, yet accurate and non-destructive method of assessing butt fusion joint quality in the field.

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