On the construction site, pipe installation is often involved, and PE pipe welding installation is often encountered. How is PE pipe welded? The author shares the main steps and precautions of PE pipe butt fusion welding based on his own on-site experience.
Methods/Steps
1. PE pipe clamp is fixed and aligned
Place two PE pipes on the fixture, adjust the height of the two pipes, make the central axes of the two pipes basically at the same horizontal line, clamp them, and then adjust the centering through the fixture, so that the two side pipes are completely aligned, and minimize the misalignment, which can improve the welding quality, and prevent the joint from being unstable and poor air tightness due to center axis deviation.
2. End face milling of PE pipe
Put a milling cutter in the middle of the PE pipe, adjust the fixture to make the end face of the pipe fitting close to each other, and use the milling cutter to plane the oxidation layer and impurities on the end face of the pipe fitting to ensure that the butt joint end face is flat, smooth and free of impurities.
After end face planing, dust and damage shall be prevented. Generally, welding will be carried out immediately. Therefore, the heating plate can be electrified and preheated at the same time during planing operation.
3. End face melting of PE pipe
After the end face of PE pipe is plane and cleaned, adjust the fixture to form a distance between the end faces of the two pipe fittings. Quickly pull out the milling cutter, place the preheated heating plate vertically between the two pipe fittings, adjust the clamping, make the end face of the pipe fittings close to the heating plate, and melt the end face of the pipe fittings. Note that the heating time of the heating plate is different between winter and summer, and the width of flame melting at both ends is 1-2mm.
4. PE pipe butt fusion welding
After the end faces of pipe fittings are fused properly, remove the heating plate, quickly make the two fused ends stick together, and adjust the fixture to make them close. The welding should always be under pressure, and the crimping width should be 2-4mm. To ensure the welding quality, the operation shall be rapid and the switching time shall be reduced.
5. PE pipe cooling and then pipe welding are completed
Keep the pressure unchanged, wait for the connector to cool down slowly, and the cooling time shall be subject to touching the curling edge to make it hard and feel no heat.
After the cooling is completed, the clamp can be loosened, and the PE pipe butt fusion welding is completed.
PE pipes shall be visually inspected after connection, and those unqualified shall be reworked immediately. After passing the test, the next pipe welding can be carried out.