Quality Assurance: Seal of quality

Part of any well-designed manufacturing process includes a Quality Assurance program with the objective to verify that production is on target or to identify the changes necessary to achieve compliance. That's why Flowtite Technology A/S, the technology arm of the Saudi Arabian Amiantit Group, has earned the ISO 9001 certification covering R&D, design and manufacturing. The research & development department within Flowtite Technology has in addition been certified to perform a suite of accredited tests.

Flowtite is committed to the principle of using quality assurance to ensure proper performance of products leaving our venture's facilities. To assist the producer, we have developed a quality control program that augments our process specifications and makes available all the equipment necessary to implement the program.

In addition to the hydrotesters, other equipment for quality testing includes a universal testing machine for mechanical property testing of raw materials and laminates, muff furnaces and micro balances for accurate material composition determinations, stiffness (deflection) testers, split disks for hoop tensile testing of rings and other laboratory tools.

For job-site pipe length adjustments, Flowtite can supply a field lathe to calibrate and chamfer the outer surface of Flowtite pipe spigot ends. However, this is usually not necessary as 40% of the pipes produced have pipe barrel outside diameters within the tolerance range of the calibrated spigot. Only chamfering the leading edge of the pipe, to avoid gasket displacement from the coupling, is necessary. And once pipe sections are joined in the field, they can be pressure tested - before or after backfilling is completed - using the Flowtite on-site joint tester. The equipment has been designed to test the soundness of the joints (on pipe with a diameter of 750mm and above) by means of water pressure. It fits completely inside the pipe and can be pulled through and operated by a crew of two. Joints with a deflection of up to 2-3% can be tested.