Joint Fabrication Procedures for CONQUEST® Flangeless Piping Systems with 1" to 4" PP, 1" to 4" PVDF/HFP, and 1" to 2" PFA Liners

The CONQUEST flangeless piping system from RESISTOFLEX Plastic-Lined Piping Products is designed to eliminate from 50 to 99% of flanged connections in your plastic-lined piping system. This not only reduces the potential for fugitive emissions, it lowers maintenance costs because there are fewer bolts to retorque. Also, monitoring costs are reduced along with the costs for associated paperwork. This bulletin explains joint fabrication procedures for CONQUEST flangeless piping in 1", 1.5", 2", 3", and 4" pipe sizes with polypropylene (PP) and polyvinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer (PVDF/HFP) polymeric liners. Additionally, fabrication procedures are included for 1", 1.5", and 2" pipe sizes lined in perfluoroalkoxy (PFA). The CONQUEST flangeless joint is accomplished by butt-welding the inner plastic liners of two pipe sections together. The outer steel shells of both sections are then connected using a LOKRING** mechanical coupling. These joints can be field-fabricated by a trained distributor or by the end-user. With a few weeks notice, Resistoflex technical personnel can conduct an on-site training and certification program which will teach qualified personnel how to properly fabricate CONQUEST flangeless joints. The following are detailed instructions for fabricating these flangeless joints. Please read through these instructions carefully before proceeding with fabrication.

Table 1: Heater Plate Temperatures and Contact Times
Liner Type (color)	Pipe Size (inches)	Heater Plate Temperature (°F/°C)1	Contact Time to Form Bead (sec)	Soak Time After Bead - No Pressure (sec)
PP (orange)	1" - 4"	450/218	10 - 15	75
PVDF (black)	1" - 4"	450/218	10 - 15	75
PFA2 (clear)	1" - 2"	750/399	15 - 30	90 - 105
1Adjustments to above temperatures may be necessary to compensate for varying ambient temperatures or wind conditions. Resistoflex recommends that you practice butt-welding several short sections together in order to familiarize yourself with the operation and to verify the welding parameters. 2For PFA, contact time and soak time must total 2 minutes.

1. Using a George Fischer or Ridgid pipe cutter, make a 3/8" cut-back on the CONQUEST plastic-lined pipe. THIS IS A CRITICAL DIMENSION. PLEASE BE SURE IT IS ACCURATE. NOTE: Cut-backs are not necessary on fittings because they are manufactured with the liner exposed.		2. Using a cold chisel and hammer, remove the metal ring to expose the inner plastic liner. NOTE: For cut-backs made on 1" pipe with Ridgid pipe cutter, use the hammer and chisel to break the metal ring away from the steel.		3. Install the proper inserts in the McElroy special number 14 butt-fusion welder for your pipe size.
4. Slide the LOKRING coupling on the pipe. It is important to remember to do this prior to welding the liners together because the coupling cannot be positioned from the opposite end of a fitting or MULTI-AXIS* bent spool. Vented couplings are used exclusively with PFA liners.		5. Mount the McElroy welding unit on the pipe and tighten clamps until snug.		6. For PFA, mount windbag over pipe and around McElroy welding unit. THIS IS A CRITICAL PROCEDURE AND MUST NOT BE OMITTED, REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITONS.
7. Set the length of the steel housing exposed from the inside surface of the welder pipe clamp using the 5/16" set-back gauge supplied with unit. Now firmly tighten the clamps. 8. Use a clean cloth to remove dirt, water, oil, or other foreign matter from inside, outside, and ends of plastic liners.		9. Position the pipe facer tool between both stub ends and draw them flush against the cutter. Square the pipe ends using the facing tool supplied with the welder.		10. Visually check the pipe ends to make sure that they are aligned with each other. NOTE: If the outside diameter of plastic liner on one pipe end is slightly larger than the other, pre-soak or pre-heat larger end for 10 to 15 seconds with heater plate. Do not apply pressure to plastic. 11. Measure the heater plate temperature using the temperature pyrometer. See Table 1 for proper temperature.
12. Insert heater between pipe ends. Bring ends in contact with heater plates, apply light pressure to create a 1/32" melt bead. 13. After melt bead forms, allow plastic to heat soak for the duration described in Table 1. Do not apply pressure during this time. 14. Carefully and quickly move pipe sections away from heater plates, then remove heater. NOTE: Do not drag heater plates across pipe ends as this could deform the soft plastic.		15. Within 5 seconds of removing the heater and while the plastic is still soft, bring pipe ends together. BE CAREFUL NOT TO SLAM THE ENDS TOGETHER. Apply pressure to form a uniform double-melt bead that travels around the entire circumference of pipe. Lock tension arm on welder to maintain pressure on newly formed joint. 16. Allow plastic to cool to room temperature before removing welding equipment. To maintain system alignment and minimize stress on welded joint, be sure to adequately support pipe section.		17. Using 6" metal ruler, measure the gap between the ends of steel shells to ensure it is 3/8" (± 1/8"). NOTE: Width of ruler specified in the Tooling List is 3/8". This dimension is critical for proper installation of the LOKRING coupling. If the gap is greater than 1/2", it will be necessary to re-fabricate the joint.
18. Set a LOKRING coupling on top of steel shell and center coupling groove on centerline of weld bead. Using a permanent marker, mark each end of coupling on the pipe to show installation points. Set coupling aside.		19. Slide the Lokring coupling that is on the pipe section into position between your two installation marks. Attach a C-clamp at one end to hold coupling in position.		20. For 1", 1/5", and 2". Place proper inserts into Lokring tooling for coupling size being installed. 21. With Lokring tooling jaw fully retracted, slide tooling insert into coupling groove located between coupling swage rings.
22. For 1", 1/5", and 2". Actuate hydraulic unit to engage tooling jaw and allow swage ring to move axially 1/2 to 2/3 of the distance to coupling flange in the middle of the connector.		23. For 1", 1/5", and 2". Disengage tooling and remove C-clamp. Move tooling to other side of coupling, rotate the tooling around the pipe 180°, and repeat Step 21.		24. For 1", 1/5", and 2". Disengage tooling and move it to other side of coupling. DO NOT rotate tooling. 25. Actuate the hydraulic unit to engage tooling jaw and allow swage ring to contact coupling flange.
26. For 1", 1/5", and 2". Disengage tooling. Move it to other side of coupling, rotate the tooling 180° around the pipe, and repeat Step 24.		27. For 3" and 4". Install the bottom 3" inserts, if required, and lock in place with allen head screws. Note that the 4" size does not require a bottom insert. Move the tooling into the fully retracted position.		28. For 3" and 4". Move the tooling into position beneath the coupling such that the center of the coupling is aligned on top of one of the tooling recesses. Install the top inserts by retracting the spring-loaded locking pins, slide the inserts into the frame, and releasing the pins until the inserts snap into position. 29. Actuate the hydraulic unit to install the coupling. Relocate the tooling to install the other half of the coupling.
30. Check for proper installation of coupling. When a coupling is properly installed, trailing edge of coupling body protrudes from underneath swage rings, and swage rings butt against coupling flanges.

PP and PFA Lined Pipe Desirable
Figure 1: A double-melt bead that travels around entire circumference of pipe.		Figure 2: Increase soak time and/or heater plate temperature.		Figure 3: Decrease soak time, heater plate temperature, and/or use less pressure during weld bead formation in Step 14.
PVDF Lined Pipe Desirable
Figure 4: A double-melt bead that rolls back to body of pipe and travels around entire circumference of pipe.		Figure 5: Increase soak time and/or heater plate temperature.		Figure 6: Decrease soak time, heater plate temperature, and/or use less pressure during weld bead formation in Step 14.