FibronPipe manufacturing lines are already operated under licensing agreements at various locations in the world. The Thermoplastic Composite Pipes (TCP) are manufactured based on the FibronPipe technology, including the process specifications and the prescribed use of raw materials.
FibronPipe is the supplier of the entire production equipment, PLC, ATP, inline QC equipment and of course the entire processing know-how.
Support from the TCP design to product manufacturing and test- + laboratory equipment and procedure can be provided.
The TCP product and the manufacturing process is protected by IP (granted patents) and are usually the subject of a Manufacturing License Agreement (MLA).
The equipment for the production of the TCP has been developed and optimized over years in our pipe manufacturing plant in Austria – not on a white board but under 24/7 manufacturing conditions!
All components have features that are important to produce bonded TCP.
This applies in particular to:
The PLC (programmable logic controller) of the line
- PLC (based on Siemens S7), which encompasses and controls the entire manufacturing process.
- Defined start-up ramps with precise time/temperature control profiles
- Recipe management of TCP types and diameters
- Central control and data collection point for the inline QC
- Data interface to the ATP (Automatic Tape Placement) – the AI vision-based software for tape gap recognition and positioning
- Safety loop control
- “Co-Pilot” control / maintenance through remote support from our experts in Austria
The tape wrapping units
- Automatic tape tension control – independent from the tape magazine size
- Automatic angle and axis positioning of the tape spools, driven by step motor gearing.
- Optimized tape magazine fixation for safe and reliable spool mounting
Automatic Tape Placement (ATP)
- Cutting edge technology running on AI semantic vision-based recognition software
- Inline automatic tape gap control and adjustment
- Full integration and communication with Master line PLC
The importance of inline quality control system (ATP)
Operating companies in the energy sector are increasingly demanding, in addition to the basic performance qualification of non metallic composite pipes, the existence of effective inline quality control systems in the production process. This phase of pipe production is logically the critical one, because this is where an error can occur during the manufacturing process, which then potentially may lead to a failure of the pipeline.
The tape application (tape tension, nip point) and the tape placement (angle, width, gap) are essential parameters that must be precisely controlled. If a parameter is incorrect, it can (and usually does) have an influence on the later performance (pressure resistance, susceptibility to diffusion and/or delamination/debonding due to pressure cycles, etc.) of the pipeline during operation. In this respect, enough importance cannot be placed on effective and functioning Inline Quality Control!
FibronPipe is a pioneer in this technology and uses the Cutting Edge ATP (Automatic Tape Placement) technology. This technology works on an AI-based vision capture of the pipe. Trained models can then autonomously recognize the placement of the tape or the gap measurements over a production shift of e.g. 8 hours and regulate them within narrow tolerances.
ATP technology - A milestone in the production of thermoplastic composite pipes!
Inline Quality Control (QC)
- Identification and recording of TCP manufacturing process.
- Automatic and digital data storage with process parameter recording.
- Trace back assuredness of produced TCP
TCP coil winding
- Adjustable ID/OD coil winding for different TCP diameters and pressure classes, according to MBR specification
- Packaging on drums or coiled and supplied on wooden beds/crosses for easy transportation and field deployment
The difference to Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipe (RTP)...
FibronPipe Thermoplastic Compsoite Pipe (TCP) incorporates a bonded composite structure
- Bonded and fused manufacturing principle to assure a monolith wall structure
- In-situe melt fusion with extreme precise temperature control technology for pre-heating and fiber tape consolidation
- TCP layers are fully bonded, meaning the load and stresses are evenly distributed across the entire pipe structure
--> higher structural integrity and resistance to localized failures - TCP offers better fatigue resistance and flexibility
--> more suitable for applications with dynamic loading conditions - Bonded reinforcement minimizes pathways for gas penetration and entrapment within layers, reducing the risk of blistering
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