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Aqua Plus - Laboratory Testing
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The stringent specifications followed by Interplast in pipe production are certified in its labs with tests specified by European standard EN ISO 15874, German DIN 8077/78 and Spanish UNE EN ISO 15874.
Before pipes are distributed in the market they are subjected to the following quality testing:
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This is a fixed test that is carried out each time raw materials are received. The flow of the raw materials is very important in defining the temperature profile of the EXTRUDER and thus homogenization of the material. The pipe melt flow is then checked, where the small divergence from the raw material certifies the perfect processing of the material.
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Visual inspection of the outer and inner pipe surface, measurement of outer diameter, the oval and the wall thickness by use of certified instruments.
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Specimens from each production lot remain in the laboratory furnace at 135oC for 120min and they are then cooled down at ambient temperature. The results should not exceed 2% in compliance with DIN 8078 - EN ISO 15874. Aqua-plus pipes present a result in the order of 0.5%, which is 75% lower than the requirements of the above-mentioned specifications, and as a result they present very low linear expansion during their operation in the installations.
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This is one of the most important checks and in conjunction with raw material flow it defines the temperature profile and its processability. Aqua-plus pipes display the best possible homogenization, ensuring their long lifespan.
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Specimens remain for 1 hour at 20°C and 95°C, 22, 165 and 1000 hours at 95°C as specified by European standards, German DIN 8078 and European EN ISO 15874.
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PP-R pipes should respond without breakage to temperatures of 0oC ±1 and they should be tested with the method of the 15-Joule pendulum hammer. In its effort to improve the characteristics of its products, Interplast tests Aqua-plus pipes at –7oC with a 25-Joule hammer blow, which exceeds the requirement of the standards by 66%.
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By use of a thermal cyclic tester, a test is performed in a special simulator of an actual plumbing installation, which is one of the few used in industrial laboratories of Europe. Hydraulic pressure is applied to a network of Aqua-Plus pipes and fittings, while the water temperature is alternated every 15 minutes between 20oC and 95oC (thermal shock cycle). After the completion of 5000 cycles, all the above tests are performed again, in order to determine any deviation of mechanical and physical-chemical properties of pipes and fittings from their original ones (determination of resilience to ageing).
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