There are no shortcuts to making good Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe). Built upon fundamentals and protocols developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the American National Standards Institute came the American Water Works Association standards (AWWA), which govern and judge the consensus fitness of products as produced. These standards strictly govern the dimensions and properties of DI pipe. What separates DI pipe manufacturers is their adherence to these standards and consistent dedication to quality assurance.
There are many "moving parts," as water professionals know, in the operation of a water system. The intricacies of not only supplying customers with a safe water supply but assuring that supply is adequate, including paramount necessities such as fire protection, many times create an ever-changing balance of key parameters within the water system. When the system operator affects such changes, there should be no concern by the operator regarding the transmission and distribution system to accommodate these changes. This article will highlight two system components that can be directly affected by material selected for system underground infrastructure.
Through the years, across the country, contractors, engineers, authorities, and customers routinely ask questions that seem basic yet truly speak to the fundamental versatility of Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe). Among the most popular questions are:
Even at the height of summer construction, casting pipe, and filling orders for more pipe, there's always time to take a moment to spotlight some of the great partnerships McWane Ductile has developed over the years. Once such partnership is that with Legacy Water Group who recently completed a water pipeline project in Athens, Alabama. This #IronStrong Blog quickly describes some of the highlights from the project.
When it comes to restraining a water line, what comes to mind? Thrust blocks? Sure Stop 350® Gaskets? (locking gasket), TufGrip™ (wedge-action retainer gland), or maybe the standard default choice, TR Flex®? (Ductile iron restrained joint pipe). There is another option that might not regularly come to mind. It is known as Mechanical Joint Lock Joint or MJLJ for short. We will look at how the joint works, how it is installed, and locations where the MJLJ may be preferred.
What is National Skilled Trades Day, and what is its importance? National Skilled Trades Day is celebrated on the first Wednesday in May. City Machine Technologies, Inc. founded National Skilled Trades Day to bring awareness to the skilled trades shortage facing the United States. The day also celebrates those who work in the trades, shedding a positive light and celebrating the importance of skilled trades jobs. Many highly skilled workers fill a multitude of careers across our nation, including construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and service industries.
In my career with McWane Ductile, I've sold my fair share of polywrap, but the one thing that I haven't really thought about when selling polywrap is the tape needed to complete the installation. I'm not sure why this is. Maybe the biggest reason is I wasn't sure how much tape was required for each roll of polywrap I sold. Therefore, I wanted to take a deep dive into this subject to make it easier for people to know when ordering polywrap how much tape they need to purchase as well.
Like many other industries, no one could have predicted the multitude of unrelated events that conspired to cause supply chain issues worldwide. But one thing is for certain in the water and wastewater pipe sector, we have experienced one challenge after another.
Over the years, manufacturing companies have not made as much progress with diversity and inclusion – specifically in recruiting women – like other sectors, but by working together and sharing best practices, we can become more effective in this initiative.
Have you ever been so taken aback by the structure of a question that your first thought is, “say what? Did they really just ask me that?” In the vernacular-sensitive world of utility pipelines, it happens more often than you might think.
In a continuous effort to make your job easier, we have developed an online submittal builder to quickly and neatly package your personalized presentation.
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Looking for answers to your DI pipe questions? Find decades of Ductile iron expertise with installation guides, videos, tip sheets, training resources, and more in our Learning Center.
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