At McWane Ductile, we believe that training and continuous education for our staff and customers are vital to a company's success. Because of this, we offer a wide variety of training opportunities for water professionals throughout the industry. Here are the many training resources available to you.
Foundry Tours
Engineers, contractors, and municipal employees are welcome to take advantage of the educational foundry tours provided at the McWane Ductile manufacturing facilities in Phillipsburg, New Jersey; Coshocton, Ohio; and Provo, Utah. Customers have an up-close opportunity to learn how millions of pounds of scrap metal are recycled daily to manufacture Ductile iron pipe and the many ways our products are used.
Tours begin with a safety talk, and proper safety accessories are provided to protect visitors. A qualified tour guide then leads the group to the melting department, where the baseline for Ductile iron begins.
You will see how magnesium is added to gray cast iron to change the microstructure of the graphite from flakes (gray iron) to a spheroidal or nodular shape (Ductile iron). Chemistry additions are made to enhance the iron for the casting process, defined in the ANSI/AWWA C151-A21 Ductile Iron Pipe Centrifugally Cast Standard.
Pipes are then centrifugally cast and transported to the annealing oven. Precise temperatures are set throughout the annealing oven to transform "as-cast" Ductile iron to true Ductile iron of 60-42-10 grade, with those numbers representing 60,000 pounds tensile strength, 42,000 pounds yield strength, and 10% elongation. Ductile Iron is a flexible conduit designed with a 2 to 1 safety factor and a 100psi surge allowance- the most conservative design in the industry!
Jobsite Visits
Our professional staff will conduct hands-on product training at the job site prior to installation to ensure a smooth project. Even the most experienced crews have an opportunity to learn new or improved installation techniques. As developmental psychologist Howard Gardner once said, "If you think education is expensive, try estimating the cost of ignorance."
Engineers often require training in the project specification, ensuring the manufacturer trains installation crews prior to the start of the project. McWane Ductile’s Tyton®, TR Flex®, River Crossing, Mechanical Joint, and Fabricated Pipe are all used in different applications and require unique installation techniques. These job site visits also allow our qualified staff to answer questions as they arise in the field.
Lunch & Learn and A Day of Water
A Lunch & Learn is a 30-60-minute PowerPoint presentation provided at a designated location of the customer's choice or they can be conducted in a virtual environment. Many municipalities require annual training for all employees. The Lunch & Learn programs are an excellent option for in-house training. Presentations can also be approved for CEU and PDH credits for those in attendance.
Presentations can be tailored to fit individual requests. Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Ductile Iron 101- Introduction to Ductile Iron Pipe
- Ductile Iron Pipe Design - Internal & External
- Basics of Corrosion & Protections for Ductile Iron Pipe
- Preliminary Engineering Report Template
- Internal Corrosion Prevention for Ductile Iron Pipelines
- Ductile Iron Pipe Restrained Joints - Basics and Design
- Bridges, Casings, and Joints
- Sustainable Pipeline Design
- EnvisionTM & Ductile Iron Pipe
- The Total Cost Equation of Pipeline Material Selection
- A Comparison of Various Pipe Materials
- Horizontal Directional Drilling with Ductile Iron Pipe
- Ductile Iron Pipe Certifications
- Generational Attitudes in the Utility Workplace
- Seismic Resilience for Buried Pipelines
Lunch & Learn programs can also be extended to a half or full Day of Water. These events are intended for a much larger audience than your typical Lunch & Learn, ranging from 70 to 120 attendees. Attendees often include everyone from design engineers to inspectors, public officials, and contractors. Having a wide variety of professionals at the same venue creates an atmosphere for open communication. These presentations also offer an opportunity to earn several CEU or PDH credits for those in attendance.
Tools and Learning Center
Tools such as the McWane Pocket Engineer or our online Learning Center are designed to assist professionals at all levels. The Pocket Engineer desktop or mobile app provides superior technical data within seconds from your laptop or cell phone.
For example, the amount of restraint required during an install may drastically change and require adjustment due to the location of an unknown utility. Another example may be a contractor needs to fill 1,000 feet of 30-inch Class 52 pipe. The volume of water is calculated in less than 30 seconds using the Volume Calculator on the Pocket Engineer.
The McWane Pocket Engineer can be found at pe.mcwane.com or by downloading the app at the App Store for iPhones or the Google Play for Android phones.
The Iron Strong Insights Magazine, published by McWane Ductile, is another option for industry news. Included are technical articles to provide insight and learning opportunities, along with a special section dedicated to highlighting various projects that utilize McWane Ductile products. This periodical is just another example of our commitment to "Building Iron Strong Utilities for Generations."
Technical Support
Our product engineers are highly skilled individuals with vast experience in the water and wastewater industry. They can draw on this experience to handle any questions or circumstances thrown their way, from design questions to hands-on installation requirements.
For example, an engineer may seek assistance determining the best means to cross a river or lake. This task can be accomplished by utilizing River Crossing joints or via Horizontal Directional Drilling using TR Flex Joints. Envision Rating System points may be achieved by directional drilling the pipe and reducing the environmental impact.
One of our product or sales engineers may also be spotted presenting at a national, state, or local trade show or expo such as an American Water Works Association event.
Iron Strong Blog and Social Media
Check out additional blogs and videos at the McWane Ductile Iron Strong Blog. We have taken various questions from our valued customers and turned them into educational videos with a bit of personality. Many times, you can find the answers to your questions in detail in a blog on the subject through video and written instruction. You can also find more info and fun posts on our social media channels consisting of:
Connect with us today! You, the customer, have the option to choose which form of media is best for you.
Need Assistance with Your Waterworks Project?
If you have any questions regarding your water or wastewater infrastructure project, be sure to reach out to your local McWane Ductile representative. We have team members who've managed small and large water utility systems, served in engineering consulting firms, and bring decades of experience in solving field issues involving pipeline construction and operation. From design to submittal, to installation, we strive to provide education and assistance to water professionals throughout the water and wastewater industry.
