TPT September 2009

C ontents

www.read-tpt.com

Underground movement “I bet you won’t miss the Tube,” was one of the statements that echoed in my ears as I bid farewell to colleagues in London to take up my new role as editor of TPT. Little did they understand the irony of their statement. But, admittedly, travelling on London’s underground rail network, which is known as the Tube, is not foremost on the list of things I will miss, even though, as a feat of engineering, it has always left me in awe. Indeed, as I travelled on it for the final time I gazed at it with new eyes and was struck by the hundreds, if not thousands, of different tubes and pipes – crafted from a multitude of materials – that were essential to its safe operation. From tiny sprinkler systems to beautiful handrails to the gargantuan concrete and steel pipes that hold back rivers and millions of tons of earth. And it seems underground is the new overground for many other overcrowded, gridlocked cities around the globe. Last year alone, 140km of tunnels were built beneath Shanghai. In Rome, engineers are sweating over plans for a new metro line that will pass beneath the Coliseum. In Amsterdam a metro line will require 6km of tunnels to be threaded between the largely wooden foundations of its buildings. Hundreds of miles of sewers, tunnels and pipes all situated in a variety of geologies and the foundations of buildings make it a delicate balancing act. In my old home city of London they are building the new Crossrail, a 120km railway, which will pass beneath the city’s busy streets along 42km of underground tunnels, leaving engineers to figure out how to thread Crossrail’s tunnels though the tangled subterranean infrastructure. The subsoil beneath the city is packed with sewers and pipes that date back hundreds of years and that carry electricity, gas, telecommunications and water, serving a densely packed population.

E ditorial I ndex ............. 0 2 I ndustry N ews ............. 0 6 T echnology U pdate . .... 0 40 G lobal M arketplace .... 0 76 A dvertisers I ndex ........ 0 136

F ront C over S tory Randolph Tool Co, Inc offers the highest quality tube cut off blades and die jaws in the industry,

For most of us this challenge would be the stuff of nightmares, but for engineers like yourselves, it’s just another obstacle to overcome, an opportunity for invention and innovation, which is the one thing that has struck me already about the industry in my short time and something that makes editing the magazine such an exciting challenge of my own, and one that I too hope to rise to. Rory McBride, editor, Tube & Pipe Technology

September2009 |Vol22No5 |US$33

www.RandolphTool.com

manufactured to your specifications to best suit your production needs by true craftsmen with the best

Editor • Rory McBride Features editor (USA) • Dorothy Fabian

Published by : Intras Publications , 46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa, CV32 4HY, UK Tel : +44 1926 334137 • Fax : +44 1926 314755 Email : tpt@intras.co.uk Website : www.read-tpt.com USA Office (Editorial only) : Intras Limited, 272 First Ave, Apt 12G, New York, NY 10009, USA Tel/Fax : +1 212 614 9266 Email : dfabian@rcn.com Indian Office : Jintras Ltd, Subarna (Ground Floor) P21/N, Block A New Alipore, Kolkata 700 053, India Tel : +91 33 2407 0701 • Fax : +91 33 2407 0700 Email : jeroov@vsnl.com All rights reserved – © Intras Ltd ISSN 0953-2366 This publication and its full contents of layout, text, images, and graphics is copyright protected. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any other storage or retrieval system without the publisher’s written permission. The publisher, owners, agents, printers, editors and contributors cannot be held responsible for and hereby exclude all liability whatsoever for errors, omissions or the accuracy and claims printed or inferred in the editorial or advertisements published in this, previous or subsequent editions or for any damages, costs or losses caused thereby. Tube & Pipe Technology reserves the right to edit, reword and subedit all editorial submissions in accordance with editorial policy. Tube & Pipe Technology expressed graphically or by text is a registered name and style trademark of Intras Ltd, UK. All matters relating to this disclaimer are governed by the laws of England.

• Christian Bradley

Editorial assistant

manufacturing procedures in the the industry as well as a reputation for exceeding expectations. Randolph Tool, which was established in 1968, deals direct to save you money. Fax a drawing of the blades, dies, jaws or repair parts for your tube mills that you require. You will receive a quote immediately and will find that the pricing is extremely competitive with a fast turn around time. When you receive the blades they will be flat within 0.002 and the surface of the blade will be extremely smooth, which will help the blade last longer. Randolph Tool also offers services such as resharpening of used blades and die jaws as well as precision machining and uses only top-grade tool steel to produce the best industrial knives and die jaws in the business. Visit www.randolphtool.com or email info@randolphtool.com

• Lisa Benjamin

Production

• Catherine Sayers English speaking sales • Giuliana Benedetto Italian sales • Hendrike Morriss German speaking sales • Linda Li Chinese sales • Jeroo Vandrevala Indian sales

Sales & marketing

• Liz Hughes

Advertising co-ordinators

• Andrea McIntosh

• Liz Hughes

Subscriptions

• Richard Babbedge

Accounts manager

• Caroline Sullens

Publisher

• John C Hogg

Founder

US Copies only: Tube & Pipe Technology (ISSN No: 0953-2366) is published bi-monthly by INTRAS Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Tube & Pipe Technology , PO Box 437, Emigsville PA 17318-0437.

Tube & Pipe Technology magazine is available on subscription, or via membership of the International Tube Association – See www.itatube.org for more membership benefits

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