TPi July 2015

business & market news

Pipe manufacturer installs straightener Fives Bronx Ltd UK has agreed and signed a contract with a major Scottish pipe manufacturer, for the supply of a new straightening installation. The fully automated line has been purchased to process pipes in the range from 4½" to 16¾" diameter and at temperatures of up to 750°C. new contract represents the eleventh straightening line that we have supplied to this internationally based client, worldwide, in the past ten years and shows the confidence that they have both in our equipment technology and our company.

and reliability of the Bronx brand, throughout the decades. The latest line will provide the client with a 21 st century solution to their straightening requirements and is due to be delivered to their factory during the first quarter of 2016.” Fives Bronx Ltd – UK fivesbronxuk-sales@fivesgroup.com www.fivesgroup.com

“The new contract is to replace a Bronx line that was originally supplied back in 1969, confirming the longevity

Jon Dunn, managing director at Fives Bronx Ltd, commented, “This

Steel tubes fromTaiwan Kusakabe Electric & Machinery has supplied and commissioned two pipe mills in Taiwan for CHS Steel in conjunction with several other suppliers. This new installation is for a state-of- the-art operation and will make it the most advanced in Taiwan.

strengths up to 750MPa. The line starts with the uncoiler and shear welder, horizontal strip accumulator all the way through to the hydrostatic pressure testing, UTS, coating and packing in a continuous process. The pipe mill itself incorporates Kusakabe’s latest universal forming, followed by three cassette fin passes and a five-roll squeeze stand, and internal and external weld bead removal and swarf chopping.

tubing line itself incorporates Kusakabe’s vertical looper (strip accumulator), flying strip shear and sub-based stands with independent drive to each shaft for quick changeover and improved drive. One squeeze stand is provided in a four-roll configuration, with internal and external weld bead removal and swarf chopping. After the weld seam annealing and cooling stage a rotary sizing mill sizes the tube to the customer’s requirements before it is cut to length by a three- bladed rotary cut off. The 13" casing line manufactures tubes from 114.3 to 355.6mm, up to 16mm thick, and steel grades with tensile yield

The 4" tubing line manufactures tubes from 60.3 to 114.3mm, up to 10.5mm thick, and steel grades with tensile yield strengths up to 750MPa. The line starts with the uncoiler and shear welder, vertical looper (strip accumulator) all the way through to the hydrostatic pressure testing, UTS, coating and packing in a continuous process. The

Kusakabe Electric & Machinery Co, Ltd – Japan

sales@kusakabe.com www.kusakabe.com

Handheld pipe/tube straightener The new handheld pipe/tube straight- ener from Kwix UK is an efficient handheld manually operated tube straightening tool that easily and accurately straightens light wall tube from a coil or any other tube.

The low cost handtool will straighten all types of coiled tubing – copper, aluminium, stainless steel and brass. It maximises the flow, simplifies installation, reduces labour costs and material usage, accelerates the flow for better efficiency and gives a professional looking finish. The straightening process also strengthens the tube. Kwix UK manufactures the Kwix tool for all popular coiled tubing with outside diameter sizes in both metric: 4, 5, 6,

8, 10, 12 and 15mm, and imperial: 1 / 8 ", 3 / 16 ", 1 / 4 ", 5 / 16 ", 3 / 8 " and 1 / 2 ". Over 10,000 units have been sold worldwide in the past two years, and the tool comes with a 12-month guarantee. The Kwix tool is used by plumbing and heating,

air-conditioning, refrigeration and HVAC engineers as well as car, plane and train restoration companies.

Kwix UK – UK www.kwixuk.com

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Tube Products International July 2015

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