Plastics Pipe and Fittings Technical Interest Group

Technical Focus

Plastics play a major role in the piping industry. They have penetrated into most piping markets and in some areas plastic pipe is now the material of choice. Applications include gas distribution, gas gathering and oil field production, rehabilitation, water distribution, residential plumbing, irrigation, drain waste and vent, sewer, land drainage, fire suppression systems and many industrial applications. Moreover, plastic fittings or plastic fitting components are designed to work in concert with the piper materials for the construction of systems to serve the needs of the end-user.

The Plastic Pipe & Fittings TIG comprises all plastic materials considered in the pipe and fitting industries: thermoplastics, thermosets and composites as well as complimentary facets such as additives. Novel or new applications of existing technology, test method developments and research related to properties and structure are included. Engineering aspects such as joining, installation and pipe processing are also relevant to the scope.

Purpose

The purpose of this TIG is to provide and promote education and science to the application of pipe and fittings containing plastic components with specific emphasis on:

1.  The investigation and understanding of the engineering properties of plastics which relate to their performance in plastic pipe and fitting products.
2. The relationships between those properties and composition, structure, and processing variables.
3. Technical activities on uniform testing and reporting of properties relevant to plastic pipe performance.
4. The growing multitude of ways that plastic pipe and fittings serve the needs of today’s challenging engineering demands.
5. Dissemination of technical information on plastic pipe and fitting products and compounds used in their manufacture.