Challenge Specified Fittings, Inc. of Bellingham, Washington manufactures a full line of PVC and HDPE fittings in a wide variety of configurations. One of their customers required 48" PVC fittings for water transmission pipe, a unique order because at that time nobody could fulfill this need inhouse. Engineers at Specified Fittings built a special mandrel that would be used to bell the end of the fitting. A length of pipe was then heated at one end and stretched over the mandrel to create the bell. After completing, water was sprayed to cool the belled end and a Buna-N gasket was stretched into place. Specified Fittings needed a product that would hold the gasket in place. The supplier of the gaskets, A.I.T., recommended Loctite.

A continuous bead of Loctite® E-O5CL Durabond Adhesive is applied to the groove both inside and outside of the PVC pipe as the 48" Buna-N gasket is adjusted into position.

Solution

Loctite® E-05CL Durabond Adhesive is a toughened epoxy with a five-minute worklife. It provides flexibility with low odor, minimal waste, and is non-flammable and non-hazardous. This two-part adhesive requires no mixing, as it comes packaged in a dual cartridge for use with Loctite manual dispensers and mix nozzles.

After placing the Buna-N gasket over the belled end of the pipe, a continuous bead of Loctite E-05CL is applied inside the PVC pipe groove. The gasket is positioned into place, the pipe is palleted, and the Durabond product is allowed to cure.

Results

According to Mike Brewer, operations manager for Specified Fittings, Loctite E-05CL Durabond Adhesive "was easy to apply and provided the strength we needed to ensure a tight seal. Its five-minute worklife allowed us plenty of time to adjust the gasket into place." Specified Fittings increased its business because they were the only facility in the country that could provide fittings for sizes above 36" in diameter inhouse.