Operations

Production Process

We strive to incorporate the utmost safety and high quality into all of our operations listed here:

Forming / Tack Welding / Cutting

Hot Band coils are unwound on a mandrel and fed into an Edge Miller.  The Edge Miller cuts and prepares the strip edges for the SAW process.  The hot band strip is fed in the forming rolls at a precise angle depending on the strip width and final outside diameter.  The pipe is formed into the proper outside diameter and tack welded using the SAW process.  The pipe is cut as per the customer's length requirements.

Inner / Outer Welding

The tack welded pipe is sent to one of three SAW final inside/outside welding stands.  The pipe's entire tack welded seam is re-welded using the SAW process to fully meet the API 5L standards and the customer's requirements.  All welds are performed by certified welders.

Hydrostatic Test

Each pipe length is tested in a hydrostatic tester to an internal pressure equal to 100% of the pipe's specified minimum yield strength for a minimum of 20 seconds.

Off-line/On-line Ultrasonic Tests

The entire weld seam is tested using shear wave off-line ultrasonic transducers arranged to pick up longitudinal and transverse defects. The entire strip width is inspected by full body strip on-line ultrasonic test system to pick up raw material flaws of edge laminations.  The equipment is set up to reject any defect not up to standard API 5L tolerance.  All inspections are performed in accordance with API, ASTM, and ASNT standards with Level II SNT-TC-1A qualified operators.

X-Ray Test

In addition to the ultrasonic test, the entire weld seam is x-ray tested.  The equipment is set up to reject any defect not up to standard API 5L tolerance.  All inspections are performed in accordance with API, ASTM, and ASNT standards with Level II SNT-TC-1A qualified operators.

Coating

External pipe coatings for enhanced corrosion protection can be applied as required by the customer.  United Spiral Pipe offers both external fusion bond and ARO type coatings. Also, USP is capable of providing internal coatings on request.

Marking

All United Spiral pipe is fully traceable back to the Heat and Lot including tally and load out information. USP employs a 3-dimension barcode that contains all relevant pipe characteristics in coded and human readable format.  All markings may be done on the ID and OD as well as on both ends as required by the customer.

Quality

United Spiral Pipe's quality policy seeks to continuously improve our products through process improvements. Customer Satisfaction will be ensured through compliance to the Quality Management System. Our highly skilled and dedicated Quality Department and Metallurgical professionals will ensure that the integrity of our pipe and coating consistently meets or exceeds industry standards.      

Certifications

Quality Management System

API Q1, API ISO TS 29001, ISO 9001:2008

Products

API 5L

Testing

TeUnited Spiral Pipe's various tests and inspections begin with analysis of raw materials through shipment to our customer.  USP Quality Assurance procedures comply with National and International standards.

United Spiral Pipe's advanced testing laboratory performs these additional tests: 

  • Chemical composition with optical emission spectrometer
  • Tensile tests of pipe body and welds
  • Charpy "V" notch impact test for energy absorption and percent shear area
  • Drop weight tear test
  • Guided bend test
  • Rockwell hardness test
  • Vickers Micro-hardness test
  • Microscopic examination of test sample of weld
  • Salt spray test
  • Additional specific tests as requested by customer.

Safety & Environmental

United Spiral Pipe is committed to leading the way in Environmental Health & Safety. We understand that safety is not a program, but a culture.

Through the dedicated efforts of all team members from the top down, USP will make safety a cornerstone of our company culture, in order to earn the confidence of those who entrust their own safety and the safety of their loved ones to us every day.

Over the upcoming months, and prior to production activities, programs such as Work Policies and Procedures, Illness and Injury Prevention Programs, Job Hazard Analysis, Handling Hazardous Materials, Emergency Response, Lock out Tag out Programs, PPE and others are being developed for implementation into the plant's daily operations.

USP seeks to gain and maintain membership in organizations such as ISO 14000 (Environmental Management System), ISO 18001 (OSHA Certification Programs), EPA Performance Track and ISO 9000 (Quality Standards).