How to solder polypropylene: tips of the master

Installation work with plastic piping provides for the execution of cutting and joining operations. Due to the technical properties of the material, such tasks are easier to solve than in the case of metal pipes. But the technologies of the same cutting are familiar for the most part only to experienced masters, although it does not cause any special difficulties. In fact, the product of soldering of the material is required, as a result of which it is possible to change the parameters of the design or a separate segment of the pipeline.

How to solder polypropylene? As in the case of metal welding, a special apparatus will be required. It can be a small manual thermal cutter, and a massive professional installation. But in both cases the principle of work is the same.

Soldering tools

There are specialized single-format and multifunctional apparatus-pressovschiki, through which soldering is realized. In this case, this process can be considered both as a cutting method and as a joining operation. The very apparatus in the simplest versions is a small construction with an electromechanical stuffing and a tooling formed by metal clips.

How to solder polypropylene using such a device? From the user, for the most part, only the correct direction of the workpiece is required in accordance with the requirements of the technical process. The principle of the equipment itself lies in the melt of the pipe. The two parts are heated by contact with metal surfaces, after which they can be performed with any joining action. In other words, the presser provides two technological functions. Firstly, it is the achievement of a temperature effect for the melting of polypropylene, and secondly, a clear positioning of the edges of the pipes for their correct information.

Preparation for work

The soldering operation of plastic materials is very delicate. In the molten state, the plastic is very sensitive and susceptible, so foreign particles can easily penetrate into its structure, the presence of which can further affect the strength properties of the pipeline. Therefore, both the blanks and the cutting machine must be thoroughly cleaned, washed and dried.

Also, additional devices are prepared, which should be at hand during the operation. For example, the question of how to solder polypropylene in hard-to-reach places, often provides for the mention of special hooks and LED flashlights. The hook will allow you to suspend the device if you can not get to the place of work by the whole body and conveniently place the instrument, and the flashlight will provide visibility if other light sources do not penetrate to the workplace.

Stages of the operation

The complete soldering process includes 4 stages - cutting, heating, joining and cooling. Each stage requires special actions from the operator, which depend on the result to be obtained.

Cutting is not done in every case, but with its help you can perform a neat cutting with the same exact subsequent connection. The advantages of thermal cutting before mechanical methods include the elimination of the risk of deformation of solid parts of the workpiece.

How to solder polypropylene pipes to keep the original shape? To do this, it is sufficient to fix the pipe correctly in the clamping rings - then the cutting insert will gently cut and final the spike. The final stage of exposure is the most responsible. When performing it, it is important to properly fix the finished part of the pipe and allow it to cool as long as the standard requires.

Soldering technology

The spike technique should be considered separately. In abbreviated form without cutting this operation is performed more often, therefore, most devices have a design optimized specifically for this task. So, the essence of the process is that the two ends of the pipe are installed on opposite sides of the fixing rings.

The operator then activates the thermal exposure system. This function can be carried out both by rings and by a cutting incandescent plate. Then immediately connect the two ends of the pipe.

How to solder polypropylene correctly ? Unlike the welding machine for metal, plastic soldering tools form a seam without user intervention. Maximum intervention involves manual models, in which the user simply presses the lever, which brings together two pipes. This is done smoothly and without excess pressure - the soft molten plastic must mix, forming a single structural mass at the junction point.

Industrial soldering irons for plastics

In complex and critical activities, professional equipment for soldering plastic may be needed . Such models are distinguished by the ability to work with large diameter pipes, as well as high intensity of heating. Accordingly, such units are superior to manual models in both dimensions and power of the electric motor. In this case, do not consider the industrial soldering iron as a universal. It is sharpened just for medium and large sizes, but not suitable for small diameters.

How to solder polypropylene on industrial equipment? The technology and principles of operation are basically the same, but each operation is performed on a separate modular station. One modular unit prepares the pipe with countersinking and facing, the other directly cuts the plastic, the third provides heating, and the fourth one is responsible for positioning the workpiece.

Soldering parameters

It has already been said that the quality of the result will depend on how accurately and accurately the last stage with cooling was performed. The complexity of this stage lies in the fact that it is necessary to observe the time-keeping regime at several stages. Usually these are two stages - during the heating process and during the final solidification. The time intervals depend on the thickness of the pipe. Also, another factor due to the temperature regime is taken into account.

At what temperature is polypropylene to be soldered? Standard hand-operated devices operate at 250-270 ° C. This is enough to bring the usual domestic pipe from plastic to the required state within 15 minutes. With regard to the ratio of the diameter and cooling time, the minimum size of 12 mm will require 4 seconds of waiting for direct connection, and 120 seconds for final holding.

The maximum diameter of a 50 mm pipe for hand soldering irons requires a 6-second wait while soldering, and the hardening takes place after 240 seconds.

Soldering features in hard-to-reach corners

Work in hard-to-reach and difficult areas requires not only the use of auxiliary equipment (as already mentioned, lanterns and devices for holding the soldering iron). Angular joints provide for a special realization of the technology itself with the use of special consumables. But first of all it is important to remember that cutting is carried out only at a right angle, and after cutting the surface and the ends of the ends must be degreased and be cleaned with a soft abrasive.

Now we can move on to another issue - how to calculate and solder corners. Polypropylene in this case is connected by means of additional nozzles, which introduces corrections in the interval of waiting for the soldering time. That is, to form a corner, a fitting or adapter made of the same polypropylene will be needed. This addition also increases the time spent on the connection site. With a minimum pipe diameter of 12 mm, this interval will be 5-6 s, and in the work with a 50 mm billet - about 20 s.

Is it possible to solder metal-plastic pipes with polypropylene?

Operations, during which there is a combination of dissimilar pipes, are considered undesirable. Such designs initially lose to similar analogues in reliability, but there are cases when traditional metal plastic must be introduced into the pipeline with polypropylene. Carving in such situations will not help, so you will have to apply to the ration. However, this connection will act only as an auxiliary tool.

The installation is realized by means of a flange into which endings of two pipes made of different materials are introduced. Soldering is needed just to prepare a polypropylene pipe for such integration. For this purpose, using the soldering iron, the end of the plastic tube is heated, the same fitting is put on it, after which it is possible to proceed to the connection with the metal-plastic contour through the flange.

Errors in soldering

Errors for the most part relate to irregularities in the technique of soldering and the selection of unsuitable materials. A common violation of the technology is the deviation from the specified position when connecting pipes. A departure from a straight line per millimeter already means that the connection will be substandard.

How correctly to solder pipes from polypropylene, so as not to disturb the position of blanks? Hand-held devices in this sense are the most problematic, since the ease of construction does not contribute to protection from vibrations of working equipment. Minimize the risk of deviation will allow additional fixing of the device with the help of heavy appliances.

Conclusion

Theoretically, the method of joining plastic pipes by means of thermal action is impeccable. Its main advantage lies in the fact that interference in the structure of the material itself does not entail a decrease in its operational properties. The seam obtained has a homogeneous structure and will not be a weak point in the contour. Imperfection of this method rests on the practice of application. Therefore, the question arises as to how to solder polypropylene in order to achieve the optimum result.

The success of the operation, in fact, depends on two factors. First, on the quality of the technical organization of the workflow - from the choice of materials, model apparatus, consumables, and so on. Secondly, from the experience of the operator himself. The soldering iron user must operatively control the workpieces, observing both the time intervals and the positioning accuracy of the pipes.