Piping Systems

Aalberts integrated piping systems engineers the most advanced integrated piping systems for the distribution and control of liquids and gases for key verticals, like industrial, utilities, commercial and residential. 

Product development designs fittings. A team of manufacturing engineers create tooling. The tooling will be tested to producte fittings. 

I mainly worked on a big project for the America market. Thack walled stainless steel with wall thichnesses from 2,1mm to 2,6mm. These are the biggest wall thicknesses within Aalberts and require a completely new production technique.

Rolling...

Every new product needs to be tested on leakage. This is to make sure the product is functioning well. We test this inhouse with water pressure and air pressure. We test high above standard, so we are 100% sure the product will not fail. 

Axial forming works with mandrils. This can be in either 4, 3 or 2 steps. 

In the beginning all the products were made with 4 forming steps. We are working on reducing the amount of steps, thus lowering the production time. 

Production with rolling is a combination of axial forming and rolling with a roll. The first widening will be made by axial forming. After that a pressure plate will push against the tube, making it easier formable. A roll will be inserted inside the tube. While rolling it will move outward. Together with the pressureplate it will move forward, creating the fitting. 

This kind of forming require a lot less strenght of the machine. 

The same products cán be made with axial forming, but the machine needs to be twice as stong at least. 

Different kind of rolls are tested to create a fitting accoding to product drawing. 

When a T-body is made, we need to make a collar, so that the branch can be welded on it. 

We do this is 8 steps. 

1. First we insert the tube into the machine. This is done completely automatic with a robot. 

2. A hole is drilled into the tube.

3. A slot is made. 

4. The slot is deburred. 

5. A mandril is inserted from the inside of the tube, creating a collar. 

6. A bigger mandril is inserted making the collar nice and round. 

7. The top of the collar is milled to make it flat. 

8. The collar is deburred.

Aalberts uses Creo Direct Modeling as CAD software. A Model Manager is used for revision management. 3D and 2D drawings are used to communicate with the tool manufacurer. Most of the tools are made inhouse.