Induction Pipe Bending - Pipe Induction Bending

From its inception in 2005, IPB UK has gone from strength to strength in providing a high-quality pipe induction-bending service to the offshore, petrochemical, power-generation and general pipe-work markets.

Having begun as a small team, we have undergone a managed expansion process to the point where the company presently has 20 employees. Our staff members provide us with a great blend of youth and experience, some of our operators having been involved with induction bending for nearly 30 years.

CAPACITY INDUCTION BENDING

Our current bending capacity is from 2in NB through to 20in OD via three machines manufactured in-house and based in our premises in the north-east of England. Typical materials we see on a regular basis include:

• Carbon steels such as API 5L Gr B / ASTM A106 Gr B
• High-yield steels from API 5L X42 through to X70 (including internally clad)
• Low-temperature materials, e.g. ASTM A333 Gr 6
• Duplex and super-duplex steels, e.g. 22% Cr (UNS S31803) and 25% Cr (UNS S32750 / 60)
• High-chrome materials, including ASTM A335 P11, P22 and P91, etc.
• Stainless steels – ASTM A312 304L, 316L, 321, etc.
• 'Specialist' steels such as AISI 4130, Inconel, Hastelloy and Ovako 280®

ISO 9001:2000 CERTIFIED PIPE INDUCTION-BENDING

Gaining ISO 9001:2000 certification in 2006 provided the backbone by which we could begin to offer more 'project-led' type manufacturing. Since that milestone we have successfully completed bending for the following developments (amongst many others):

• Venture Oil – 'Goosander'
• Shell – 'Merganser'
• Nexen – 'Ettrick'
• Total – 'Dunbar'
• Exxon Mobil – 'NWBD'
• ConocoPhillips – 'Kelvin'

ADDITIONAL PIPE-TREATMENT SERVICES

To assist in providing a comprehensive service, we have a close association with local sub-contract companies and offer the following additional activities:

• Post-bend heat treatment via a facility calibrated to API standards
• Non-destructive testing by an ASNT / PCN approved company
• Primer, fusion-bonded epoxy, polypropylene and polyethylene coating treatments
• Grit blasting and chemical cleaning
• Packaging and transport – both nationally and internationally – by road, sea or air
• Third-party inspection through certified agencies (DNV, Lloyds, BV, etc.)

INDUCTION-BENDING TEST FACILITY

Since 2007, we have had our own subsidiary test facility. Accredited by UKAS to ISO 17025, IPB's mechanical testing complements the pipe-bending business by offering a wide range of testing, all of which is machined in our own in-house facilities.

Testing can be carried out to American (e.g. ASTM and API), European (e.g. BS EN and DIN) or individual clients' (e.g. Shell DEP 31.40.20.33, DNV OS F101 and Total GS EP PLR 221) standards.

Our test-house staff are fully trained and our laboratory manager has over 15 years' experience. We are happy to make arrangements for witnessing of testing by statutory inspection bodies (e.g. Lloyds Register, DNV and BV), as well as by clients and client representatives, ensuring that transparency and confidentiality is always maintained

Under our UKAS accreditation the following tests can be carried out:

• Tensile testing (ASTM and BS EN)
• Impact testing (ASTM and BS EN) from ambient temperatures to 196°C
• Hardness testing (Vickers and Brinell)
• Corrosion tests on duplex and stainless steels to ASTM G48 - A
• Macro and micro examinations of metallic materials
• Determination of percentage ferrite to ASTM E562

We have close links with several other UKAS-accredited laboratories and as such can sub-contract testing outside of our accreditation (e.g. elevated temperature tensile testing, chemical analysis, HIC and SSCC corrosion tests, etc.).

As a company our overall aim is to provide a responsive, flexible approach to our customers, allied to a quality product. We would be delighted to hear from you to discuss your requirements in greater depth; and, of course, to respond to any appropriate commercial enquiries.