Fusing pipes conveniently and quietly

The process of fusing pipe by machine, which involves joining two pieces of thermoplastic pipe with heat and pressure, was pioneered by McElroy Manufacturing in 1969. Today fused pipe is widely used to move water, oil, natural gas and other liquids because it’s seamless, leak-free, resistant to corrosion, vibration and pressure surges and lasts up to 100 years.

The tracked, self-propelled McElroy TracStar® is a proven system for fusing long pipelines in difficult terrain. The latest generation, the iSeries, features a sophisticated control system that guides operators through every step of the process.

“Our customers continue to face challenges ﬁnding qualiﬁed operators,” says Geoﬀ Koch, McElroy’s vice president for product development. “Our goal is to make it easy for anyone to run these machines and deliver a repetitive, reliable fusion joint every time.”

All three iSeries models are powered by Perkins® 904J-E36TA U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final/EU Stage V engines.

“With equipment running worldwide, we need a dual-certified platform to sell into certain countries. The commonality between the models reduces the amount of design diﬀerences on our end,” Geoff added.

iSeries machines are the ﬁrst Perkins-powered McElroy products, but Geoff has great conﬁdence in Perkins’ reputation for service and support.

“If there’s an engine issue, we know our customers can access the Perkins service network locally wherever they are.

And as equipment ages, they’ll have access to the parts they need to keep it running,” he says.

“The Perkins name carries that commitment of support.”

Want to know more? Read the full case study.