Gas, Industrial, Infrastructure, Marine, Mining, Oil, Power Generation, Uncategorized
GripTight® Test Plugs Cut Hydrostatic Pipe-Testing Time
A stainless steel pipe fabricator ran roughly 150 hydrostatic tests on DN25–DN100 spools with reusable GripTight test plugs, saving 60–90 minutes on every spool.
Quantity of tests
150
Time saved per spool
60-90 minutes
Pipe Sizes
DN25 - DN100
Weld Caps Used
0
Project overview
Location
Australia
Industry
Mining
Repair solution
GripTight® Test Plugs — mechanical isolation plugs for hydrostatic pressure testing
A stainless steel process-pipe fabricator hydrostatically pressure-tests its fabricated spools before delivery, across pipe sizes from DN25 to DN100. Traditionally, each spool was tested by welding temporary end caps onto the pipe, running the hydrostatic test, then cutting the caps off and re-preparing the pipe ends for final use. That weld-test-cut-and-grind cycle was slow and labour-intensive, tied up welders who were needed on production, and introduced extra hot work and rework into the workshop. Over a large project involving roughly 150 pressure tests, that overhead added up quickly.
Our Solution
PIPESERV supplied GripTight® Test Plugs, mechanical isolation plugs that grip inside the pipe bore and seal against the wall so a spool can be pressurised for hydrostatic testing without welding anything to it. The plugs install and remove quickly, are reusable across many tests, and suited the full DN25–DN100 range on this project. The fabricator used them to complete approximately 150 hydrostatic tests throughout the job, replacing the temporary welded end caps entirely.
Results
The GripTight test plugs saved an estimated 60–90 minutes per spool by removing the need to fabricate, weld, cut off and clean up temporary test caps. Eliminating that welding and grinding improved workshop safety and freed welders to stay on production welding rather than making disposable caps. Because the plugs are reusable, the fabricator ran all ~150 tests without consumable caps, cutting labour and rework, keeping the fabrication schedule moving, and lowering overall project cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time can GripTight test plugs save on hydrostatic testing?
On this project a fabricator completed around 150 hydrostatic tests on DN25–DN100 spools and saved an estimated 60–90 minutes per spool compared with welding temporary end caps, testing, then cutting the caps off and re-preparing the pipe ends.
How do GripTight test plugs seal a pipe for hydrostatic testing?
They are mechanical isolation plugs that grip the inside of the pipe bore and seal against the wall, so a spool can be pressurised without welding temporary caps onto it. The right plug is selected for the pipe size and test pressure, so confirm those details with PIPESERV before testing.
Are GripTight test plugs reusable?
Yes. They are designed to be reused across many tests, approximately 100 tests before you need to replace the seals.
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