In September, Plastometrex announced RSI Pipeline Solutions LLC has completed the successful independent verification of its pipeline industry validation testing data, acquired by its non-destructive tool for material verification of oil and gas transmission pipelines. The tool is said to allow pipeline operators and inspection providers to measure both yield and tensile strengths quicker, easier, and more reliably, with final results available instantly.
Here, Dr. James Dean, CEO of Plastometrex talks to MQ about the importance of transparency in validating its technology for the pipeline industry, the rigorous requirements of the verification process, and what's next for the advanced mechanical testing technology provider.
MQ: Congratulations on your RSI approval. What was the primary motivation behind seeking independent approval for the non-destructive tool?
JD: Seeking independent approval for our non-destructive tool to test pipe-metal yield- and tensile-strength came naturally to us. First and foremost, the tool has been developed in response to a network safety initiative and, in our opinion, safety demands transparency. Also, because the tool offers a significant speed advantage, we want to demonstrate that with our solution there’s no trade-off between speed and performance – our tool really does deliver both.
The decision to have RSI Pipeline Solutions independently evaluate our claimed performance demonstrates our commitment to full transparency regarding our technology’s capabilities and to supporting the pipeline industry’s safety record. That’s also why we’ve published both our data and RSI’s report, so pipeline operators and engineers can scrutinise the findings for themselves.
MQ: What did the verification process look like for Plastometrex?
JD: Something we’re really proud of is that we’ve developed the tool in conversation with the industry. Consequently, to date we’ve tested our approach on over 150 bits of pipe, including coupons, cut-outs and full-circumference lengths. This includes samples from the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) archive, that were used to assess the performance of other technologies, in 2018.
All of this data has been made available to RSI Pipeline Solutions, as well as the details of our collection and analysis methods. Using this, RSI have concluded that our collection methods and data are valid, and when our data is compared with data produced by other technologies, our tool performs favourably.
MQ: Why did Plastometrex choose RSI Pipeline Solutions specifically to verify its non-destructive tool?
JD: RSI Pipeline Solutions were a great fit for a number of reasons. Notably, they are very well regarded within the industry due to their commitment to safety and reliability in the field. This commitment to excellence is reflected in their team: we had the pleasure of working with Bill Amend, who is a very experienced engineer and who has previously evaluated the performance of other, older technologies for measuring the yield- and tensile-strength of pipe-metal.
Our thanks go to both Bill and Joel Anderson for their thorough work on this independent analysis.
MQ: How do you expect the independent approval to impact the non-destructive material verification tool moving forward?
JD: The independent approval, confirming the accuracy of our approach, is a key step toward enabling the widespread adoption of our tool across the pipeline industry. Network owners and operators need a tool they can trust, and this stamp of approval has been a key step toward building that trust between ourselves and these companies.
Soon after the report was published we were receiving requests to use the tool on live pipes, and commitments to purchase are now turning into sales. The industry was obviously looking for a solution that can better keep up with the demands of the job, and if you find yourself in this position and haven’t yet spoken to us then please get in touch.
MQ: Moving on from the independent approval, what’s next for Plastometrex’s verification tool?
JD: We’re committed to supporting our customers with a gold-standard service, so our next step is to ensure they feel supported as they roll out this new, faster technology for measuring the yield- and tensile-strength of pipe-metal. This will include full technical support from our team, and fast repairs or replacements to ensure no time in the ditch is wasted.
What comes after this? Well, the expertise of our people is rooted in materials science, metallurgy, and finite element analysis, so watch this space! And if you have a challenge to solve around these topics then it would be great to hear from you.