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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 2006
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Contact: -or- Eileen Petridis |
40 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS TESTING SUPPORT CLAIMS OF DURABILITY BY FLOWGUARD GOLD® CPVC PIPE & FITTINGS Lab Tests Subject Pipe Samples to More than 10X |
CLEVELAND -- The phrase “performing under pressure” has taken on a new meaning with the completion of a nearly 40-year pipe pressure test by Noveon. Noveon is the former Performance Materials division of BFGoodrich which developed the CPVC compound used in FlowGuard Gold® pipe and fittings. It was on November 29, 1963 that R&D personnel initiated a lab test that would subject a piece of PVC pipe (that would become the forerunner for today’s FlowGuard Gold CPVC plumbing system) to more than ten times the amount of water pressure of a typical American home. To be exact, the pipe sample remained under 791 pounds of pressure for nearly 40 years before it finally failed. Average household water pressure, in contrast, is between 60-70 pounds. In a separate test, a piece of FlowGuard Gold CPVC pipe remained under 1,170 pounds of pressure for more than 12-1/2 years before failing. “We are only required to submit 16,000 hours (667 days) of test data in order to have our pipe material pressure rated,” noted Michelle Knight, R&D Engineer. “The fact that we subject our product to such extensive testing demonstrates our commitment to quality and reliability. Our goal is to verify the material’s predicted long-term performance characteristics so that it can be used with total confidence in the field.” In addition to long-term pressure testing, Noveon’s state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar pipe testing laboratory has the ability to conduct impact resistance, crush resistance, high pressure burst, pressure cycling, and thermal cycling tests. “No other piping material manufacturer puts its products through such strenuous testing, and no one else has invested as heavily as Noveon in its in-house R&D capabilities,” said Knight. In total, Noveon’s R&D laboratory encompasses more than 4,000 square feet of space with additional space allotted for warehousing of pipe samples and offices for three full-time employees who staff the lab. To carry out its product testing, the lab is equipped with: • An electrically driven load cell for crush testing of pipe
samples up to 24 inches in diameter The lab’s most important function, however, is long-term hydrostatic stress rupture testing of piping materials which determines a material’s pressure rating. Noveon’s lab currently has ten temperature-controlled testing cabinets with 50 sample ports in each cabinet. Samples are tested at elevated temperatures at a series of pressure points to determine failure points. From this information, the lab can calculate pressure ratings according to ASTM standards for US markets or according to ISO standards for European markets. “We are very proud of our in-house technical and testing capabilities,” added Knight. “Other manufacturers may make claims, but we’ve got the test data to back up our product promises.”
In addition to its proven durability, FlowGuard Gold pipe eliminates concerns over corrosion, scaling and pinhole leaks that are characteristic of metallic pipe. In independent NSF testing, FlowGuard Gold pipe further proved to be four times quieter than metal. It is also more energy efficient and effective in reducing condensation. Plumbers prefer the product because it’s faster and easier to install, which translates into substantial labor cost savings. A one-step solvent cement joining process creates a permanent bond within minutes that has been proven to be stronger than the pipe or fittings alone. For more information about this high-performance plumbing system, or to learn more how the product’s promotional claims are continuously put to the test in the lab and in the field, visit www.flowguardgold.com or call 888/234-2436, X7393.
FlowGuard Gold® is a registered trademark of The Lubrizol Corporation. The Lubrizol Corporation (NYSE: LZ) is an innovative specialty chemical company that produces and supplies technologies that improve the quality and performance of our customers’ products in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. These technologies include lubricant additives for engine oils, other transportation-related fluids and industrial lubricants, as well as fuel additives for gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for personal care products and pharmaceuticals; specialty materials, including plastics technology and performance coatings in the form of specialty resins and additives. Lubrizol’s industry-leading technologies in additives, ingredients and compounds enhance the quality, performance and value of customers’ products, while reducing their environmental impact. With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, The Lubrizol Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 20 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 6,900 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2005 were $3.6 billion, excluding operations discontinued in 2006 that had 2005 revenues of $0.4 billion. For more information, visit www.lubrizol.com.
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