In mid-September, shipments began for two of the latest additions to McElroy’s machine lineup.
The TracStar® 412i and TracStar 618i are specialised for the medium-diameter pipe fusion market, adding to the strong legacy of McElroy’s three existing TracStar iSeries machines. These newest machines are designed to boost operator confidence and efficiency while also ensuring joints are performed accurately and according to standard.
The TracStar 412i and 618i take the place of the Series 2 machines. Like their current Series 2 counterparts, the TracStar 412i is designed to fuse pipe sizes from 4-inch IPS to 12-inch DIPS (110mm–340mm), and the TracStar 618i fuses pipe from six-inch IPS to 18-inch OD (180mm–450mm).
The power of FusionGuide Control
These machines incorporate the FusionGuide™ Control system seen on other TracStar iSeries models, providing operators with three levels of control during the fusion process. Each level has varying degrees of assistance, from manual control to fully automatic fusion.
FusionGuide Control implements an integrated software that guides the user through every step of the fusion process, including machine pressures, carriage, heater actions, and the shift sequence.
The FusionGuide Control levels are as follows:
Level 1 (manual control) – Allows the operator to control the carriage position and times during the fusion process.
Level 2 (enhanced guided workflow) – This level provides a software-controlled shift sequence however the heating and fusion times have on-screen prompts.
Level 3 (automatic fusion) – When fusing with this level, the entire fusion process is software controlled.
“In the four years since the launch of our large-diameter TracStar iSeries line, we’ve consistently heard from our partners and operators that the FusionGuide Control system has translated into countless hours and dollars saved in the field,” McElroy TracStar iSeries Product Manager Brett Stone said.
“As we’ve continued to see more HDPE projects that utilise medium-diameter pipe, we knew that incorporating TracStar iSeries technology into our medium-diameter line of machines would provide an extra layer of value, both in terms of efficiency and quality control.”
New and improved features
In addition to the incorporation of the FusionGuide Control System, the TracStar 412i and 618i include several key new features.
All fusion functions for the TracStar 412i and TracStar 618i – including setting machine pressures, carriage open/close, and shift sequence – are performed using the DataLogger®, a ruggedised tablet tailored to pipe fusion. In addition to controlling machine functions, the DataLogger records fusion parameters and other pertinent data during the fusion process.
With the DataLogger, users can take advantage of the Vault™, McElroy’s powerful cloud-based storage platform. The Vault allows users to store their data for inspection, quality control, or other record-keeping purposes. Operators can share reports with supervisors, owners, and inspectors for closer evaluation to ensure each fused joint conforms to industry standards and is ready for service.
A new, seven-blade fan was also added to the TracStar 412i and TracStar 618i to combat the extreme heat experienced at job sites around the world. For a machine fusing in 49˚C conditions like those experienced in parts of Australia, that additional fan power helps keep the fusion machine running at peak performance while also protecting components from potential damage.
But there’s more. A new indexer keeps the heater and facer attached to the four-jaw carriage, condensing the heater, facer, and jaws into a single unit. Operators can move the indexer side to side along a set of rails, allowing them to position the heater and facer between the carriage’s movable jaws as needed.
The indexer also includes a built-in stripping and release mechanism. Once the heat soak phase of the fusion process has been completed and the operator opens the carriage, the mechanism will automatically strip the heater from the ends of the pipe. As the carriage continues to move, the indexer will then retract the heater out of the fusion zone.
Guided firmware updates
As machines become more integrated with technology, it’s important to ensure that equipment is using the latest software. In summer 2024, McElroy introduced guided firmware updates to provide an easy, step-by-step guide for users needing to download and install new software to their machines. Updating firmware is essential to ensure the machine is running the latest version for continued enhancements and new features.
The guided firmware update process allows users to update components that are controlled by firmware for operation. This process, presented on the DataLogger, can be used as a step-by-step guide for updating machine components as new releases become available.
Now shipping
The TracStar 412i and TracStar 618i began shipments in September 2024.
During the summer months of 2024, several channel partners traveled to McElroy in Tulsa, Oklahoma to work with these two new machines and provide feedback on the experience.
“It’s just amazing – I want to take three home,” C. C. Carlton Industries General Superintendent Jose Briones said, referring to the TracStar 618i that he worked with in Tulsa.
For more information, visit the website.
This feature also appears in the November edition of The Australian Pipeliner.