Reinert-Ritz GmbH develops innovative products made of thermoplastics. The result of this experience is molded parts that are not available on the market in these standard sizes. In addition to their size, these products continue to win over new customers worldwide with their quality and safety. With its many years of experience, seamless quality assurance and high production quality, Reinert-Ritz was also able to convince the planners of the drinking water pressure pipeline.
A floating d 1600 mm drinking water pressure pipeline at a depth of 150 m in the sea
The construction of an 80 km long pipe system through the waters of the Mediterranean set a new standard in water supply. The urgently needed water supply for Northern Cyprus comes from a reservoir near the Turkish coast. From there, the pipeline leads directly to the coast and then through the Mediterranean to the Turkish part of the island of Cyprus.
The solution: Floating PE 100 pipes held by steel cables
Reinert-Ritz GmbH from Nordhorn in Lower Saxony has been developing innovative products made from thermoplastics for over 40 years. The result of the experience gained is fittings that are not available on the market in these dimensions as standard. New customers around the world are constantly being convinced of the quality of these large-format products. With its many years of experience, seamless quality assurance and high production quality, Reinert-Ritz convinced the planners of this drinking water pressure pipeline of its capabilities and efficiency.
From granulate to semi-finished product
Before the raw material supplier unloads the 25 tons of PE granulate into the company’s silos, a sample is taken from the delivery and tested in the laboratory by the company’s own quality assurance staff. The granulate sample is tested according to strict guidelines using established test methods. This seamless quality assurance is an integral part of the manufacturing process at Reinert-Ritz GmbH. Only when the sample meets the company’s high standards may the granulate be processed further.
In the adjacent extrusion department, semi-finished products with diameters of up to 2850 mm and more are now produced from the granulate. Here, the granulate is fed directly into the extruder. The design is similar to a meat grinder. The granulate is fed in via a hopper and moved through a heating zone by a screw conveyor. The loose granules melt under the influence of friction, temperature and increasing pressure. The now plastically deformable mass is pressed through a specially developed system to create a thick-walled semi-finished plastic product.
As soon as the very hot and uniformly malleable semi-finished product leaves the mold, it must be cooled. Directly connected to the machine is a cooling basin through which the heat is dissipated. At the end of the extrusion line, the dimensionally stable semi-finished product is cut to the length required by the customer. Quality assurance also monitors the semi-finished product, as Reinert-Ritz takes a sample of every hollow and solid bar produced. Like the starting material, the granulate, the semi-finished product samples are also tested for their properties in the laboratory.
Portal milling machine for drinking water pressure pipe in use
After approval by quality control, the semi-finished product can be used in further processing steps to manufacture the finished product. In order to process the thick-walled semi-finished products into the desired finished products for customers, the family business has a large and modern machine park at its disposal. With the use of computer-controlled turning and milling machines, everything from small to very large semi-finished products can be processed efficiently and to the highest quality.
The special collars for the drinking water pressure pipe were produced using a special portal milling machine. It can be used to process semi-finished products up to a diameter of 2 m without any problems. Despite these dimensions, the milling machine works with a very high degree of accuracy. This dimensional accuracy is particularly important for the connecting parts used in this drinking water project, as the fittings are used in the transition from PE100 to the preformed steel elbows. Therefore, every component manufactured for this and other major projects must comply with the very tight tolerances specified.
And for quality assurance, each one is provided with a clear and permanent label. The fittings are then tested and packed before being transported to Turkey by truck.
To date, over 300 of these fittings have been manufactured and successfully installed for the TRNC project. Every day, fittings are shipped from Nordhorn to over 40 countries around the world.
