Fittings made and measured at our own works 

Station 1 of 13: Raw-material store

Carbon and stainless steel pipe is held on steel racks in our raw-material store: stainless lengths end-capped beside a colour-code chart for the grades, carbon steel carrying the mill's heat number.

Output: Racked pipe.

Photo: Stainless-steel pipe with blue end caps on a blue rack beneath a stainless-steel colour-code chart.

Station 2 of 13: Incoming inspection

Incoming pipe is checked against its mill marking, here ASME SA312 TP304, and measured with vernier calipers and a measuring tape before it is cut.

Output: Verified pipe.

Photo: Gloved hand on the ASME SA312 TP304 mill marking of an incoming stainless-steel pipe.

• Calibration list Sr. 01–10: Vernier Caliper (incl. one digital), 10
• Calibration list Sr. 18–19: Measuring Tape, 2

Station 3 of 13: Cutting

Pipe is cut to length on our band saws under jets of coolant. We also run air plasma units rated for 35 mm and gas cutting assemblies.

Output: Cut lengths.

Photo: Band saw blade cutting through a stainless-steel pipe under two coolant jets.

• Machine BS1–BS5: Band Saw Machine, 5
• Machine AP1–AP2: Air Plasma Unit — 35mm Thickness Capacity, 2
• Machine GC1–GC2: Gas Cutting Assembly, 2

Station 4 of 13: Forming

Elbows are hot-formed on our mandrel machine, the pipe heated red-hot in its induction coil, or bent cold. Tees are formed in dies on hydraulic presses from 200 to 1200 tons.

Output: Formed elbows & tees.

Photo: Pipe glowing red-hot as it leaves the induction coil of the mandrel elbow machine.

• Machine HB1: Mandrel Machine (Elbow Range: 4″ × S.40 to 18″ × 20mm thk), 1
• Machine HP1–HP5: Hydraulic Press — 200 to 1200 Tons, 5
• Machine CB1: Cold Bending Machine, 1

Station 5 of 13: Welding

Seams are TIG-welded by hand on our argon welding machines, 4 inverter-based sets rated 400 amps, the welder feeding filler rod into the arc.

Output: Welded fittings.

Photo: Gloved welder feeding filler rod into a TIG arc on a large stainless-steel fitting.

• Machine WM1–WM4: Argon Welding Machine (Inverter Base, 400 Amps), 4

Station 6 of 13: Heat treatment

Fittings are heat-treated in our electric furnace, 2500 × 2500 × 2000 mm with a 0–1200 °C range, logged by K-type thermocouples and a strip chart recorder.

Output: Heat-treated fittings.

Photo: Electric heat-treatment furnace with its door open and the heating elements glowing.

• Machine HF2: Heat Treatment Furnace-II (2500mm W × 2500mm L × 2000mm H), 1
• Calibration list Sr. 31: Thermocouples (K-type), 1
• Calibration list Sr. 32: Strip Chart Temperature Recorder (Data Logger), 1
• Calibration list Sr. 33–35: Temperature Indicator (K-type), 3

Station 7 of 13: Machining & bevelling

Weld ends are bevelled on our bevel-end machines, ½″ to 24″, and fittings are turned on lathes from 6″ to 28″ centre height.

Output: Machined, bevelled ends.

Photo: Operator in a safety helmet and gloves turning a fitting on a lathe.

• Machine B1–B2: Bevel End / Planing Machine (½″ – 24″), 2
• Machine SB1: Single Beveling Machine (1500 × 800 × 140mm), 1
• Machine L1–L5: Lathe Machine — 6″ to 28″ Centre Height, 5
• Machine DM1: Drill Machine — Ø 31mm, 1

Station 8 of 13: Shot blasting

Formed fittings are loaded onto the turntable of our shot blasting machine and come out with an even, matte surface.

Output: Even, matte surface.

Photo: Operator in a safety helmet and gloves loading elbows into the shot blasting machine.

• Machine SBM1: Shot Blasting Machine & Spares, 1

Station 9 of 13: Pickling & passivation

Stainless fittings are pickled and passivated by hand, then rinsed with water. The team works in safety helmets, respirators, long rubber gauntlets and gumboots.

Output: Pickled, passivated stainless.

Photo: Hands in long rubber gauntlets rinsing a large stainless-steel tee after pickling.

Station 10 of 13: Marking

Fittings are dot-peen marked on our column-mounted marking machines with maker, size, schedule, type, material grade and standard.

Output: Marked fittings.

Photo: Marking head over a stainless-steel 90° long-radius elbow carrying its B16.9 marking.

• Machine CM1–CM5: Column Mounted Marking Machine, 5
• Machine CM6–CM7: Portable Marking Machine, 2
• Machine SM1–SM2: Fully Automatic Inkjet Printer, 2

Station 11 of 13: Final inspection & testing

Finished fittings are measured with vernier calipers and checked by PMI analyser for grade, pen tester for hardness, ultrasonic gauge for wall thickness, and by dye-penetrant testing.

Output: Inspected & tested fittings.

Photo: PMI analyser held against a marked stainless-steel tee by gloved hands.

• Calibration list Sr. 20: PMI Analyser (Positive Material Identification), 1
• Calibration list Sr. 24: Pen Hardness Tester, 1
• Calibration list Sr. 23: Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge (D-Meter), 1
• Calibration list Sr. 01–10: Vernier Caliper (incl. one digital), 10

Station 12 of 13: Finished-goods store

Inspected fittings move to our finished-goods store, kept by type and size until they are packed.

Output: Stock on the rack.

Photo: Two large finished 90° elbows with machined bevel ends resting on timber blocks on a blue trolley.

Station 13 of 13: Packing & dispatch

Ends are capped with protectors and fittings are packed into wooden cases for dispatch from our Vasai (E) works.

Output: Crated for dispatch.

Photo: Carbon-steel tees with blue end caps packed in a wooden case for dispatch.