Housing in Southern Africa June 2016

Industry Buzz

Specs for PE piping systems

T he revised specification has been promulgated as SANS 8779: 2016: Plastic Piping Sys- tems – Polyethylene (PE) Pipes for

The latest specification for polyethylene (PE) piping systems for irrigation applications is SANS 8779.

Irrigation – by the SABS Standards Division, re- ports Renier Snyman, technical and product manager at DPI Plastics. SABS 533 Part 1 spec covered high-density PE systems (HDPE) Parts 2 and 3, which were based on outside diameter (OD) dimensions. Following the deci- sion by the Department of Trade and Industry that South Africa would switch to international specifications, in order to assist its integration into the global export market, the SABS adopted

initiated originally by the South Africa Irrigation Institute (SABI). The SABI contended that the lack of a guiding or master specification placed the entire irriga- tion industry at risk in terms of the compatibil- ity between the available pipe and fitting systems. This is due to the fact that small, uncontrolled specification changes can result in widespread pipe failures. SANS 8779, according to the SABS, “specifies the pipes (mains, sub-

mains and laterals) made from PE, intended to be used for the convey- ance of water for irrigation, where the nominal OD is specified from 12 mm up to and including 63 mm, or the nominal ID is specified from 10mmup toand including100mm.” ■

were particularly affected. The lack of internal diameter based fitting specifications led to manufacturers adopting the old SABS 533 Part 1 in order to ensure consistent quality. The review pro- cess of the old specification was

ISO 4427 spec for PE pipe in 1999. A five-year moratorium was placed on SABS 533 Part 1, which expired in 2007. Companies that subscribed to the specification in terms of the SABS permit scheme that allowed them to use the SABS mark on their products

Enhanced ergonomic and new trademark features for the Bosch IXO cordless screwdriver include the switch for forward and reverse rotation, which has been modified to make it easier to operate. Bosch IXO

it 180 degrees,” says Bosch Brand Manager, Ninet Bosman. The Bosch IXO is a tool that boasts practical functionality and has revo- lutionised the market. The basic ver- sion comes with a charging cable and ten screwdriver bits in a slim metal casket that resembles a clutch bag. It can be clicked onto a higher module, in which the matching adapters and other accessories can be stored. ■

adjustable white LED bright light,

T o drive screws, slide the switch forward, then slide it backward to loosen them. The on/off switch has also beenmodified to enable the IXO to be operated in different grip positions. The tool can nowbe charged using a micro USB cable, and its charging time has been reduced to threehours. It uses a ‘Power Light’, which is an

positioned on the head of the

screw driver. “When set to scattered light, it reliably illuminates the work area. Set to spotlight mode, the light will be cast precisely on the screw head. Switching between the two is quick and easy – simply loosen the black screwdriver cap and rotate

June 2016