Polyethylene plastic is the miracle material. It is flexible, strong, and 100% leak and corrosion proof. Thus for the price, our PE fittings are the strongest most durable fittings in the world.
Our plastic piping systems are a sustainable and environmentally responsible choice that will serve generations to come. They are energy efficient during manufacturing and provide peak protection from contamination during service. Strong, durable, light-weight and flexible, these piping systems require significantly less energy to fabricate, transport and install than metal or concrete alternatives. With superior resistance to corrosion and abrasion, plastic piping systems also supply long service life, excellent joint performance and offer leak-free protection, all adding up to exceptional value.
We purchase the raw pellet to make our fittings from companies like Dow Chemical and Solvay, the leaders in their industry. Central uses various kinds of Polyethylene. Of the nine listed below, the top four are most frequently used.
HDPE (high density PE) PEX (cross-linked PE) MDPE (medium density PE) LDPE (low density PE) UHMWPE (ultra high molecular weight PE) HMWPE (high molecular weight polyethylene) HDXLPE (high density cross-linked PE) LLDPE (linear low density PE) VLDPE (very low density PE)
EXTRUSION
We partner with pipe producers to manufacture the fittings they need for pipelines. Pipe producers make their PE pipes through a process called extrusion. Extrusion heats pellets of PE resin and pushes them slowly through shaped molds to create pipes of precisely the right inside and outside diameter. Many clients assume that we use this same process, however that is not true.
INJECTION MOLDINg
The process Central uses to make its fittings in our plants in the United States is a process called injection molding. Our plants hold dozens of machines like the one pictured to the right in many sizes. The machine pictured here is Big Bertha-one of the largest injection molding machines in the world.
Injection molding machines work somewhat like a cannon. Melted PE pellets of the right PE material are placed in one end and put under enormous pressure. At the proper pressure and temperature, the PE is fired, or injected, into a preformed stainless steel mold that is precisely the shape needed to make the fitting. The PE is allowed to cool, taken out of the mold, then cooled further in a bath of water. Central uses various kinds of machining tools, such as stamps, presses, drills, and powder coating. 80% of our employees use some kind of machinery in our production process.