GRP or fiberglass materials have become the most preferred materials in several industries like
petroleum, construction, food processing etc. In comparison with other alternatives, fiberglass
provides good corrosion resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio, high durability, low
maintenance costs, and fast and easy installation options. Top fiberglass manufacturing
companies apply standard accepted inspection practices to verify the quality of fiberglass
materials used.
Leading fiberglass manufacturers like Al-Harth Fiberglass follow internationally accepted
guidelines for the inspection of GRP piping systems. The procurement, manufacture,
prefabrication, installation, commissioning and operation parties involved in the GRP field use
this guideline to ensure the quality of GRP products and services.
Part 1 : The part 1 of the guidelines identifies the application and scope of the inspection.
Part 2 : A brief summary about the defect types and inspection methods and inspection
strategies are provided.
Part 3 : This part deals with quality assurance of different GRP based components.
Part 4 : This section addresses quality
assurance inspection regarding prefabrication of GRP products.
Part 5 : Fifth part addresses non destructive methods performed to verify correct system
installation and function.
Part 6 : The final part addresses inspection issues which may arise during operation.
This Guideline provides details about the right practice methods for inspection of low to medium
pressure GRP piping systems as defined in the international standards. It also includes low
pressure GRP tanks and all the components that form part of a GRP piping or tank system like
pipe, branches, bends, tees, flanges, and joints.
Main objectives of inspection:
GRP materials are produced through various stages of production. A defect can be can be
generated during different stages of the
manufacturing process from raw materials to finished components. Defects can also be identified
during installation and commissioning, or during operation. The purpose of inspection process
are:
● To identify deviations from standard specifications or functional requirements as early as
possible. Early detection helps to prevent wastage of resources and prevents the
production of substandard materials.
● Points out corrective actions required to be implemented to ensure quality of the GRP
material.
● To assure high levels of safety and regularity during operation.
● It helps to form a basis for maintenance evaluation and maintenance.
● To contribute to the improvement of present and future design.
Strategies applied in inspection process:
Majority of GRP piping and tank applications have traditionally been inspected using a
combination of visual inspection and pressure testing. This approach has generally served well,
and it is expected that these two methods will remain central to any inspection strategy for GRP.
There are some issues with the traditional approach. The inspection guidelines followed at
Al-Harth fiberglass factory have rectified the flaws of traditional inspection techniques.
Inspection technique used by Al-Harth fiberglass company is an internationally accepted one. It
has a number of advantages and they are:
● It reduces the over dependence on system pressure testing that has occasionally been a
contributing factor in inadequate quality control of the system during various stages of
manufacture and installation.
● The subjective nature of visual inspection hinders accuracy of judgment.
● Pressure testing often occurs at a late stage in project construction leading to unnecessary
expenses. This can be avoided by applying the inspection techniques used by Al-Harth
fiberglass.
Al-Harth Fiberglass is the leading fiberglass company in the UAE with three decades of
experience. We have always guaranteed the quality of GRP products and services using
internationally accepted inspection procedures.