Tel:

+44 (0) 1246 452 643

Fax: +44 (0) 1246 261 360
Email: hire@fusionprovida.com
Web: www.fusionprovida.com

DATA TRANSFER SYSTEM FOR

AUTOMATIC BUTT FUSION & ELECTROFUSION
BACKGROUND
Polyethylene has become the most commonly used underground
pressure pipe system in the UK – why? For a number of reasons
such as increased use of modern no-dig technologies, it’s full end
load resistance, flexibility and of course the fact that it can be fusion
welded giving a homogeneous leak free system. Since 1991 both
gas and water utilities have made the change from manual to
automatic Butt Fusion and Electrofusion systems along with their
respective period contractors. The three major factors, which drove
this change, were:
1. Ability to reduce direct supervision of the work being
undertaken. DATA RETRIEVAL OPTIONS
2. Ability to increase productivity while maintaining high
standards of workmanship.
3. Ability to identify training requirements for equipment
operatives.
5. The ability to store easily accessible, encrypted data that will
tell the truth about each joint, until the data file is deleted.
6. Increasingly utilities are requesting that the contractor
provides this information for quality assurance purposes as
well as providing a cost effective way of remotely managing
work carried out.
7. Even where the utility does not insist on such information the
system provides a traceable quality record should disputes
occur in the future and also helps contractors ensure that they
are on a ‘level playing field’ by offering proof of work quality
1. Data Printer - provides joint record printed direct onto ‘till roll’
type paper.

Initially the only available method for ‘downloading’ the data from
jointing equipment was via a small hand held data printer that
produced a ‘shop till receipt’ printout.

Over the past 20 years Fusion have continued to develop and

improve the software to enable all equipment manufactured since
1990 to be ‘downloaded’ digitally (and therefore extremely quickly)
onto PC.

To begin with this information was downloaded directly to a PC or 2. Data Transfer – direct to PC or Laptop via PC connection lead.
laptop and then via PDA’s. Moving on to ‘The Minitran’ which utilises
a flash card for data storage. Our latest generation Electrofusion
Box (The Q-Box) can be downloaded directly to a USB stick.

DATA TRANSFER BENEFITS

1. Allows the utility & contractor to quickly and easily assess the
performance of both operator and equipment saving you both
time and money. In other words ‘direct supervision without
being there.’
3. Minitran OR USB Stick– data can be downloaded directly and
2. It will highlight any potential problems as they occur rather then stored or transferred to PC at a later date.
than after the pipeline has been tested and buried – with all
the additional costs that would inevitably be incurred.

3. Provides reports that can be stored on disk, hard-drive, etc

demonstrating the quality of work undertaken to ISO standards
– at minimal cost!

4. Ability to produce statistical data for management use on such

things as pipe usage by size and location, number of joints per
man per hour by pipe size and overall quality improvements,
to name but a few.
 Tel: +44 (0) 1246 452 643
Fax: +44 (0) 1246 261 360
Email: hire@fusionprovida.com
Web: www.fusionprovida.com

FILE BROWSER SPECIFIC JOINT RECORD ANALYTICAL DATA

& JOB DETAILS
Allows the user to quickly determine the information that is stored
in Data Transfer files without actually having to open them. The Butt Fusion machine automatically records all that the operator
does as well as the actual times, pressures and temperatures used
DATABASE SEARCH FACILITY by the machine for each joint, once the information is transferred
from the machine to the PC the supervisor/auditor has the ability to
A multi-file search facility enables Data Transfer files contained add additional job information as necessary.
in one or more folders (& subfolders) to be found. Searches for
files containing specific text, with a specific name, containing
records from specific control boxes or with specific errors can be
performed.

Allows the auditor/supervisor to focus on the information required,

for example:

• All joints made on a particular scheme regardless of operator.

• All joints made by one particular gang/operator over a period
of time to assess their level of competence or any training
requirements (this can be highly tailored to suit as the exact
errors they have made are highlighted).

• Comparison of one contractor’s quality of work to another

when it comes re-tendering for a period contract.
Specific Joint Record Analytical Data & Job Details

TRACK RECORD

To the best of our knowledge almost every water and gas company
in the UK as well as major utility contractors have invested in Fusion
equipment and the Fast Data Transfer system as detailed above.

DATA TRANSFER V3.0 Coming Soon.....

In addition to the functionality provided by the V2.0 software, V3.0

Database Search Facility
THE PLANT FILE
The purpose of this file is to store serial numbers of control units
together with their respective plant numbers. Whenever joint
record files are opened that do not contain plant numbers, Data
Transfer will look in the Plant File for any matching serial numbers
and extract the plant numbers if they exist. The plant numbers will
then be stored in the joint record file itself. This allows joint record
files complete with plant numbers to be passed on to other users
of Data Transfer.
will bring many improvements including:
• Modern user interface simplifies all operations
• Improved and automated data sorting and storage facilities
make jointing information easier to find, view, analyse and
export
• The data is stored in a secure database, which can exist either
on a standalone PC, a local computer network, or potentially
on a server anywhere in the world
• Improved output facilities including the standard ‘pdf’ format
• Improved reporting facilities that can be personalised as
desired
• Future add-ons will provide specific program functionality,
allowing the user to tailor the software exactly as required
• Software updates handled automatically over the internet

Fusion Provida Limited, Fusion House, Smeckley Wood Close,

Chesterfield Trading Estate, Chesterfield S41 9PZ

Part of the Group of Companies DT Issue 2 September 08