Difference Between Normal Shrink Sleeves and DIRAX

Is DIRAX Different from Normal Shrink Sleeves?

     Absolutely!  DIRAX is like a normal shrink sleeve on steroids, and HGH and vitamin C.  Think of Arnold Schwarzenegger at his most muscular -- versus a professional football player.  Both are in great shape.  Both are healthy.  But when you look at the two side by side, there is just no question which is stronger. 

     Regular shrink sleeves; whether you're talking about WPCT or HTLP60 or HTLP80 or WPC100M or WPC120 or others; do an excellent job.  They have long, successful use histories and have been installed on all kinds of difficult pipeline applications.  They've been buried, offshore and above ground.  They've been installed in saturated soil.  They've been installed on deep water pipelines.  They've been used in high salt content water.  They've been installed on hot lines.  They've been installed in Alaska.  Regular sleeves are just about the most reliable pipeline coating to ever be sold.

     But when we start looking at truly extreme pipeline conditions - like directional drilling applications, road bores and even more so: bundled road bores; you're going to need a truly special coating.  That is where DIRAX comes in and truly shines.

     DIRAX is a mutli player shrink sleeve system all sandwiched together and hidden as a two component system: a shrink sleeve and a two part S1301M epoxy.  

     The DIRAX shrink sleeve component, though is likely to remind you of a clown car when you really get down and analyze it.  Starting on the outside and moving our way in:  The first layer is a high density, radiation cross linked polyolefin backing.  The second layer is an incredibly tough and rugged polypropylene mesh.  The third layer is another high density, radiation cross linked polyolefin.  The fourth layer is a high shear, high soil stress resistant, high peel hot melt adhesive that is specially designed to be practically immovable - especially under the incredible stresses associated with a bore pull.

     So keep all of that in mind, but add this in:  on the leading edge of the shrink sleeve; where it is most likely to see the most stresses; where it is most likely to crash into a rock; where it is most likely to be attacked by a tree root or some other kind of underground obstruction -- on that end we put a second DIRAX sleeve called a leader strip - which is 3" wide.  So at the front of your field joint - in the most dangerous location - you've actually got eight rock solid layers of field joint protection.  Yes:  8.  

     But beneath all of that, you have the secret sauce (so to speak).  Acting as the bonding agent between the shrink sleeve and the bare steel / factory applied coating is our S1301M two part epoxy.  This epoxy improves the shear, peel and CD even more dramatically.  

     Is there anyone else out there that can offer a 9 layer coating, with a proven track record, that can be installed with simple equipment and minimal training in just a few minutes per field joint?  Let me save you some google time -- no.  No one else has a product like this.