Socketing of plastic pipes

Abstract

A method for adapting an open—ended end portion of a biaxially stretched plastic pipe into a socketed end, which includes: heating up the end portion of the pipe, thereby enhancing the end portion’s deformability; providing a forming tool, wherein the forming tool is provided with a radially expandable and / or radially enlarged portion, defining a run—on portion at an upstream end ofthe forming tool and having an expansion portion extending downstream therefrom, inserting the forming tool into the end portion of the pipe such that the open end of the end portion is closed off; and pressurizing an interior volume of the pipe towards the end portion by using a fluidum, wherein a degree of pressurization is chosen such that a fluidum lubricant layer is created between an outer circumference of the forming tool and an inner wall of the pipe. Figure 6