Kingston Systems Inc. (KSI) has been working with DeepFlex Corporation to create a test machine to see how well an extremely flexible composite pipe for subsea gas and oil applications can withstand the rigors of a deepsea installation. The UPT (Universal Pipe Tester) is based around a P2000 unit and provides a Multi-Axis Pipe Fatigue Test.

This tests the dynamic fatigue properties of pipe sections and assemblies. This new test rig design is capable of subjecting pipe assemblies to multi-axis static and dynamic loading using a fully programmable hexapod robot to move one end of a cantilevered pipe sample. It is also designed to apply pre-programmed combinations of multi-plane bending, tensile, or compressive axial loads and torsion to the pipe under ambient, elevated, or varying temperatures and pressures.

Deep Flex is a manufacturer of a new generation of lightweight, flexible, non-metallic, un-bonded pipes for use in subsea and other applications. These pipes are the first of their kind offering large savings in weight and cost to operators, greater depth/cost ratio and overall performance than any present subsea pipe systems.