SoluGap®

WATER SOLUBLE SOCKET WELD SPACER RING

US & FOREIGN PATENTS ISSUED & PENDING

DISTINCTIVE DESIGN COMPATIBLE WITH ANY METAL

FOR A PRECISE & EVEN GAP EVERY TIME

ABOUT

FEATURES & BENEFITS

HOW IT WORKS

TYPES & SIZES

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FAQS

About

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The specially engineered, patented design of SoluGap offers an economical, inventive solution to socket welding needs.

Compatible with any metal, SoluGap provides the 1/16ʺ (1.6 mm) minimum gap required by ANSI 31.1, Section III, ASME, US Navy and Military Codes, eliminating the need for pre-measuring and guesswork. SoluGap is also available in 1/8″ (3.2 mm) thickness.

SoluGap features a unique 3-tabbed edge design that allows the spacers to remain secure in any pipe orientation.

SoluGap is U.S. manufactured and comprised of Aquasol’s environmentally safe, water soluble composite board. It dissolves completely and rapidly in most liquids, allowing for easy post-weld clean up.

Available in a variety of sizes ranging from 1/2ʺ to 2 1/2ʺ in diameter, SoluGap is easy to install and ready to use, providing the smartest solution to your socket welding needs.

SoluGap is patented and specially engineered to offer an economical, inventive solution to socket welding needs. It dissolves completely and rapidly in most liquids, allowing for easy post-weld clean-up. Compatible with any metal, SoluGap provides the 1/16ʺ (1.6 mm) minimum gap required by ANSI 31.1, Section III, ASME, US Navy and Military Codes, eliminating the need for pre-measuring and guesswork. SoluGap is also available in 1/8″ (3.2 mm) thickness.

Features and Benefits

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Features and Benefits

Revolutionary Design

  • Made of eco-friendly Aquasol® Water Soluble Composite Board,  SoluGap is compatible with any metal
  • Eliminates the need to inventory multiple grades of metal spacers or the time consuming task of scribing, measuring and fitting
  • Provides a uniform, precise 1/16″ (1.6 mm) minimum gap required by ANSI 31.1, Section III, ASME, US Navy and Military codes. 1/8″ (3.2 mm) thickness also available.
  • Unique 3-point tabs secure placement regardless of pipe orientation
  • Hollow center enables viewing during welding
  • Unlike metal spacers, will not corrode or break
  • Dissolves rapidly and completely in water; allowing for easy post weld clean up

Increases Efficiency and Savings

  • Time and labor intensive tasks of scribing, measuring and fitting are completely eliminated
  • Weld accuracy is dramatically improved vs. manual processes
  • Eliminate and reduce cracked welds, saving money on costly repairs and replacement material

Numerous Applications and Industries

  • Food Processing
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Nuclear and Aeronautical
  • Nuclear and Power Plants
  • Petrochemical Plants and Refineries
  • Industrial Hydraulics
  • Water Heaters and Boilers
  • Railroad Air Brake Piping
  • Shipbuilding
  • Fertilizer Plants
  • Breweries

How SoluGap Works

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How SoluGap Works

Position

Position ring by aligning outer edge with inner pipe circumference.

Snap in Place

Slide ring inside pipe so tabbed edges can fit snugly and snap-in-place, maintaining the 1/16″ or larger gap while avoiding compression.

Stay in Place

Once secured inside the pipe, ring will stay in place, even when the socket is sideways or inverted

Weld

  1. Tack weld 3 or 4 times maintaining proper interpass temperature, as specified by ASME B31.3 or welding engineer
  2. Square up the pipe after the first tack
  3. Proceed to weld without exceeding interpass temperature

Dissolve

Introduce hot or cold water to dissolve and remove its entire contents, leaving no residue in the pipe or if preferred, simply leave the spacer in the pipe as no adverse effects will result

Types & Sizes

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SoluGap Water Soluble Socket Weld Spacer Ring - 1/16" (1.8 mm) ANSI 31.1 Code for Minimum Gap
Item No DIMENSIONS THICKNESS DIAMETER Packaging MINIMUM ORDER
Nominal Pipe/Size (IN) English (IN) NOMINAL (DN)
SGP-0.50 1/2″ 1/16″ 15 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-0.75 3/4″ 1/16″ 20 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-1.0 1″ 1/16″ 25 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-1.25 1 1/4″ 1/16″ 32 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-1.50 1 1/2″ 1/16″ 40 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-1.75 N/A 1/16″ N/A 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-2.00 2″ 1/16″ 50 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-2.50 2 1/2″ 1/16″ 65 50 Per Bag 50
Custom Order (Allow 1-3 Weeks for Processing)
Item No DIMENSIONS THICKNESS DIAMETER Packaging Minimum Order
Nominal Pipe/Size (IN) English (IN) NOMINAL (DN)
SGP-0.375 3/8″ 1/16″ 10 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-2.75 N/A 1/16″ N/A 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-3.00 3″ 1/16″ 80 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-3.25 N/A 1/16″ N/A 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-3.50 3 1/2″ 1/16″ 90 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-4.00 4″ 1/16″ 100 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SoluGap Water Soluble Socket Weld Spacer Ring - 1/8" (3.2 mm) Double ANSI 31.1 Code for Minimum Gap
ITEM NO DIMENSIONS THICKNESS DIAMETER PACKAGING MINIMUM ORDER
Nominal Pipe/Size (IN) English (IN) Nominal (DN)
SGP-0.50/2 1/2″ 1/8″ 15 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-0.75/2 3/4″ 1/8″ 20 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-1.0/2 1″ 1/8″ 25 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-1.25/2 1 1/4″ 1/8″ 32 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-1.50/2 1 1/2″ 1/8″ 40 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-1.75/2 N/A 1/8″ N/A 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-2.00/2 2″ 1/8″ 50 50 Per Bag 50
SGP-2.50/2 2 1/2″ 1/8″ 65 50 Per Bag 50
Custom Order (Allow 1-3 Weeks for Processing)
ITEM NO DIMENSIONS THICKNESS DIAMETER PACKAGING MINIMUM ORDER
Nominal Pipe/Size (IN) English (IN) Nominal (DN)
SGP-0.375/2 3/8″ 1/8″ 10 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-2.75/2 N/A 1/8″ N/A 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-3.00/2 3″ 1/8″ 80 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-3.25/2 N/A 1/8″ N/A 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-3.50/2 3 1/2″ 1/8″ 90 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-4.00/2 4″ 1/8″ 100 50 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SoluGap Water Soluble Socket Weld Spacer Ring in Bulk
ITEM NO DIMENSIONS THICKNESS DIAMETER PACKAGING MINIMUM ORDER
Nominal Pipe/Size (IN) English (IN) Nominal (DN)
SGP-0.50/M 1/2″ 1/16″ 15 500 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-0.75/M 3/4″ 1/16″ 20 500 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-1.0/M 1″ 1/16″ 25 500 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-1.25/M 1 1/4″ 1/16″ 32 500 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-1.50/M 1 1/2″ 1/16″ 40 500 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-1.75/M N/A 1/16″ N/A 500 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-2.00/M 2″ 1/16″ 50 500 Per Bag/1000 Per Box 1000
SGP-2.50/M 2 1/2″ 1/16″ 65 1 Box of 500 1000
Custom Order (Allow 1-3 Weeks for Processing)
ITEM NO DIMENSIONS THICKNESS DIAMETER PACKAGING MINIMUM ORDER
Nominal Pipe/Size (IN) English (IN) Nominal (DN)
SGP-0.375/M 3/8″ 1/16″ 10 1 Box of 500 1000
SGP-2.75/M N/A 1/16″ N/A 1 Box of 500 1000
SGP-3.00/M 3″ 1/16″ 80 1 Box of 500 1000
SGP-3.25/M N/A 1/16″ N/A 1 Box of 500 1000
SGP-3.50/M 3 1/2″ 1/16″ 90 1 Box of 500 1000
SGP-4.00/M 4″ 1/16″ 100 1 Box of 500 1000

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FAQs

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Dissolve Aqueous Solution

Aquasol® Water Soluble Products, including SoluGap Water Soluble Socket Weld Spacer Rings, must be flushed with an aqueous solution or steam containing a certain percentage of water in order to be removed from the weld area. Please contact Aquasol for further information.

Dissolve in Oil

SoluGap Water Soluble Socket Weld Spacer Rings will not dissolve in oil or fuel. The products must be flushed with an aqueous solution or steam containing a certain amount of water in order to be removed from the weld area.

Expansion and Contraction

As metal pipes are heated and cooled, they expand and contract. Therefore, a minimum 1/16″ gap between the socket weld and the pipe is required to facilitate the fluctuation of the metal. Without this gap, cracking and loss of weld integrity can occur.

Typically, welders will spend time estimating the correct gap size, creating more room for error. With SoluGap, measuring and scribing are unnecessary. SoluGap is designed to create the perfect gap with ease by acting as a temporary space insert during welding that can later be flushed away by an aqueous solution.

Compression

Even with its firm structure, SoluGap is incompressible. For example, at 100 PSI compression load, SoluGap compresses by approximately 1 percent in thickness.

NOTE: This data was obtained through testing by the Aquasol engineering staff. The Aquasol Corporation recommends all users conduct their own tests, as this information is only a guideline for general reference purposes.

Heat Temperature Resistance

The heat temperature rating for SoluGap is approximately 400° F.  This temperature rating should be sufficient, if all welding guidelines are adhered to for socket welds.

Charring

To ensure SoluGap Water Soluble Socket Weld Spacer Rings remain uncharred while welding and successfully dissolve during hydro testing, be sure not to exceed the interpass temperature of 300° F while following the proper ASME B31.3 code welding procedure.

ASME

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers provides companies with codes and standards, which cover a vast range of welding applications and processes. According to the ASME website, the organization has more than 130,000 members in 158 countries. Policy makers in Congress, the White House Office of Science and Technology and many key federal agencies look to the ASME for the latest engineering and technical information.

Aquasol® designed SoluGap to meet the standards and codes of the ASME in regards to its dimensions and other properties.

For further information on ASME, visit https://www.asme.org/.

MRO Report

Maintenance Repair Operations (MRO) are supported by items, including consumables like SoluGap Socket Weld Spacer Rings, that aid in the production process. MRO reports can show how many of these items are used by companies over a specific time period.

Some of the companies on the SoluGap MRO report include Chevron, Shell Oil, BP North America, Sunoco and many more.

Safety Precaution

When using SoluGap, no specific safety precautions are necessary. SoluGap is manufactured from CE and EPA-approved water soluble material that is completely environmentally friendly.

Where is SoluGap Used?

SoluGap is used in various industries where socket welding is required.

Some of these manufacturing areas include:

  • Food Processing
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Nuclear and Aeronautical
  • Nuclear and Power Plants
  • Petrochemical Plants and Refineries
  • Industrial Hydraulics
  • Water Heaters and Boilers
  • Railroad Air Brake Piping
  • Shipbuilding
  • Fertilizer Plants
  • Breweries
Approvals

Aquasol® distributes its patented, revolutionary products to over 80 countries worldwide. Many large companies have successfully tested and approved SoluGap as spec items in welding operations. Some of these include, ExxonMobil, Shell, Saudi Aramco, Conoco Phillips, Bechtel, KBR, Hyundai, CCC, Chevron, Jacobs, Petrofac, and Tecnicas Reunidas.

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