#134 | Beyond the Squeeze Test: How Unseen Variables Cost Farmers

Some of the biggest risks in quality are the ones you can’t see. Pipe might look fine or feel strong in your hands, but hidden issues like uneven wall thickness, poor resin blends, or the wrong corrugation profile could cause pipe to fail in the field years after installation.

In part two of our Perspectives on Pipe Quality series, Jamie Duininck sits down with Paul Schrupp, Director of Quality and Continuous Improvement at Prinsco, to unpack these unseen factors and explain why quality depends on science, testing, and design. They talk about resin properties, thickness distribution, cold-weather brittleness, UV protection using carbon black, and the role of ASTM standards in protecting farmers.

True quality is not obvious at first glance. It is built into every step of the process so that pipe in the ground will perform for decades and create long-term value for farm families and communities.

Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome Back
01:00 - Paul’s Role in Quality
02:20 - What Quality Really Means
04:10 - Beyond ASTM Minimums
05:45 - The Squeeze Test Problem
07:30 - Corrugation Profiles & Temperature
09:10 - The Plastic Chair Example
10:30 - Longevity and Service Life
12:00 - Carbon Black and Sun Exposure
14:00 - Industry Standards
16:00 - Longevity Builds Wealth
17:30 - Risks of Cutting Corners
19:30 - Final Thoughts

Related content:

• #133 | Perspectives on Pipe Quality: Delivering Generations of Yield with Tony Kime
• #129 | The Tipping Point: Accelerating Agricultural Water Quality & Soil Retention
• #07 | Engineering Water Quality: Bioreactors, Saturated Buffers & More
• “Perspectives on Pipe Quality” Playlist on YouTube
  
  

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