This is where a water pipe takes shape.
Inside the U.S. Pipe foundry in Alabama, molten iron is poured into rapidly spinning molds in a process known as centrifugal casting. In just minutes, the iron forms into ductile iron pipe designed to deliver drinking water to communities across the United States.
The details matter. As the iron flows through the mold, it forms a bell-shaped end that will eventually hold a gasket and create a watertight seal between sections of pipe. Different casting machines produce different pipe diameters, allowing manufacturers to meet the needs of everything from neighborhood water lines to major transmission systems.
It's a reminder that the reliability of America's water infrastructure begins long before a pipe is buried underground — starting with engineering, precision manufacturing, and a few thousand degrees of molten iron.
Episode at https://youtu.be/s8k1V0aBUpE?si=9t3VdlQ1UsYDtQ6M
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