McElroy Acrobat 160 User manual

Manual: 2501601 Revision: C 11/18
Operator’s
Manual
Original Language: English
Acrobat™
160, 180, 250
and 315
Fusion Machines

This product and other products
could be protected by patents or
have patents pending. All the latest
patent information is available at
patent.mcelroy.com
Cancer and Reproductive Harm -
www.P65warnings.ca.gov
8163361

Introduction
Thank you for choosing McElroy
The Acrobat™ fusion machines allows operators to butt
fuse pipe in tight work spaces. With its small footprint
and optimal weight, it is an easy machine to manipulate
when performing overhead fusions in tight spaces as well
as on the ground.
For even tighter spaces, the Acrobat machines can be
configured from 4 jaws to 3 jaws without using tools.
When fusing thermoplastic pipe materials, refer to the
pipe manufacturer's fusion procedures or appropriate
joining standard.
The Acrobat 160 model fuses 63mm through 160mm
(2" through 6") maximum pipe.
The Acrobat 180 model fuses 63mm through 180mm
(2" through 7") maximum pipe.
The Acrobat 250 model fuses 63mm through 250mm
(2" through 10") maximum pipe.
The Acrobat 315 model fuses 63mm through 315mm
(2" through 12") maximum pipe.
The Acrobat machines utilizes the Acrobat™ Hydraulic
Power Unit (HPU) or the DynaMc® Electric Pump (EP)
HPU to provide hydraulic power to the carriage.
With reasonable care and maintenance, this machine
will give years of satisfactory service.
Before operating this machine, please read this manual
thoroughly, and keep a copy with the machine for future
reference. This manual is to be considered part of your
machine.
McElroy University
For more than 30 years, McElroy has been the only
pipe fusion machine manufacturer to continuously
offer advanced training. Course offerings are meant to
enhance your efficiency, productivity and safety in the
proper use of McElroy machines. McElroy University
classes are structured so that the skills learned and the
machines used in each class closely match the machines
found on pipelining jobsites. We offer training at
our facility or yours. Our uniquely qualified McElroy
University course instructors offer years of industry
experience.
Tuition for each course includes lunches, course materials
and a certificate of completion. Online registration,
as well as up-to-date course offerings and dates, is
available at www.mcelroy.com/university
This manual is intended as a guide only and does not
take the place of proper training by qualified instructors.
The information in this manual is not all inclusive and
can not encompass all possible situations that can be
encountered during various operations.
MU2-03-13-14 CD01152-03-13-14
TX04659-03-24-14
TX04785-02-01-17

Warranty
LIMITED WARRANTY
McElroy Manufacturing, Inc. (McElroy) warrants all
products manufactured, sold and repaired by it to be
free from defects in materials and workmanship, its
obligation under this warranty being limited to repairing
or replacing at its factory and new products, within 5
years after shipment, with the exception of purchased
items (such as electronic devices, pumps, switches, etc.),
in which case that manufacturer’s warranty applies.
Warranty applies when returned freight is prepaid and
which, upon examination, shall disclose to have been
defective. This warranty does not apply to any product
or component which has been repaired or altered by
anyone other than McElroy or has become damaged
due to misuse, negligence or casualty, or has not been
operated or maintained according to McElroy’s printed
instructions and warnings. This warranty is expressly in
lieu of all other warranties expressed or implied. The
remedies of the Buyer are the exclusive and sole remedies
available and Buyer shall not be entitled to receive any
incidental or consequential damages. Buyer waives
the benefit of any rule that disclaimer of warranty shall
be construed against McElroy and agrees that such
disclaimers herein shall be construed liberally in favor of
McElroy.
RETURN OF GOODS
Buyer agrees not to return goods for any reason except
upon the written consent of McElroy obtained in advance
of such return, which consent, if given, shall specify the
terms and conditions and charges upon which any such
return may be made. Materials returned to McElroy, for
warranty work, repair, etc., must have a Return Material
Authorization (RMA) number, and be so noted on the
package at time of shipment. For assistance, inquiry shall
be directed to:
McElroy Manufacturing, Inc.
P.O. Box 580550
833 North Fulton Street Tulsa, Oklahoma 74158-0550
PHONE: [phone], FAX: [phone].
EMAIL: [e-mail]
Note: Certain repairs, warranty work, and inquiries may
be directed, at McElroy’s discretion, to an authorized
service center or distributor.
TX02486-11-4-13
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
McElroy accepts no responsibility of liability for fusion
joints. Operation and maintenance of the product is the
responsibility of others. We recommend qualified joining
procedures be followed when using McElroy fusion
equipment.
McElroy makes no other warranty of any kind whatever,
express or implied; and all implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose which
exceed the aforestated obligation are hereby disclaimed
by McElroy.
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT
McElroy reserves the right to make any changes in or
improvements on its products without incurring any
liability or obligation to update or change previously sold
machines and/or the accessories thereto.
INFORMATION DISCLOSED
No information of knowledge heretofore or hereafter
disclosed to McElroy in the performance of or in
connection with the terms hereof, shall be deemed to be
confidential or proprietary, unless otherwise expressly
agreed to in writing by McElroy and any such information
or knowledge shall be free from restrictions, other than a
claim for patent infringement, is part of the consideration
hereof.
PROPRIETARY RIGHTS
All proprietary rights pertaining to the equipment or
the components of the equipment to be delivered by
McElroy hereunder, and all patent rights therein, arising
prior to, or in the course of, or as a result of the design
or fabrication of the said product, are exclusively the
property of McElroy.
LAW APPLICABLE
All sales shall be governed by the Uniform Commercial
Code of Oklahoma, U.S.A.
Register your product online to activate your warranty:
www.McElroy.com/fusion
(Copy information listed on the machine nameplate here
for your records).
Model No.
Serial No.
Date Received
Distributor

Table of Contents
Safety
Safety Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Read and Understand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
General Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Wear Safety Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Heater is Not Explosion Proof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Electric Motors are Not Explosion Proof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Overhead Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Electrical Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Units with Hydraulics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Crush Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Carriage Handling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Facer Blades are Sharp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Heater is Hot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Fusion Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Overview
Theory of Heat Fusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Carriage Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Acrobat Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Hydraulic Fluid Reservoir (Acrobat HPU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Filter (Acrobat HPU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Carriage Control Box (Acrobat HPU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
DynaMc EP Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Hydraulic Fluid Reservoir (DynaMc EP HPU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Filter (DynaMc EP HPU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Hydraulic Manifold Block (DynaMc EP HPU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Hydraulic Cylinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Electrical Power Receptacles (Acrobat HPU). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Facer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Heater Latch (Acrobat 250) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Insulated Heater Stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Stripper Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Clamp Knobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
COPYRIGHT © 2018, 2017
McELROY MANUFACTURING, INC.
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
All rights reserved
All product names or trademarks are property of their respective owners. All information,
illustrations and specifications in this manual are based on the latest information available
at the time of publication. The right is reserved to make changes at any time without notice.

Table of Contents
Butt Fusion Procedure
Read Before Operating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Check Fluid Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Connecting to Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Prepare Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Install Clamping Inserts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Connect HPU to Carriage Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Prepare Facer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Hydraulic Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Removing 3-Jaw Carriage (If Required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Support Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Loading Pipe Into Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Clamp the Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Begin Facing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
After Facing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Check Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Check for Slippage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Determine Drag Pressure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Calculate Fusion Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Position Carriage for Heater Insertion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Check Heater Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Select the Fusing Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Inserting Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Heating the Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Fusing the Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Opening Jaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Position Pipe for Next Joint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Install Next Piece of Pipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Special Operations - Vertical Fusion (Movable Pipe Below)
Vertical Fusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Support Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Attach Carriage to Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Prepare Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Begin Facing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
After Facing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Check Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Set Hydraulic Pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Check for Slippage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Position Carriage for Heater Insertion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Check Heater Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Inserting Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Heating the Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Fusing the Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Opening Jaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Special Operations - Vertical Fusion (Movable Pipe Above)
Vertical Fusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Support Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Attach Carriage to Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Prepare Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Table of Contents
Special Operations - Vertical Fusion (Movable Pipe Above)
Begin Facing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
After Facing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Check Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Set Hydraulic Pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Check for Slippage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Position Carriage for Heater Insertion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Check Heater Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Inserting Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Heating the Pipe (Positive Vertical Fusion Pressure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Fusing the Pipe (Positive Vertical Fusion Pressure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Heating the Pipe (Negative Vertical Fusion Pressure). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Fusing the Pipe (Negative Vertical Fusion Pressure). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Opening Jaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Special Operations - Fusion in Explosive Atmosphere
Facer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Maintenance
Preventative Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Washing the Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Check Hydraulic Fluid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Change Hydraulic Fluid and Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Check Pressure Gauges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Change Gearbox Oil (Acrobat 315) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Bleeding Air From Hydraulic System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Bleeding Air From Acrobat HPU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Clean Jaws and Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Clean Thrust Bearings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Clean Eyebolt Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Fasteners Must Be Tight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Facer Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Clean Heater Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Installing Butt Fusion Heater Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Adjusting Heater Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Heater Indicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7

Table of Contents
Maintenance Checklist
Fusion Machine Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Determining Fusion Pressure
Determining Fusion Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1
Hydraulic Fluids
Hydraulic Fluids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Specifications
Fusion Machine Specifications Acrobat™ 160. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Fusion Machine Specifications Acrobat™ 180. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2
Fusion Machine Specifications Acrobat™ 250 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3
Fusion Machine Specifications Acrobat™ 315. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4
Generator Sizing Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5
Optional Accessories
DataLogger® 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1

1 - 1
Safety
Safety Alerts
This hazard alert sign appears in this manual.
When you see this sign, carefully read what it says.
YOUR SAFETY IS AT STAKE.
You will see the hazard alert sign with these words:
DANGER, WARNING, and CAUTION.
Indicates an imminently hazardous
situation which, if not avoided, will
result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a potentially hazardous
situation which, if not avoided, could
result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation which,
if not avoided, may result in minor or
moderate injury.
In this manual you should look for two other words:
NOTICE and IMPORTANT.
NOTICE: can keep you from doing something that might
damage the machine or someone's property. It may also
be used to alert against unsafe practices.
IMPORTANT: can help you do a better job or make your
job easier in some way.
¡PELIGRO!
¡PELIGRO!
WR00051-11-30-92
TX00030-12-1-92
Read and Understand
Do not operate this equipment until you have carefully read, and
understand all the sections of this manual, and all other equipment
manuals that will be used with it.
Your safety and the safety of others depends upon care and
judgment in the operation of this equipment.
Follow all applicable federal, state, local, and industry specific
regulations.
McElroy Manufacturing, Inc. cannot anticipate every possible
circumstance that might involve a potential hazard. The warnings
in this manual and on the machine are therefore not all inclusive.
You must satisfy yourself that a procedure, tool, work method, or
operating technique is safe for you and others. You should also
ensure that the machine will not be damaged or made unsafe by
the method of operation or maintenance you choose.
WR00052-12-1-92
TX02946-4-15-09

1 - 2
Safety
General Safety
Safety is important. Report anything unusual that you notice during
set up or operation.
LISTEN for thumps, bumps, rattles, squeals, air leaks, or unusual
sounds.
SMELL odors like burning insulation, hot metal, burning rubber, hot
oil, or natural gas.
FEEL any changes in the way the equipment operates.
SEE problems with wiring and cables, hydraulic connections, or other
equipment.
REPORT anything you see, feel, smell, or hear that is different from
what you expect, or that you think may be unsafe.
SAFE1ST-12-22-92
Wear Safety Equipment
Wear a hard hat, safety shoes, safety glasses, and other
applicable personal protective equipment.
Remove jewelry and rings, and do not wear loose-fitting clothing
or long hair that could catch on controls or moving machinery.
WR00053-12-2-92
TX00114-4-22-93
TX00032-4-7-93
Heater Is Not Explosion Proof
This heater is not explosion proof. Operation of heater
in an explosive atmosphere without necessary safety
precautions will result in serious injury or death.
When operating in an explosive atmosphere, the heater should be brought
up to temperature in a safe environment, then unplugged before entering
the explosive atmosphere for fusion.
TX04467-03-24-14
WR00034-11-30-92
¡PELIGRO!
Electric Motors are Not Explosion Proof
Electric motors are not explosion proof. Operation of
these components in an explosive atmosphere without
necessary safety precautions will result in serious injury
or death.
Acrobat™ 315 facer cannot be used manually and must not be used in
an explosive atmosphere.
TX05333-12-20-17
¡PELIGRO!
WR00080-4-12-93

Safety
1 - 3
Electrical Safety
Always ensure equipment is properly
grounded. It is important to remember that
if you are working in a wet environment
with electrical devices. Proper ground
connections help to minimize the chances
of an electric shock.
Frequently inspect electrical cords and unit for damage.
Have damaged components replaced and service
performed by a qualified electrician.
Do not pull on or carry electrical devices by the cord
NOTICE: Always connect units to the proper power source as
listed on the unit, or in the owner's manual. Use GFCI electrical
connections when available or required.
TX04787-02-16-17
WR00055-4-7-93
WR00025-11-30-92
Units With Hydraulics
It is important to remember that a sudden hydraulic oil leak can cause
serious injury, or even be fatal if the pressure or oil temperature is high
enough.
Escaping fluid under pressure can penetrate the skin
causing serious injury. Keep hands and body away from
pinholes which eject fluid under pressure. Use a piece
of cardboard or paper to search for leaks. If any fluid is
injected into the skin, it must be immediately removed by a
doctor familiar with this type of injury.
Unwanted movement of the machine could result
in serious injury or damage to machine. Unwanted
movement of the machine may take place if switches
do not match machine state when the machine power
is turned on.
NOTICE: Wear safety glasses, and keep face clear of area when
bleeding air from hydraulic system to avoid spraying oil into eyes.
TX03007-04-18-16
WR00078-4-8-93
Overhead Loads
The Acrobat fusion carriage is not designed to
support overhead or overhung loads. Adequately
support the pipe using appropriate support
devices. If not supported, overhead loads could
fall causing serious injury or death.
Unclamping jaws in an overhead position could
have jaws swing into the head resulting in serious
injury or death. Support the carriage when
attaching or removing the carriage to pipe.
TX04786-05-05-16
WR00102-03-25-14

Crush Points
Hydraulically operated jaws are operated under
pressure. Anything caught in the jaws will be
crushed. Keep all body parts out of the jaw area.
Always check pipe alignment with a pencil or
similar object.
TX03091-4-7-10
Safety
WR00012-12-4-92
1 - 4
Facer Blades Are Sharp
Facer blades are sharp and can cut. Never attempt
to remove shavings while the facer is running, or is
in the facing position between the jaws. Use care
when operating the facer, and when handling the
unit.
NOTICE: Turn machine off, disconnect machine power, and remove
the facer blades before attempting any maintenance or adjustment.
NOTICE: Never extend the facer blades beyond the inner or outer
circumference of the facer.
TX02378-04-18-16
WR00073-4-6-93
Heater is Hot
The heater is hot and will burn clothing and skin.
Keep the heater in its insulated heater stand or
blanket when not in use, and use care when
heating the pipe.
NOTICE: Use only a clean dry lint free non-synthetic cloth to clean
the heater plates.
TX04244-11-18-15
Carriage Handling
Disconnect carriage from HPU before attaching
carriage to pipe. Carriage is operated remotely
and remote operation could result in minor to
moderate injury.
TX04789-05-05-16
WR00030-2-10-93 CD01327-10-5-15

Fusion Procedures
Obtain a copy of the pipe manufacturer's fusion procedures or
appropriate joining standard for the pipe being fused. Follow the
procedure carefully, and adhere to all specified parameters.
NOTICE: Failure to follow the pipe manufacturer's fusion
procedures or appropriate joining standard could result in a bad
fusion joint.
TX02984-04-18-16
WR00079-1-24-96
Safety
1 - 5

Overview
2 - 1
Theory of Heat Fusion
The principle of heat fusion is to heat two pipe surfaces to
a designated temperature, and then fuse them together by
application of force. This develops pressure which causes flow of
the melted materials, which causes mixing and thus fusion. When
the thermoplastic material is heated, the molecular structure is
transformed into an amorphous condition. When fusion pressure
is applied, the molecules from each thermoplastic part mix. As
the joint cools, the molecules return to their form, the original
interfaces are gone, and the fitting and pipe have become one
monolithic unit. A strong, fully leak tight connection is the result.
The principal operations include:
Clamping The pipe pieces are held axially and radially to allow
all subsequent operations to take place.
Facing The pipe ends are faced to establish clean, parallel
mating surfaces perpendicular to the centerline of the
pipes.
Aligning The pipe ends are aligned with each other to
minimize mismatch of the pipe walls.
Heating A melt pattern that penetrates into the pipe is formed
around both pipe ends.
Fusing The melt patterns are joined with a specified force,
which is constant around the pipe interfacial area.
Cooling The fusion joint is held immobile with a specified force
until adequately cooled.
Inspecting Visually examine the entire circumference of the joint
for compliance with the standard or fusion procedure
used.
TX04660-04-18-16
PH05428-11-16-15

Carriage Assembly
The Acrobat carriage assembly is a 4-Jaw carriage but can be
converted to a 3-Jaw carriage.
The carriage assembly consists of two fixed jaws and two
hydraulically operated movable jaws bolted to a skid.
For more compact fusion, the 3-Jaw carriage can be separated
from the 4-Jaw carriage without tools.
The carriage assembly connects to the HPU with quick disconnect
(QD) fittings. Always relieve hydraulic pressure before connecting/
disconnecting QD fittings.
TX04791-05-05-16
Overview
2 - 2
CD01327-10-1-15

Hydraulic Fluid Reservoir (Acrobat HPU)
The reservoir is incorporated in the HPU. The fluid level should be
up to the fill plug on the end of the reservoir when the reservoir is
on level ground.
Never allow dirt or other foreign matter to enter the open tank.
Refer to the "Hydraulic Fluids" section of this manual for hydraulic
fluid recommendations.
TX04793-12-12-16
CD01400-10-5-15
Acrobat Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU)
The Acrobat HPU consists of three main hydraulic components:
1. Power pack - Consists of a capacitor start electric motor not
submerged and gear pump that is submerged in the fluid reservoir to
aid in cooling and reduce noise.
2. Hydraulic accumulator - Allows the power pack to cycle on
and off to meet the demands of the hydraulic system, which reduces
noise and power consumption.
3. Carriage control box - Includes all the McElroy standard
carriage controls.
DataLogger® port
Pressure gauge
Hour meter
Carriage Control Box
Filter Bypass Indicator
Electric motors are not explosion proof. Operation of
these components in an explosive atmosphere will result
in serious injury or death. Refer to Special Operation -
Fusion in Explosive Atmosphere for safety precautions.
TX04792-05-05-16
CD01941-02-07-17CD01940-02-07-17
¡PELIGRO!
Overview
2 - 3
Filter (Acrobat HPU)
This HPU is equipped with a 3 micron pressure filter located under
the top cover of the HPU below the filter bypass indicator.
If the filter bypass indicator is activated, the hydraulic fluid is
bypassing the filter and the fluid and filter need to be changed.
TX04794-02-21-17
CD01942-02-07-17
B
B
D
D
E
A
A
E
C
C

Overview
2 - 4
DynaMc EP Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU)
The DynaMc EP HPU consists of three main hydraulic components:
1. Power pack - Consists of a capacitor start electric motor and gear
pump that are submerged in the fluid reservoir to aid in cooling and
reduce noise.
2. Hydraulic accumulator - Allows the power pack to cycle on and off
to meet the demands of the hydraulic system, which reduces noise and
power consumption.
3. Carriage manifold assembly - Standard McElroy design for familiar
operation and common service parts with other McElroy equipment.
There are two pressure gauges on the HPU. The carriage pressure gauge
above the carriage directional control displays fusion pressure. The
pressure gauge on the rear left side of the HPU displays main system
pressure, which will fluctuate as the power pack cycles on and off.
The main power switch for the HPU is located on the front side of the
electrical box. Next to the power switch is a digital volt meter that displays
incoming voltage to the HPU. On the bottom side of the electrical box is a
motor circuit breaker.
Electric motors are not explosion proof. Operation of
these components in an explosive atmosphere will result in
serious injury or death. Refer to Special Operation - Fusion
in Explosive Atmosphere for safety precautions.
TX04796-05-05-16
CD01153-03-06-14
0
100
200
300
400 500 600
700
800
900
1000
DIRECTIONAL
CONTROL
VA LVE
FA C I N G
PRESSURE
HEATING
PRESSURE
FUSING
PRESSURE
SELECTOR
VA LVE
CD01434-11-16-15
¡PELIGRO!
Carriage Control Box (Acrobat HPU)
Mounted on the top of the HPU is the carriage control box. The
box has controls for the operation of the HPU.
A) Pressure Selector Control: Selects one of the three pressure
reducing knobs. The three selectable knobs are Facing,
Heating and Fusing pressure.
B) Carriage Directional Control: Three position switch that closes
and opens the carriage and has a neutral position.
C) Pressure Reducing Knobs: Use the pressure selector to select
the pressure to use. Use the knob to adjust the selected
pressure.
D) Power Switch: Powers the HPU on and off.
E) Fuses: Four fuses for machine electrical protection.
TX04795-12-12-16
FUSES
MOTOR POWER
SUPPLY
CD01892-12-07-16
B
A
D
E
C

Hydraulic Manifold Block (DynaMc EP HPU)
Mounted on this block are a carriage directional control , a pressure
selector control, three pressure reducing knobs, and a carriage pressure
gauge.
A) The carriage directional control, mounted on the top of the manifold,
determines whether the carriage is moving left, right, or is in neutral.
B) A carriage pressure gauge is mounted on top of the manifold and
shows pressure available to power carriage.
C) The pressure selector control, mounted on the front of the manifold,
selects a reduced pressure from one of the pressure reducing knobs.
Each pressure reducing knob is labeled with a different function:
D) The top knob adjusts facing pressure to a maximum of 400 psi.
E) The middle knob adjusts heating pressure to a maximum of 400 psi.
F) The bottom knob adjusts fusion pressure. The maximum fusion
pressure may vary by model.
TX04663-05-05-16
0
100
200
300
400 500 600
700
800
900
1000
DIRECTIONAL
CONTROL
VA LVE
FA C I N G
PRESSURE
HEATING
PRESSURE
FUSING
PRESSURE
SELECTOR
VA LVE
CD01434-11-16-15
Overview
2 - 5
Filter (DynaMc EP HPU)
This machine is equipped with a 10 Micron filter on the return
line.
TX02132-07-08-03
PH04143-4-12-10
Hydraulic Fluid Reservoir (DynaMc EP HPU)
The reservoir is incorporated in the HPU. The fluid level is read
from a dipstick and has a notch to indicate the proper fluid level.
Never allow dirt or other foreign matter to enter the open tank.
Refer to the "Hydraulic Fluids" section of this manual for hydraulic
fluid recommendations.
TX04662-03-24-14
CD01154-03-06-14
A
B
C
D
E
F

Hydraulic Cylinders
The hydraulic cylinders provide the fusion force which is
dependent on the area of the cylinders.
Consult the "Maintenance" section of this manual for the
procedure to follow when bleeding air from system.
TX03094-4-7-10
Electrical Power Receptacles (Acrobat HPU)
Later models of the Acrobat HPU are equipped with electrical
power receptacles that provide power to the facer and heater
accessories. These are specific receptacles, one for the facer and
the other for the heater.
Care must be taken to plug the correct accessory into its correct
corresponding receptacle as indicated by the labeling. The HPU
uses current sensing and logic to actively control the power to the
heater receptacle. If the facer receptacle current sensor senses that
the facer is on or if the HPU motor is running the heater receptacle
will be disabled. Otherwise the heater receptacle will be enabled.
NOTICE: Always plug accessories into the correct receptacle. Plug
the accessory into the specifically labeled receptacle. Do not plug
anything other than the intended McElroy accessories into these
receptacles or an over-current condition could occur.
TX05210-02-16-17
CD01329-10-1-15CD01943-02-07-17
Overview
2 - 6
Facer Receptacle Heater Receptacle

Overview
2 - 7
Facer
Acrobat™ 160, 180 and 250 Facer:
The facer is a McElroy rotating planer block design. The blade holders
each contain two cutter blades. The block rotates on ball bearings and is
chain driven (enclosed in lubricant) by a heavy duty electric motor. When
operating in an explosive atmosphere, operate the facer manually.
Electric motors are not explosion proof. Operation of
these components in an explosive atmosphere will result in
serious injury or death. Refer to Special Operation - Fusion
in Explosive Atmosphere for safety precautions.
The facer has a handle that latches into place on a guide rod. The handle must be pulled out to unlatch and remove
facer.
The electric facer is symmetrical and can be inserted from either side.
The facer should be stored in the stand when not in use to keep it clean and prevent damage.
NOTICE: Never extend the blade beyond the inner or outer circumference of the facer.
Acrobat™ 315 Facer:
The facer is a McElroy rotating planer block design. The blade holders
each contain two cutter blades. The block rotates on ball bearings and is
chain driven with an electric motor mounted to a gearbox. The gearbox
contains 80/90W gear oil.
This facer cannot be operated manually.
Electric motors are not explosion proof. Operation of
these components in an explosive atmosphere will result
in serious injury or death. Do not operate this facer in an
explosive atmosphere.
The facer has a handle that latches into place on a guide rod. The handle
trigger must be pulled to unlatch and remove the facer.
The electric facer is symmetrical and can be inserted from either side.
The facer should be stored in the stand when not in use to keep it clean
and prevent damage.
NOTICE: Never extend the blade beyond the inner or outer circumference
of the facer.
TX04797-12-20-17
CD01370-10-1-15CD02319-06-20-18
¡PELIGRO!
¡PELIGRO!