According to Victaulic, the system allows miners to quickly join HDPE pipe, and the joint that is created is much stronger than the pipe itself. The fusion process can be temperamental. Pipe cannot be fused in the rain and the curing time per join can be as long as an hour depending on the size of the joint. On a 4-in. joint, Victaulic claims to have a 10:1 advantage on installation times, which can also be performed in the rain and snow.
The fusion process requires a fusing machine. There are capital costs associated with the machine and there are expenses related to operations and maintenance. The Victaulic system can be installed with a socket wrench. If the miners have access to an impact wrench, the installation time increases substantially.
Victaulic has also developed a variety of components for the Refuse-to-Fuse system, such as a transition for connecting HDPE to steel pipe and a spigot adaptor for slurry lines that might require an outlet.
