Pipe

A calibrator device for manufacturing a pipe having a length of at least 1 m and a residual stress of less than 5 MPa, said pipe comprising:

• a polymeric material which includes:
• (a) phenyl moieties;
• (b) ether and/or thioether moieties;
• and, optionally,
• (c) ketone and/or sulphone moieties,
• wherein the polymeric material exhibits a crystallinity half-life (t0.5) at 15° C. above its glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 1000 seconds;
• wherein the thickness of a wall which defines the pipe is in the range of 0.6 mm to 6 mm
• or
• for use in a method comprising:
• (i) selecting a calibrator device which includes an elongate opening for receiving a hot extruded pipe, wherein said opening includes a vacuum applying region arranged to apply a vacuum to a pipe within the opening, said device further including at least two cooling regions which are spaced apart along its extent, said cooling regions being arranged to cool a pipe within the opening;
• (ii) selecting the respective level of vacuum to be applied to said vacuum applying region;
• (iii) selecting the respective level of cooling to be applied by said cooling regions;
• (iv) introducing a hot extruded pipe into said elongate opening in said calibrator and conveying said pipe through said elongate opening;
• (v) applying a vacuum to said pipe in said vacuum applying region;
• and cooling said pipe in said cooling regions as the pipe is conveyed along said elongate opening,
• said calibrator device including an elongate opening for receiving a hot extruded pipe, wherein said opening includes a vacuum applying region arranged to apply a vacuum to a pipe within the opening, said device further including at least two cooling regions which are spaced apart along its extent, said cooling regions being arranged to cool a pipe within the opening, and each of said cooling regions having a vacuum plate, wherein each vacuum plate is independently temperature-controlled with respect to the other vacuum plate.