Apparatus and method having multiple operating modes for fusing polyethylene pipe

A multi-mode, butt fusion process for joining polyethylene pipe sections, the improvement comprising the steps of:

• defining a sequence of steps, beginning with a set-up sequence, for execution of the butt fusion process on a pipe fusion machine under control of a computer program stored in non-volatile memory of a controller coupled to the pipe fusion machine;
• providing three independently selectable operating modes in the sequence of steps including an automatic mode, a semi-automatic mode, and a manual mode;
• selecting the semi-automatic mode, wherein selection of the semi-automatic mode includes in its sequence of steps at least one step of requiring intervention by an operator before resuming execution of the sequence of steps;
• and
• resuming execution of the sequence of steps of the semi-automatic mode following an intervention of the at least one step.