Description

TL;DR

The EMT disc-cup pig is a steel-mandrel pipeline tool that carries alternating polyurethane disc and cup seals. It cleans, gauges, and dewaters in both flow directions. The disc seals give bidirectional travel while the cups strengthen the wall seal and scraping force. ASME B31.3 and ISO 9001 compliant.

Product Introduction

The disc-cup pig is a reusable pipeline cleaning tool from EMT built for oil, gas, and water lines that need strong sealing and repeated scraping across long or bending runs. It removes wax, scale, sludge, and construction debris, and prepares the line for gauging or inline inspection.

Key points:
– Dual seals — Polyurethane discs and cups mounted on one steel mandrel
– Bidirectional travel — Disc plates seal in both flow directions, so one run cleans forward and back
– Rigid core — Carbon or stainless steel mandrel holds shape under high pressure

Unlike a foam pig that only displaces liquid, the disc-cup pig scrapes the wall on every pass and keeps a tight seal through bends, so it finishes cleaning in fewer launches than cup-only or foam pigs.

What Problem Does a Disc-Cup Pig Solve?

After construction or a long service interval, a line can hold wax, hard scale, and welding slag that light pigs relocate instead of removing, leaving the wall rough for the next batch.

Q: When should I choose a disc-cup pig over a cup pig or foam pig?
A: Choose a disc-cup pig when the line needs both strong wall scraping and bidirectional travel. Its disc plates let the pig run forward and reverse without retrieval, while the cup seals add scraping force and debris push that foam pigs cannot match.

Technical Parameters

EMT builds each disc-cup pig on a steel mandrel with replaceable polyurethane disc and cup seals, fully traceable to material certificates. Standard and custom sizes ship on request.

Parameter	Specification
Available Sizes	2″-48″ (DN50-DN1200)
Mandrel Material	Carbon steel / 304 stainless steel
Seal Material	Polyurethane (PU), Shore A 75-90; FKM/NBR optional
Seal Configuration	Disc + cup combination (configurable count)
Wall Compression	Up to 50%
Min. Bend Radius	1.5D (2/3-seal); 4D (full 4-seal)
PU Tensile Strength	51.2 MPa
PU Tear Strength	77 kN/m
PU Abrasion Loss	32 mm³ (DIN)
Direction	Bi-directional
Accessory Options	Wire brush, magnetic cage, gauge plate, transmitter
Operating Pressure	Up to 10 MPa (project-specific)
Temperature Range	-40°C to 90°C
Design Standard	ASME B31.3, NACE SP0102
Certifications	ISO 9001, EN 10204 3.1 material certificates

Product Advantages

• Bidirectional cleaning — Disc seals run forward and back, doubling passes per launch
• Strong scraping — Cup seals add wall contact and debris push force
• Flexible config — Mix disc and cup counts to match line length and bends
• Reusable core — Replace worn seals on the mandrel, not the whole pig
• Accessory ready — Bolt on brushes, magnets, gauge plate, or transmitter

Where Is a Disc-Cup Pig Used?

• Pre-commissioning — Remove welding slag and rust from new lines
• Routine maintenance — Scrape wax and scale during scheduled pigging
• Pre-inspection cleaning — Prepare a clean wall for smart ILI tools
• Dewatering — Sweep test water after hydrostatic testing in both directions
• Product batching — Separate diesel, gasoline, and crude in multi-product lines
• Debris capture — Add a magnetic cage for ferrous particles and slag

About EMT

EMT is a Shenyang manufacturer of oil and gas pipeline accessories with more than 25 years of engineering experience in the energy sector.

Capabilities:
– 5-axis CNC machining and a 10,000 psi (69 MPa) pressure test bay
– ASME Section IX welding plus NDT (UT, PT, RT, MT)
– Monthly output of 500+ closures and 1,000+ injection quills; pigs built to order
– Engineering support in 4 languages: English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese

Certifications: ASME U-Stamp, ISO 9001 quality system, NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 sour service compliance, EN 10204 3.1 mill certificates.

Service: Ships to 30+ countries with standard lead time 4-6 weeks and custom orders 6-10 weeks. Field service engineers give installation guidance on request.

Exhibitions

EMT shows at major oil and gas events worldwide:

• ADIPEC 2025, Abu Dhabi, UAE (November 2025)
• NACE Corrosion 2025, Houston, TX, USA (March 2025)
• OTC Asia 2025, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (March 2025)
• Hannover Messe 2025, Hannover, Germany (April 2025)

Send a pre-show meeting request through the contact page to book dedicated engineering time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a disc-cup pig used for?

A: A disc-cup pig cleans, gauges, and dewaters oil, gas, and water pipelines. Its disc and cup seals scrape wax, scale, and debris from the wall while holding a tight seal, so it prepares the line for inspection or product changeover in fewer runs.

Q: How is a disc-cup pig different from a cup pig?

A: A cup pig runs in one direction only. A disc-cup pig adds polyurethane disc plates that seal in both flow directions, so it cleans forward and reverses without retrieval. The cups still add scraping force and a stronger wall seal than discs alone.

Q: What sizes are available for the disc-cup pig?

A: EMT supplies the disc-cup pig from 2 to 48 inch (DN50-DN1200). Disc and cup counts, seal hardness, and mandrel material are customized to your line diameter, bend radius, and medium on request.

Q: Can the  tight pipeline bends?

A: Yes. With 2 or 3 seals it passes bends down to 1.5D radius and reduced-bore valves. A full 4-seal configuration needs gentler 4D bends, so EMT configures seal count to your pipeline geometry.

Q: Is the disc-cup pig reusable?

A: Yes. The steel mandrel lasts through many cycles; only the polyurethane disc and cup seals wear. EMT stocks replacement seals in progressive diameter increments, so you swap seals instead of buying a new pig.

Related Products

• Pipeline Pig — See the full foam, cup, and disc pig range