A pre-piped skid is a mechanical room delivered in pieces that are already built. Buying one means deciding who owns the pumps, who owns the pipe, and who signs the hydrotest.
Sourcing CDU & pump skids for a data center project? Call 601.892.5017 or email collin.t@fabtekindustries.com — send the drawings and the spec and we quote to print.
- Specify the skid from the P&ID and general arrangement, with a bill of materials that names owner-furnished equipment.
- Require the piped assembly to be hydrotested as a unit after the equipment is set, with the record shipped on the skid.
- Qualify on structural, code piping and sheet-metal capability in one plant; skids fail at the seams between vendors.
- Fixtured bases and retained drawings keep repeat skids identical across halls.
What you are buying
Liquid cooling turned the mechanical room into packaged systems: pump skids with suction and discharge headers, coolant distribution unit skids that separate facility water from the technology loop, heat-exchanger skids and chiller modules. Each is a piece of equipment plus a welded base, interconnecting piping with isolation and control valves, instrument taps, strainers, containment and a panel enclosure. The equipment is the OEM's and the design is the engineer's; the base, piping, mounting, panel enclosure and assembly are fabrication. The scope line can sit anywhere from a bare base to a fully piped, wired and tested package.
Where it sits in the project
Developers and mechanical contractors buy complete skids for mechanical rooms and central utility plants; cooling-equipment OEMs and integrators buy bases and piped frames to complete their own packages; modular data center builders buy skids as subassemblies. Skids follow the equipment order and lead the hall's mechanical fit-out.
What to put in the RFQ
| P&ID and GA | Piping and instrumentation diagram, general arrangement, equipment list with tags |
|---|---|
| Equipment | Owner-furnished or fabricator-procured pumps, CDUs, exchangers; certified dimensions, weights and connections |
| Piping spec | Materials, schedules, code, end types, test pressure; valve and instrument schedule |
| Base | Design loads, lifting, forklift pockets, containment or drip pan, leveling and anchor provisions |
| Panels and electrical | Panel enclosure rating and mounting; wiring and point-to-point scope if included |
| Testing | Hydrotest of the assembly, motor rotation check, panel checks; witness points |
| Finish and shipping | Powder coat or stainless; shipping bracing, protection of equipment and open connections |
How to qualify a fabricator
- Code piping and structural welding under one roof. The base is AWS D1.1; the piping is ASME Section IX. Ask for both qualifications.
- Equipment handling and storage. Owner-furnished pumps and CDUs need a receiving process and a place to sit.
- Assembly hydrotest. Not spools tested separately: the piped skid tested as a unit with the valves installed.
- Panel enclosure fabrication. A fabricator who builds the enclosure can mount and route to it properly.
Lead time, sequencing and delivery
Release the base and spool fabrication from the P&ID and GA while the equipment is in production; the skid is assembled and tested the week the equipment arrives. Ship with the test record, a photo set of every connection and the anchor template. Repeat skids for later halls release against the retained drawings.
Common mistakes
- Buying the skid before the equipment is selected. Nozzle positions move; so does the piping.
- Spool tests in place of a skid test. The joints at the valves and the equipment are the ones that leak.
- No shipping protection spec. Open flanges and unbraced pumps arrive damaged.
- Splitting base, piping and panel across vendors. Three sets of tolerances meeting on one frame.
How FabTek supplies it
FabTek fabricates CDU, pump and chiller skids at four plants in Hazlehurst, Mississippi: the welded base, the spools and headers, the panel enclosures and the assembly, hydrotested as a unit with Section IX welders. Owner-furnished equipment is set and connected where the project specifies.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CDU skid?
A coolant distribution unit mounted on a structural base with its facility-water and technology-loop piping, valves and instruments installed, delivered as one package to be set and connected.
Does the skid fabricator supply the pumps or CDU?
Usually the equipment is owner-furnished or procured from the OEM. The fabricator builds the base and piping, installs the equipment and tests the assembly.
How should a pre-piped skid be tested before shipment?
Hydrostatic test of the complete piped assembly with valves installed, motor rotation and panel point-to-point checks where wiring is included, and a record that ships with the skid.
Which fabricators build pump and CDU skids for data centers?
FabTek Industries fabricates and tests packaged mechanical skids at its Mississippi plants for developers, mechanical contractors and cooling-equipment OEMs.
