TPi July 2009

developments products & Hoses to comply with new food regulations

Comat Composite Materials GmbH specialises in the production of high- tech fibre-reinforced composite products. Based upon experience in composite materials and advanced technology, the company manufactures custom-made parts ranging from prototype solutions to high quantity manufacturing. The company produces components with thermoset and thermoplastic matrix materials. The high-performance components are customer-specifically manufactured in either filament winding, RTM (resin transfer moulding) process or pultrusion – tailored according to the requirements of the components/ customers. numerous studies (for instance, by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment). This migration can be attributable to agricultural processes as well as to production, processing, storage, packagingand transport. If phthalates migrate, the product may be modified and/or the health of the consumer endangered. However, there are several other reasons why softeners are considered undesirable. Material embrittlement due to migration can result in premature failure and additional safety problems.

Hose manufacturer Norres, Germany, has already implemented the latest amending Directive 2007/19/EC of EU Directive 2002/72/EC. As of May 2009, plastic materials and articles that could come into contact with food must be produced in all member states with virtually no phthalate softeners. All food hoses and hose systems supplied by Norres have been officially approved by an independent testing laboratory, and the hose meets the requirements laid down in the directive.

Connect safety clamp system 230 with connectors S S

Softeners can also be problematic in case of fire, leading to high clean-up costs. Disposal problems can also arise in certain areas. Hoses and hose systems destined for food applications that meet the requirements of the EU directive are permitted to be marked with the glass/ fork symbol – the EU’s official food logo – following comprehensive tests by an independent laboratory to verify their conformity with the directive’s requirements. The fact that the complete hose is always tested as a finished product – rather than separate tests for its individual components – is important. Since March 2007, all softener-free hoses have been identified with a special ‘Free of softener’ icon to help Norres customers find the type that best meets their specification. Norres has a broad portfolio of connection technology that includes special food-quality products, such as the Connect Safety Clamp System 230. In the past, most free-flowing solids had to be loaded into and unloaded from silo vehicles using rubber hoses, due to the lack of a suitable connection system. These hose types are heavier, less flexible and less resistant to abrasion than their modern polyurethane counterparts, and they do not permit the process to be observed. The Norres Schlauchtechnik R&D department has developed a system that allows a plastic spiral hose to be combined with a safety clamp system with clamp shells. The Connect Safety Clamp System 230 is free of softeners, and was initially intended for the Airduc ® PUR 356 MHF reinforced – a food-quality hose that is FDA-compliant and bears the glass/fork symbol.

The tendency of softeners to migrate into food has been demonstrated in

High-strength, low-weight composite tubes

Comat’s FilaWin tubes S S

FilaWin ® products are mainly filament wound tubes for mechanical engineering (for example light-weight, smooth running rollers, shafts, pressure tubes and vessels; tension rods/compression struts), for aerospace or navy applications, as well as RTM components with complex geometries. Epoxy resin is used due to its excellent mechanical properties and chemical resistance. The DExWin ® product range (with thermoplastic matrix) are mainly applied in the automotive sector. The Comat development of a continuous production of fibre-reinforced thermoplastic tubes and profiles has been awarded several innovation prizes. Comat is certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 and Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC, and is a member of the Kunststoffnetzwerk Rheinland-Pfalz (Plastic network Rhineland-Palatinate).

Comat Composite Materials GmbH – Germany info@comat.de • www.comat.de

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Tube Products International July 2009

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