Impact on Product

Europe is definitively taking a strong lead at protecting the human kind and the environment. Not only it became a pro-active member of the Kyoto protocol, aiming at reducing greenhouse gases, but it moved forward through the implementation of REACH as a law.

Users of chemicals are now forced to reduce emissions and to step by step avoid the use of "toxic substances" that are damaging waters and non biodegradable. Substances will have to get analyzed and registered in several categories : "authorized", "suspected" and "banned".

Embracing this concern, all the resin suppliers must act as responsible partners of the industry. Laboratories work to identify suspected substances and clean existing formulations were undertaken in the late 90s.

The Von Roll “Blue Line” is a range of resins and varnishes that are more than compliant to new environmental requirements : they are not registered in any official list of suspected substances and are not toxic. The "Blue Line" includes several types of varnishes and resins for impregnation, encapsulation, casting, coating, etc.

Impact on Process

Impregnation is a key step in the global insulating process.

Electrical engineers have to play the role of chemical engineers on an industrial scale. They have to use a chemical resin (usually not very stable) which has to pass from a liquid to a fully cured solid stage. They are usually not equipped to control all the steps.

At the end of the process, they should achieve the best mechanical, electrical insulation and chemical resistance properties for (minimum) the guaranty period of the electrical material.

This usual process become more and more difficult with the new environmental friendly resins. These resins are usually higher viscosity and lower reactivity.

The impregnating process is the new key success factor.

Main processes

Hot Dipping process (with or without UV initiator)

Trickling on hot pieces.

Roll Trough process on hot pieces.

Examples of resins and process associated

One component solvent free epoxy resin on hot dipping process

One component solvent free polyesterimide resin on trickling process

Impact on future

Strong investment in new equipments and new generation resins

Acceleration in plant relocation

Better and safer working conditions for the employees

Global insulating quality improvement?