SHAPA News
Sure investment
Certification opens new markets for rotary valve
manufacturer
SHAPA member Midland Industrial Designers (MID) has long experience in rotary valve manufacture, but realised that the market for valves suitable for explosive gas and dust would be worth pursuing. However, such valves would need Type Examination certification to comply with ATEX and in order to manufacture certified devices, the company would need an ATEX compliant quality management system.
MID already operated a very effective in- house QA system, so as a first step they decided to achieve ISO9001 accreditation. PERA (Production Engineering Research Association) offered support and
recommended Main BC to guide them through the process of modifying their existing QA in line with ISO9001 principles. This process moved swiftly, with suitable manuals, quality assurance instructions, process modifications etc. established. A new Quality Policy Manual
was produced with an easy to audit flowchart system that proved to be very popular with the workforce as few changes to normal procedures were required. An external audit by IsoQuar followed and the company gained ISO accreditation at the first attempt – a rare but satisfactory achievement.
The next task was to add EN13980 (ATEX) quality assurance certification to allow manufacture of ATEX certified components. The Notified Body Baseefa (whose Advisory Board includes SHAPA representation) were engaged for this. ISO9001 forms a firm basis for this rigorous QA system; EN13980 imposes extra requirements including initial and ongoing external auditing. Again accreditation was achieved smoothly, with no major non-conformances requiring attention. The company was complimented on its professionalism.
With ISO9001 and EN13980 in place, MID engaged Baseefa once again to test and certify the range of rotary valves. Valves were submitted for testing at the Health and Safety Laboratory in Buxton. Following a comprehensive test programme involving more than sixty tests, the valves were found to be effective explosion barriers within the ATEX standards and were granted ATEX Type Examination Certificates by Baseefa, for use as Autonomous Protective Devices for St1 and St2 dusts up to an explosion pressure of 10 bar and internal zone 20. Good planning and persistence have led to the opening of new markets, which will repay the company’s investment handsomely.
info@shapa.co.uk or visit www.shapa.co.uk
Find out more about Midland Industrial Designers on their website: www.mid.uk.com
www.solidsandbulk.co.uk
March 2010 • Solids & Bulk Handling 45
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60