Production in Spain
La Rioja, tapas, and fire protection gaskets
Throughout its history, EMKA has become a leading expert in the extrusion of rubber and plastic profiles. In the town of Arnedo, Spain, a workforce of 85 employees manufactures over 18 million meters of gaskets and edge protection profiles annually. These products are made using a range of materials like EPDM, NBR, TPE, and PVC, and they undergo rigorous quality checks. Flame-retardant additives and fillers are used to meet the required fire protection standards. Some examples of these additives and fillers are halogens, phosphorus, antimony compounds, aluminium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, and silicates. The production of fire protection gaskets in Spain is certified to comply with ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 standards. EMKA conducts rigorous inspections of both the raw materials and gaskets in their internal laboratory, ensuring the highest quality.
Fire protection gaskets in particular, which are used in trains, must fulfil numerous standards. The relevant standard in Europe is DIN EN 45545, which deals with fire protection in railway vehicles. EN 45545-2 deals with the requirements for the fire behaviour of materials and components. EN 45545-3 regulates the fire resistance for fire barriers. Plastics and gaskets are categorised into different hazard levels (HL) in accordance with EN 45545-2. A distinction is made between different design classes. It is also important whether the vehicle is only travelling on the surface or through tunnels. If it is not possible to evacuate passengers from the side, the highest hazard level (HL3) applies. EMKA tests the fire behaviour, smoke gas development and toxicity of the profiles in its in-house laboratory.
It must be ensured that the gaskets fulfil their function for as long as possible. While it is important to prevent any flue gas from entering the interior, it is equally important to ensure that the gaskets do not emit any toxic substances. For this reason, EMKA uses special flame-retardant material and thus achieves the highest fire protection classes.
EMKA fulfils the requirements of HL3 for all gaskets in the railway sector. The materials undergo testing based on DIN EN 45545-2, but a thorough fire protection test of the entire products is conducted following DIN EN 45545-3. Fire resistance is quantified in terms of minutes. The determining factor is the duration for which the components can perform their function safely. Stainless steel closures, for example, are subjected to a test time of 60 minutes (E60).
In total, the range of elastomer gaskets and profiles manufactured at Arnedo currently comprises more than 1,500 variants. Additionally, they find applications in industries like switch cabinet manufacturing and air conditioning technology. Customers can customize various aspects of the product to meet their needs, including colour, surface coating, strain relief, assembly aids, and extra-strong clamps.
Different manufacturing processes such as ultra-high frequency (UHF) and salt bath guarantee precise production according to individual requirements. In addition, EMKA products are characterised by their long service life and high performance, even under extreme conditions.
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