The supply chain needs to respond – only a few months remain

For the manufacturer of FA gasket sheets, this situation means that the previous formulations for products intended for drinking water applications can no longer be used in this field. It is painful that the established range of applications is no longer guaranteed due to the curtailment of the possible ingredients.

This also affects processors in particular, such as cutting shops and technical distributors, who have to readjust (storage and costing) with regard to the utilisation of gasket sheets in cutting as well as storage for different applications (e.g. drinking water, gas, temperature ranges, etc.). Manufacturers of valves, pumps and equipment may also encounter problems when the assignment of various gasket materials to different fields of application in production is not manageable (example: heating appliances with gaskets for gas as well as heating water and drinking water) and an all-purpose gasket is no longer available.

All of this means that users and the supply chain should look for a well-functioning alternative in good time. This is where the gasket material manufacturer KLINGER comes in with a new product. KLINGERSIL C-4240 is a new fibre-based (FA) gasket that is extremely well suited as a solution to this problem.

This gasket type (FA) is commonly used in drinking water systems, and is affected by the new KTW-BWGL regulation due to the binder (elastomer). The reduction in the permitted ingredients for the production process is so great that the rolling and vulcanisation process requires the highest level of know-how in order to be able to produce a gasket sheet under these conditions at all. To date, KLINGER is the only manufacturer to have successfully developed an FA gasket sheet in conformity with KTW-BWGL in risk class P2. Meeting the requirements of risk class P2 is mandatory when the surface in contact with drinking water is more than 1% of the component’s total surface area.

Reliability is also important in assembly

There are two typical fields of application in drinking water systems. In one of these, we have the service technician with a mobile workshop who makes service calls. The service technician, a tradesperson with experience and qualifications, replaces or installs new components on site under often adverse conditions.

The other field of application is the industrial production of composite components and equipment from water filters to valves or pumps to heating appliances. Exact assembly conditions and a high repeat accuracy of assembly processes are to be expected here.
The gasket material must therefore have a consistent quality in order to ensure industrial production with consistent properties. In addition, it must have a wide range of applications in order to also enable manual assembly under different conditions.

With the new product, the manufacturer has developed a gasket sheet that is very similar to previous gasket materials with regard to its properties. It is precisely these properties that make it possible for the user to use the new gasket material without making any special adjustments. The compression properties and stability are just what the user wants. Although it is difficult to produce a well-vulcanised product due to the extremely reduced cross-linking chemistry, the KLINGER development team did an excellent job.

What gaskets can also be used in drinking water with higher surface proportions?  

Aside from the fibre materials, additional gasket materials are available in the form of sheets for cutting as well as ready-made gaskets that meet the new requirements. The PTFE-based “KLINGERtop-chem 2000” gasket sheet highly filled with silicon carbide falls into the synthetic materials category. A conformity confirmation is already on hand for this material.

Rubber-steel gaskets are frequently used in the drinking water supply as well – mostly in production and distribution systems where flange connections with coated surfaces are installed. The situation is similar for these gasket types. To date, conformity with KTW-BWGL has only been confirmed for the KLINGER KGS GII made of special EPDM.

Additional approvals and certificates for the KLINGERSIL C-4240 fibre gasket

Having gasket materials tested by institutes and organisations and obtaining corresponding certificates has become very time-consuming in recent years. As a result, this information only becomes available gradually for a new product. After the drinking water hygiene assessment according to the elastomer directive and DVGW worksheet W 270 was completed in 2021, KLINGER was also able to provide proof of leak tightness for use in gas applications in 2022. The DIN-DVGW type testing certificate according to DIN 3535-6 has been issued for use in gas applications. Now in 2024, we have also obtained the English drinking water approval WRAS and the statement according to EU 1935/2004. Conformity with the amended requirements of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is given as well! Tests for approval under the French ACS are currently ongoing. Testing the raw materials was successfully completed at press time.

All of this is highly advantageous for manufacturers of water heating appliances because differentiating between drinking water gaskets and gas supply gaskets in series production is difficult. The numerous approvals and conformities also facilitate the export of drinking water supply products and equipment to various European countries and regions – or make this possible in the first place.

What’s more, the broad range of approvals and conformities is helpful for the cutting shop and technical distributor; utilisation of the gasket sheets is significantly improved thanks to the additional application possibilities.

The bottom line for developers, designers, planners and installers

For the responsible manufacturer and distributor of valves, pumps and equipment in the drinking water field of application, starting the process of converting to the officially required gasket quality is becoming more and more urgent. Especially with regard to industrially produced components, equipment and systems, action must be taken now in order to successfully complete the conversion process before the deadline. With three different gasket types, KLINGER lets you choose appropriate gaskets for new components and equipment subject to certification. The required verification can be completed without great effort, even for the P2 risk category.