Pepperl+Fuchs the world’s leading manufacturer of intrinsically safe explosion protection and electronic sensors acquired UK based Walsall Ltd to increase expertise and capacity in the manufacture of mechanical explosion protection products for use in hazardous areas and harsh environments.
Walsall Ltd had over one hundred years of UK heritage dating back to the early days of Walsall Conduits PLC, which once dominated the world of electromechanical explosion protection. Today, Pepperl+Fuchs UK manufacturing is located in the companies new 60,000 sq ft facility in Wednesbury, just off the M6 J10. A complete range of mechanical explosion protection products and customised solutions are manufactured in the West Midlands for customers throughout the UK, examples of our portfolio are highlighted below:
Enclosures & Terminal Junction Boxes
Pepperl+Fuchs mechanical explosion protection products are based around high quality enclosures in the increased safety, intrinsic safety and flameproof protection classes. The range provides several different options of enclosure dependant upon the project application and specification required, with a variety of sizes and materials available including stainless and mild steel, as well as glass reinforced polyester (GRP). All products are manufactured to the same exacting levels of quality which Pepperl+Fuchs has been associated with for over 65 years.
Local Control
Using Pepperl+Fuchs manufactured enclosures, a comprehensive range of multi function local control stations and control panels are also available. Standard and customised local control stations in glass reinforced polyester and stainless steel enclosures are complemented by Exd IIC Local Control Stations utilising cast iron enclosures.
Exd Customised Enclosure Solutions
Pepperl+Fuchs has a huge amount of knowledge and experience in creating customised Exd enclosure solutions to meet the specific project requirements of our customers. These bespoke solutions allow the hazardous area mounting of a wide range of industrial products which do not have “Ex” approval. Components such as PLC’s, intrinsic safety barriers, starters, and transformers can be mounted in an Exd enclosure which then allows them to be located in a zone 1 certified area. The enclosures are typically manufactured in cast iron, aluminium and stainless steel materials with a wide range of sizes and orientations available.
Solutions can also be engineered to customer specific requirements using combinations of the product range. A typical example would be an ASM type Exd enclosure containing industrial equipment close coupled to an FXL type Exe enclosure via a line bush. The Exe enclosure is used to house control functions and terminals therefore allowing for easier installation.
Certification
As a global supplier to a wide range of industries and applications, all Pepperl+Fuchs products are certified to a variety of international standards including the latest ATEX and IECEX guidelines. Our products are used in a variety of applications from oil platforms to pharmaceutical plants and everything else in between; therefore we ensure certification allows usage in gas and dust environments as well as a wide range of temperature extremes.
The equipment product construction standards make provision for different methods or “types” of protection, two common methods plus a combination of both are as follows:
Increased Safety (Exe)
Increased safety (Exe) protection is based on the premise that an explosion will not occur if a spark cannot occur. Increased safety protection can only be used for equipment that does not include spark or heat producing components in normal service and where “increased safety” measures have been implemented to further reduce these risks. An Exe enclosure need only meet a rating of IP54 to prevent water ingress leading to electrical fault and sparking. A simple example would be a terminal junction box.
Flameproof (Exd)
Many types of industrial equipment such as PLC’s, contactors and MCB’s can be certified using the flameproof concept. The external enclosure of flameproof equipment is designed to withstand an internal explosion. The enclosure joints permit the products of combustion, and the resulting expansion of gases, to be relieved through the joints and not to permit that explosion to transmit through to the external atmosphere. In many instances a combination of both Flameproof and Increased safety in the same solution, rather than an Exd enclosure on its own, can provide reductions in cost, space and weight.
Why choose Pepperl+Fuchs
Pepperl+Fuchs headquartered in Germany is the world’s leading manufacturer of intrinsically safe explosion protection and electronic sensors used in a wide range of process and factory automation industries. The family owned business has over 65 years industrial experience, and with a turnover in the region of €500 million, is one of the top 50 control and instrumentation companies in the world. Our products are world renowned for their high standard of ISO9000 certified quality and reliability coupled with our unparalleled service in providing expert application analysis and technical expertise at no extra charge with each and every product we manufacture.
Telephone: +44 (0)161 633 6431
Email: sales@gb.pepperl-fuchs.co.uk
Product Specific Information: www.walsall-ltd.com
Group Website: www.pepperl-fuchs.co.uk
