EoW January 2012

News Corporate

Fainplast leading player in renewable energies

Draka has developed two new radiation hardened fibres, Super RadHard single-mode fibre (SRH-SMF) and Super RadHard multimode fibre (SRH-MMF), said to offer substantially improved performance. Draka SRH-SMF and SRH-MMF radiation hardened fibres are built using fluorine as a dopant in the core region, replacing the germanium used in previous versions of RadHard fibre. Fluorine greatly improves the radiation induced attenuation (RIA). For the SRH-MMF the refractive index profile still has graded-index design, combining high bandwidth (even during and after irradiative circumstances) with low radiation induced attenuation. For over a decade Draka has been active in the area of radiation Fainplast Srl – a leading company in the field of plastics with a strong vocation for innovation – has been investing in the field of renewable energies, an area in continuous expansion thanks in no small part to government subsidies. The company has developed a wide range of crosslinkable halogen free compounds (XLPO-HFFR) with high thermal and mechanical properties that are used in the production of solar cables intended for solar panels and for those applications requiring low emissions of toxic fumes in case of fire (railways, ships, airports, etc). These materials, besides guaranteeing high flame, abrasion and moisture resistance and very low fumes emissions, offer very long lasting performances, even though they remain exposed to all types of weather. The added value that Fainplast gives to this type of compound lies in the crosslinking method, the so-called Sioplas method. The crosslinking process begins by adding a catalyst in a percentage varying from one per cent to seven per cent during extrusion. The Sioplas method is not only synonymous with effectiveness but

▲ ▲ The Fainplast head office

certifications using Fainplast halogen free compounds, such as the German TÜV and VDE. Besides these certifications, this material allows certification to the French UTE and the Italian CEI 20–91. Fainplast Srl – Italy Fax : +39 0736 403 807 Email : info@fainplast.com Website : www.fainplast.com

also with efficiency. In fact, it does not require large investments for manufacturers and can be implemented through a normal PVC production line. For customers this is therefore an excellent solution, cheaper than other cable production methods. In addition, several companies have already obtained important international

Radiation hardened fibres Trasfor acquisition is completed

hardened optical fibres. A series of RadHard single-mode fibres (RH-SMF) and graded-index multimode fibres (RH-MMF) have been approved by the USA Department of Defense (DoD) complying with MIL-PRF-49291 specifications. The Draka Eindhoven fibre plant is MIL-790 quality assurance certified. As well as military applications, Draka regular RadHard fibre has been used in other irradiative environments, including CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) where over 1,500km of RH-SMF is installed inside the LHC tunnel, and in the LHC ATLAS detector. Draka Communications – Netherlands Email : info@draka.com Website : www.draka.com

ABB has completed its acquisition of the Trasfor Group. Trasfor is a leading producer of dry-type transformers and inductors for low-voltage and medium-voltage applications. The company makes specialised products for drives, railway rolling stock, offshore wind power and other renewable energy based power generation and for a range of industries including marine, oil and gas. The acquisition strengthens ABB’s transformer business, broadens the customer offering and extends the company’s market presence. ABB Ltd – Switzerland

Fax : +41 433 174 420 Email : info@abb.com Website : www.abb.com

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EuroWire – January 2012