JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #50 - July/August 2009 - 38

FEATURE AN INTERVIEW WITH HERVÉ PHILIP, TECHNICAL MANAGER, EPARCO “RTM” 3m³ minimum regulatory requirements. The bigger the tank, the greater the problems of weight and mechanical resistance. JCM: What are the general benefits of composites that you would care to highlight? H. P.: Mechanical strength, low weight and durability. JCM: Why opt for the RTM process? H. P.: It is a genuinely industrial process which enables perfect reproducibility of parts. What is more, the variant that we have developed enables high throughput rates (30-minute cycle time for 13-m² parts) and eliminates all VOC emissions since the gelcoat is replaced by a veil and injection involves a gelcoat-type resin (iso-NPG). JCM: What does this investment represent in terms of time, training and financial resources? H. P.: Our current manufacturing process is the fruit of 15 years of experience and development. Along the way, the PPE (Pôle de Plasturgie de l’Est) has often been at our side. JCM: Do you intend extending your composites activity, or else using composite materials for other products in your catalogue? H. P.: We are not planning to develop or manufacture products for sectors other than non-collective sanitation. However, in this sector, we do have new products under development and we are planning to create a new workshop. JCM: What is next up for Eparco? H. P.: Manufacturing new metallic moulds to expand our production, and developing preforms that are suited to our production in order to increase our productivity. g…/… An RTM production line with environmental credentials JEC Composites Magazine: Composites are rarely used in your sector. How did you hit upon these materials? HERVÉ PHILIP: Technically speaking, composites have many advantages when compared to the two other materials that are traditionally used: reinforced concrete and polyethylene. Manufacturing is done by injection. This means it is possible to have more complex shapes than can be obtained by rotational moulding or blow moulding as used for polyethylene, with a far more consistent thickness. This possible shape complexity makes it possible to use reinforcement structures that offer high mechanical resistance, without having the weight disadvantage of concrete tanks or their sensitivity to corrosion. JCM: What made, and still makes for that matter, the use of composites so attractive? H. P.: For optimum operation, a septic tank must have a flat bottom and a low profile. For mechanical resistance reasons, this shape is difficult to obtain with polyethylene, without losing all the economic advantages of the material. As for concrete, you are still faced with corrosion problems unless you use an epoxytype internal coating. Finally, we do a lot of rehabilitation work and the sites can be hard to access, so a light material is easier to handle than a concrete tank. Furthermore, we produce standard 5m³ tanks, which offer far better performance and safety levels than a tank that meets the automated, as is the handling of the templates. Everything is also organised automatically with regard to the maintenance operations, which are carried out every Friday. The shell moulds, which are now metallic for increased longevity, are equipped with six injection gates. The heat regulation of the moulds is effected using water. The temperature does not rise above 30-35° during the curing phase. An obvious choice The choice of composites seemed entirely natural to Eparco's managers. The lightweight septic tanks facilitate the end-to-end logistics, from finishing through to installation at the customer's home through the phases of preparation, fitting, storage and transportation. Two complete systems can be transported with a semi-trailer. Notwithstanding the high mechanical resistance of the composite, the regulations impose a load resistance of 3 tonnes/m². Resistance to corrosion also pleads in favour of composites. By definition, septic tanks are used in aggressive environments. The entire sanitation system footprint is a mere 15m², and its installation can be completed in less than two days. This keeps the inconvenience to the homeowner to a minimum. The third advantage, and by no means the least, of composite materials is the possibility to manufacture mass-produced septic The templates are covered with pre-cut glass fabric. 38 jec composites magazine / No50 July-August 2009

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #50 - July/August 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #50 - July/August 2009