Oct 13, 2021

From A to Z: Specialist gas products from design to production

The gas industry is constantly changing, as new applications emerge and existing solutions are further optimized. Innovation requires speed as well as expertise which gives an advantage to companies that can develop new products in-house.

Rotarex is always developing products or optimizing the performance, safety, designs and usability of everything in its existing portfolio. What gives us the edge is our ability to make ideas into reality – completely internally. And because we have access to all the necessary resources ourselves, we are able to bring revolutionary innovations to clients in a very short timeframe.

From developing the concept…

Rotarex innovations start their journey in one of our four research and development centers, where we pool specialist knowledge in dedicated departments for materials, simulation, electronics and more. At this stage, our experts consider requirements of the application: What are the properties of the gas in question? Where will the product be used? What are the customer constraints? With such information, our engineers use advanced 3D software to design the requested product. They are able to perform product simulation to test the viability of the project. Once satisfied with their design, they transmit the 3D plans to the prototyping team.

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…through the tangible prototype…

The prototyping team will turn the 3D plans into a real sample. With 7 machines dedicated to this purpose, the team can rapidly produce a real sample. This prototype will be put through its paces in our internal testing laboratory and refined until a product is created that meets the needs of both the customer and the application perfectly. Our in-house 3D printers help along the way to adjust some elements of the gas control solution (valve, pressure regulator etc.) or the tooling necessary to its manufacturing.

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… to the production

The resulting product concept stays with Rotarex and takes the next step of its journey in our production facilities. We have our own machining equipment – including automated systems – across multiple assembly lines, operated by highly qualified and trained production staff and C&C experts. Rotarex works with a wide range of raw materials, including raw brass, chrome plated brass, stainless steel and alloys like Monel or Hastelloy – in order to provide the best fit for the compatibility and purity requirements of each application. In the electronics industry, for example, more complex, special materials and alloys are required to avoid corrosion due to the nature of the gases involved. UHP gases product are produced in our cleanroom facilities. Such products undergo UHP cleaning and surface finishing or surface treatment where necessary.

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Always high quality

Rotarex has established itself as a leading company in all kinds of valves and equipment, in every application using gas: from electronics to medicine, fire protection to beverages, laboratory settings to the automotive industry. By taking care of every step in the development and manufacturing process internally and not relying on external subcontractors, Rotarex can provide a fast, reactive service to its partners. And with 9 factories around the world, 32 sales offices, more than 1,600 highly trained employees and nearly 100 years of experience, we have the capacity to take on any challenging application. Our vision is to act as a partner to our clients, supporting their development and projects. By pooling our expertise and in-house capacities, together we can drive innovation in the gas industry.

author
Mélissa Cromer
Mélissa Cromer
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