Document 4akMEJD6xzaNX37KB1aqDjXkQ

Factsheet "PFAS in electric welding equipment" Products: Welding and cutting products - especially welding and cutting torches and power sources Joining and cutting of all types of metallic materials typical customer sectors: - General mechanical and plant engineering - Infrastructure, civil engineering, bridge construction - Automotive engineering, shipbuilding, rail vehicle construction, aerospace technology - Agricultural machinery, construction machinery, defense technology - Power engineering, wind turbines, pipeline construction Market Information: Market environment: information from EWA (European Welding Association) - market of arc welding equipment in Europe: 1,2 billion EURO - employees of welding industry in Europe 25.000 torches: approx. 30 - 40 %, power sources significantly more Affected approx. 50 % of sales Globally networked supply chains Welding and cutting technology as core competence in almost all industrial applications Requirements profile Service life: 1 to 5 years (torches) and 10 to 20 years (power sources) Development time: 3 years Required availability period of spare parts: 10 years according to Ecodesign Regulation Temperature resistance: Temperatures partly greater than 300 C Dielectric strength: 1000 to 2100 V (ignition voltages > 10,000 V) UV resistance to arc radiation Flame protection Electrical and Digital Industry Association Identified PFAS applications in the products In the finished product 1. Insulation Substance class/name: PTFE PFAS-containing material/component: Insulating sleeves, head labels Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: High temperature resistance up to 300 C Dielectric strength > 1000 V Good machinability Minimal splash adhesion Low modulus of elasticity Good formability UV stability -> Long service life of wear parts/torch body -> Best possible welding results (little to no scrap) -> Conservation of resources 1.1. Insulations in MIG welding torches Fig. ABIROB W 300 MSG robot welding torch [ABICOR BINZEL]. Insulating sleeves MIG / MAG torch body [Fronius] Insulating sleeve Substance class/name: PTFE Insulating sleeve made of PTFE [Cloos] PFAS-containing material/component: Insulating tube in AC robot torches 2 PTFE insulating ring [ABICOR BINZEL] PTFE- Tube [ABICOR BINZEL] Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: The electrical insulation for minimum dielectric strength 1000 V according to IEC 60974-7 High temperature resistance for welding environments Impact resistance UV resistance to arc radiation 1.2 Insulations in TIG welding torches Fig. ABITIG 20 manual TIG welding torch [ABICOR BINZEL] 3 Teflon head shield TIG torch body [Fronius] Head shield Substance class/name: PTFE Insulating hose [EWM] PFAS-containing material/component: Insulator to gas nozzle made of PTFE PTFE insulation [ABICOR BINZEL] 4 Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: The electrical insulation for minimum dielectric strength 1000 V according to IEC 60974-7 High temperature resistance for welding environments UV resistance to arc radiation 1.3 Insulations in plasma cutting torches Substance class/name: PTFE Fig. ABICUT 75 plasma hand cutting torch [ABICOR BINZEL] PFAS-containing material/component: Insulator to the gas nozzle PTFE- Tube [ABICOR BINZEL] PTFE insulation [ABICOR BINZEL] Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: The electrical insulation for minimum dielectric strength 2100 V according to IEC 60974-7 Torch-internal electrical insulation between pilot circuit and cutting circuit High temperature resistance for cutting environmental conditions UV resistance to arc radiation 1.4 Insulations in the hose assembly 5 Substance class/name: PTFE Hose package Fig. Robot hose package [ABICOR BINZEL] PFAS-containing material/component: Inner tube in coaxial cable PTFE- Tube [ABICOR BINZEL] Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: The electrical insulation for minimum dielectric strength 1000 V according to IEC 60974-7 Flexibility under highly dynamic alternating loads Sliding properties during assembly UV resistance to arc radiation 2. O-rings Substance class/name: FKM FFKM Viton Fig. For application 2, source reference: Fronius Sealing for our coolant Gas nozzle holder PFAS-containing material/component: O-rings Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Ozone resistance high temperature resistance -> wear parts last longer -> resource conservation long service life -> resource conservation high media resistance (glycol-based coolant) -> resource conservation FKM O-ring 6 2 Seals (O-rings) Material class/name: FKM, FPM, FKM, Teflon , Viton Fig. MSG robot alternating neck welding torch ABIROB WH W600, [ABICOR BINZEL] PFAS-containing material/component: O-rings Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Temperature resistance Sliding properties at interfaces Resistance to aggressive cooling media UV resistance to arc radiation O-ring: Sealing of gas flow and cooling water flow in manual welding torch [ABICOR BINZEL] Fig. for application: [Cloos] O-ring Substance class/name: PFAS-containing material/component: Fluoroelastomers VitonTM O-Ring Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Mechanics: Sealing and dimensional stability up to approx. 200 C 7 3. Hoses Fig. Media hoses [ABICOR BINZEL] Substance class/name: PFAS-containing material/component: PTFE Wire Conveyor Hose Gas hose Water hose Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Diffusion resistance to water / hydrogen and oxygen Flexibility under highly dynamic alternating loads Thermal shock resistance Resistance to aggressive media, especially cooling media Sliding properties High temperature resistance up to 300 C Strength Insulating properties UV resistance to arc radiation (with exposed media routing at interfaces)Longevity Low water absorption -> Conservation of resources (rework, pores in the weld seam, ....) 4. Liner Substance class/name: PTFE PFAS-containing material/component: Souls Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Sliding properties High temperature resistance up to 300 C Strength Dielectric strength Insulating properties UV stability Longevity Low water absorption -> Conservation of resources (rework, pores in the weld seam, ....) 4. Wire guides liner Substance class/name: PTFE Fig. wire conveyor hose (so-called liner) [ABICOR BINZEL]. PFAS-containing material/component: 8  Liner Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Good internal sliding properties from the wire filler material (PTFE liner / carbon PTFE liner) Good external sliding properties during assembly Flexibility under highly dynamic alternating loads UV resistance to arc radiation (with external wire guides) Name/description of the application 4: Liner Fig. for application: Welding wire feeding in manual welding torch, robot welding torch and wire feeding hose [Cloos] Substance class/name: PFAS-containing material/component: Polyhaloolefins Wire guide core made of PTFE Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Mechanical properties: low friction and high abrasion resistance, dimensional stability up to approx. 300 C Insulation: dielectric strength 1000 Vac according to EN 60974-7 4. Torch liner / wire core Wire Conveyor Hose for TIG welding torch [EWM] Substance class/name: PTFE PFAS-containing material/component: Liner Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Low mechanical resistance/slipperiness 9 5. Cables and connectors Fig. Cable package [ABICOR BINZEL] Material class/name: PTFE, FEP PFAS-containing material/component: Connector housing Plug inserts Cable sheaths Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Flexibility Temperature resistance UV resistance to arc radiation (with exposed media routing at interfaces) 6. Electronic components Substance class/name: PTFE/Teflon Various electronic components PFAS-containing material/component: Switching power supply transformer Printed circuit boards and flexible printed circuit boards Inductive proximity switches Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Isolation Temperature resistance Resistance to aggressive media Resistance to stress cracking UV resistance 6.1 Power Electronics Fig. for application: Electronic components: Power electronics and electronic control in the welder Substance class/name: thermoplastic fluoroplastic [Cloos] PFAS-containing material/component: PVDF 10 Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Ecodesign directive: Energy efficiency requirements can only be met by power electronics Good welding properties and quality only achievable with power electronics Production: Ultrapure water required for the production of the semiconductors 7. Gas guide Substance class/name: PTFE Fig. For application 7, source reference: Kjellberg PFAS-containing material/component: Gas guide for plasma gas Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: The gas guide (brown) has, in addition to the gas supply for the plasma jet, the function of insulation between the cathode (400V) and the nozzle. In addition, isolation of the ignition voltage (18kV) for a short time The heat load is very high due to the proximity to the arc The gas guide is a rotating part with additional holes In process 1. Mounting aids Substance class/name: PTFE PFAS-containing material/component: PTFE spray Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Silicone-free (automotive, paintability) High temperature resistant release agent (potting , ...) Less assembly effort -> Gender Equality 11 2. In the welding process Substance class/name: PTFE PFAS-containing material/component: Insulating sleeves , O-rings Reason for PFAS use/requirement profile: Optimum sliding properties (scrap, sustainability, wire feed forces -> process stability) High temperature properties Substitution No substitution for temperature-loaded electrical insulations Silicone for O-rings not useful Safe use: avoidance and reduction of emissions and exposure Disposal is regulated by electrical equipment (WEEE) Ecodesign directive: repairability over 10 years, reduction of waste Socio-economic consequences Consequences of the proposed restriction Conflicting goals with Ecodesign directive - mandatory spare part delivery over 10 years Mandatory compliance with Ecodesign directive - energy efficiency Evidence and analytical aspects Ecodesign directive IEC 60974 Product quality and performance - only attainable with PFAS Required transition period or exceptions Substitutes have to be delivered by suppliers, transition period cannot be influenced by users Exception of fluorpolymers in industry sector in general or increase the limit value Exceptions are needed for products regulated by Ecodesign directive and IEC 60974 Limit the regulation to volatile substances and leave out bound substances We offer: Substantial increase of lifetime of products due to Ecodesign directive - reduction of total amount of PFAS Increase of recycling and upcycling depending on results of suppliers 12 Contact Stefanie Wiesner - Managing Director of Section Electric Weldin E ui ment - Industry Division - Phone: +4969 6302 392 - Mobile: +49174 9414-177 - E-Mail: zvei.org Kirsten Metz - Senior Manager Environmental and Chemic I P li - ustainability & Environment Division - Tel.: +4969 6302 212 - Mobile: +49162 2664 952 - E-Mail: zvei.org ZVEI e. V. - Association of the Electrical and Digital Industry - Lyoner Straf3e 9 - 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Lobby Register No.: R002101 - EU Transparency Register ID: 94770746469-09 - www.zvei.org Date: 04.09.2023 13