Precision in Motion: PGC's Advanced Solution for Reliable Fluid Control

Background:

PGC has established a strong relationship with a major customer that operates nearly three million locations across 40 industries in 170 countries. This customer is a global leader in sustainability and provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions to protect people and their essential resources. They achieve this through science-based solutions, data-driven insights, and a commitment to sustainability. Due to our consistent track record of providing high-quality service, our customers have complete confidence in PGC, relying on us to accommodate their requests and meet their expectations.

Challenge:

The customer asked us to create a diaphragm for a water check valve in a detergent dispenser for commercial kitchens. They specified that the part should be made from a specific compound consisting of synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer, following ASTM D2000 specifications. This specification is a standardized rubber classification system that evaluates various properties, including class, hardness, and strength. The system also includes suffixes to test the material's resistance to several elements. While the supplier of this product produces compounds and O-rings, their Fluoroelastomer compound line is expensive and easily imitated.

Additionally, PGC prefers to work with our network of experienced suppliers who specialize in manufacturing such products. The challenge was to find a suitable supplier within PGC's network that offered a more cost-effective compound option while meeting the ASTM D2000 specifications. To address this challenge, we relied on the expertise of our engineers and PGC's connections to identify a supplier that could fulfill these requirements.

Solution:

After conducting research, PGC collaborated with a long-standing supplier from Texas who could provide a similar compound that met the specific requirements outlined in the order. This collaboration fulfilled the customer's specifications and strengthened our partnership with the supplier, a testament to our team's dedication and effective communication. Before manufacturing a product using this material, we needed to confirm a competitive price point while meeting all the criteria outlined in ASTM D2000: HK A1-10, B38, and EO78. To ensure that the product met these specifications, we instructed our supplier to subject the compound to additional testing to satisfy the specific suffix tests. These tests measured properties such as heat resistance, compression set, and fluid resistance to ensure they would work in their assembly.

Results:

After testing, PGC received a Certificate of Compliance, ensuring that their material met the ASTM D2000 requirements from our customer's original request. We also managed to secure a competitive quote from the supplier, allowing us to fulfill the order accurately while reducing costs. Once we received confirmation that the parts met the requirements, we compiled and delivered five prototype parts to the customer. Once received, our customer promptly assembled and conducted validation testing, leading to approval within days of receiving the prototypes. Our supplier was delighted that we could work with an existing material specification and align it with a third-party source other than their regular supplier. They were also pleased that we could conceptualize the part, order raw materials, and send them samples within just four weeks of placing the order.