The reason we share this information is simply to provide the confidence to US based companies to opt out of creating tools in China where intellectual property is simply not protected. The cost of tooling and engineering in the USA is marginally higher but the quality and protection over your design is key.

There’s also a page that lists incompatible products. On this list are two mold inhibitor products that should never be used with BlazeMaster CPVC. Rationale is provided for each. Either the products were:

By: Mark Knurek on July 23rd, 2019

If you are looking for a plastic injection molding company that provides engineering consultation, quality tooling and manufacturing solutions with high temperature resins like Ultem and Valox, Southwest Plastics in California is a preferred choice by the automotive, aerospace and US defense & military sector. The engineers at Southwest Plastics have worked closely with manufacturers such as Boeing to create sub assembly components based on rigorous high-temperature plastic molding requirements.

Lubrizol Advanced Material’s FBCTM System Compatible program lists four mold inhibitor products under the Cleaners & Disinfectants category that are compatible with BlazeMaster CPVC. Each product links back to the manufacturer’s product page, and all display the FBC System Compatible Program logo either on the product page or the product’s data sheet. All four of these products may be used with confidence in a fire sprinkler system that utilizes BlazeMaster CPVC.

Then find out why not all orange piping is as reliable as BlazeMaster Fire Protection Systems by downloading the free Brand Comparison Guide.

If you are looking to utilize Ultem Polyetherimide (PEI) in your product prototype or production run, our team of engineers are familiar with every caveat, use case, benefit, and restriction around this specialty material.

Outside of flame resistance, Ultem provides low smoke evolution and low smoke toxicity. It is popular also, in part, due to its level of chemical stability including long-term hydrolytic and dimensional stability. Imagine your application in high heat conditions approaching 700 degrees Fahrenheit, yet your PEI material continues to perform at an exceptional level of strength and rigidity. It’s these high tolerances for heat and pressure resistance that make PEI formulations like Ultem the perfect substance for many automotive and aerospace applications.

When installing or specifying a BlazeMaster® Fire Protection System, it is always a good idea to understand which ancillary products are being used that may come into contact with the piping. This will ensure system integrity for years to come. If an installation is taking place in an area that has recently seen water damage or is prone to high humidity or moisture, the use of mold inhibitor products should be considered prior to installation or during the specification stage.

Whether you’re looking to re-shore back from China to the USA, or are looking to grow your business within the states, Southwest Plastics is a premium solution in the marketplace for specialty plastics manufacturing. We’re a family-owned business that has provided generations of loyalty to its customer base. Our integrity and honesty have earned us the trust of many customers over the years. There aren’t many unique plastic tooling and injection molding company’s left in the USA - we are proud to serve a variety of sectors and will continue to innovate with you.

Ultem is an amorphous, high-performance polymer that can withstand extreme temperatures. In previous projects we have utilized Ultem due to its ability to perform at temperatures as high as 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Since its development in the early 1980’s, Ultem continues to be widely utilized in the aerospace industry. Our engineering team is able to provide initial engineering consultation services in order to ensure that the material being utilized matches the project spec and that manufacturing occurs to the highest degree of precision. Ultem is an excellent ingredient that can achieve flame retardancy of a UL 94-VO rated standard.

Some of these products contain incompatible nonionic surfactants (i.e., synthetic detergents) that may cause environmental stress cracking when contact is made with CPVC sprinkler systems. This typically occurs on fittings, although pipes may occasionally be affected.

A number of contemporary engineers are beginning to realize the potential in PBT polymer products, specifically Valox™ specialty resin. With over 55 available grades, Valox™ resins can offer solvent resistance, outstanding dielectric strength, a wide variety of electrical properties, High RTI of up to 284 degrees Fahrenheit, low temperature performance down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit, and flame resistance. From an applications standpoint, Valox performs well in power plugs and electrical components, circuit breaker enclosures, outdoor telecommunications enclosures, medical applications such as clamps, pump parts, and much more. Our engineers are able to specify the use of Valox resins for different applications during prototyping test runs and full production runs.

To learn more about mold inhibitors and other ancillary construction products and how they may – or may not be – used in conjunction with BlazeMaster CPVC, visit the FBC System Compatible Program.

Southwest Plastics is a proven engineering firm with extensive experience in plastic injection molding for US Defense applying both Ultem and Valox to the formulation. Our project in questions is still highly confidential but we can confirm that our contribution was to a sub assembly part that was unique to a compressor module that goes into a cockpit. Our commitment to engineering and manufacturing the part was to:

All ancillary products listed as compatible and non-compatible with BlazeMaster CPVC on the FBC System Compatible Program website and apps have been specifically tested for compatibility with Lubrizol CPVC piping only – never with any other brand of CPVC.

Of course, if you encounter a mold inhibitor product that is not listed on either page, it is always best to err on the side of caution and assume that it is not compatible with BlazeMaster CPVC.

We have seen many companies lose their design ideas in the far east due to intellectual property theft. There is no better benefit for the long-term success of a company than partnering with a manufacturer that values your design and intellectual property rights. In this regard, Southwest Plastics is the leading California Molder that meets these qualifications.

It is interesting to note that one of the products listed as compatible with BlazeMaster CPVC – Anabec Advanced Cleaning Solution Plus – only recommend their products for use with BlazeMaster CPVC.

This provides yet another example of why the FBC System Compatible Program – developed by Lubrizol for FlowGuard®, BlazeMaster®, Corzan® and TempRite® Technology CPVC piping systems – should be used as a reference tool exclusively to these products and not those of other manufacturers. Only Lubrizol CPVC. Every brand of CPVC piping is made with unique compounds, some of which may contain resins with different molecular weights and varying chlorine content.

That’s one advantage of working with us – we take the guesswork out of which construction products may be used and which may not.

Mold and microbial inhibitors are sometimes used in buildings where water damage has been sustained or where general humidity and moisture can result in mold growth. Such products have varying uses. They may be used in new construction or existing buildings as either cleaners to treat construction surfaces or primers for latex paints to remove mold, reduce mold growth or create a microbial barrier for mold prevention.