Do I Need Atex Ink Pumps?

Question: I hear a lot about ATEX these days. Do my pumps need to be ATEX certified? What does it mean?

Explanation:

ATEX is short for Atmosphere Explosives. It is the fairly new EEC regulation covering the use of equipment in explosive atmospheres. Therefore if you are using water based inks you don’t need to worry about ATEX. However you should make sure you are not also using solvents in the plant for other reasons. The regulation is concerned with the auto-ignition temperature of the solvents used in ink.

Here are some commonly used solvent auto ignition temperatures.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/fuels-ignition-temperatures-d_171.html

For instance the auto ignition temperature for ethyl alcohol is 365 Centigrade. This is the temperature that alcohol bursts into flame without the presence of a spark or flame. Therefore if the equipment (mainly the electric motor) is designed to be sparkless all you have to achieve is a shutdown before that temperature is achieved. The shutdown time is set differently for each zone. When we examine the solvents used in printing inks we find we need to be in category 2 with a T4 time rating. Therefore the Atex number on your ink pump should be exII2GcT4.

http://www.powerwise.com/atex.html

Here is a handy reference poster for ATEX: CLICK HERE.

Manufacturers have to provide evidence that the complete pump has been temperature tested and also that a full reasons of possible failure document has been met.

NOTE: Atex applies to EEC countries only although many other countries are adopting this standard. In the USA the UL/FM regulations apply to the pumps.