The European REACH regulation aims to improve the protection of human health and the environment and increase the competitiveness of the chemical industry in the EU region by banning the use of SVHC (Substance of Very High Concern) chemicals. Like most manufacturers, SOURIAU uses hexavalent chromium, which is listed as one of the hazardous substances in the surface treatment of many of its connectors. Although the European Chemicals Agency has granted temporary extensions of up to 12 years depending on the application, SOURIAU expects one of its main product lines to fulfill the requirements in advance
SOURIAU's research and development department has been researching its composite connectors for many years, which has also brought responses to products and surface treatment production lines. The first REACH-compliant connector in the D38999 composite series has been certified by European (AECMA) and United States (DLA) certification bodies. After obtaining Airbus and Boeing certification by 2019, its main civil aviation and Gradually convert applications in military aircraft and other fields. Since December 2019, all production of D38999 composite connectors will no longer use hexavalent chromium.
An increasingly important part of SOURIAU's D38999 series is the use of nickel-plated or uncoated composite materials, which are primarily targeted for civil and military aviation applications. The advantages of PEEK composite material (filled with carbon fiber and glass fiber) are high mechanical properties in harsh environments, corrosion resistance and light weight compared to aluminum alloys.
The challenge for SOURIAU is to find a REACH-compliant chemical solution to hexavalent chromium-free surface treatment of connectors. Thomas Pichot, R & D Manager at SOURIAU, explains: »We used to require hexavalent chromium to improve the adhesion between the coating of the shell and the composite substrate, but now it is no longer needed. We have developed the first innovative hexavalent chromium-free products in the field of motorsports and are currently using them in all our aerospace and defense applications.
Through innovative pretreatment of composite materials, we can also ensure excellent adhesion of continuous metal layers without the need for hexavalent chromium. Based on our environmental measures for aluminum alloy connectors, we use certified hexavalent chromium-free passivation technology in our zinc-nickel treatment process: all alternative products we develop and put into practice have passed harmless certification, and Full compliance with various environmental regulations including REACH. Despite the obvious technical challenges, it has great ecological benefits. Because of this change, our Champagné plant reduced the volume of hexavalent chromium by half.
As a unique PEEK coating solution in the world, SOURIAU's special achievement lies in its development of a chemical that can be used with PEEK materials. Electroplating on composite materials has been done for many years, but the existing etching process uses hexavalent chromium, which is prohibited by REACH regulations. SOURIAU's unique solutions have been certified by the Qualified Product Catalog (QPL) and EN standards-US MIL-DTL-38999 standards and European EN3645 standards. In addition to obtaining agency certification, the process improvement has also been certified by major aviation customers.
After the introduction of European REACH regulations, driven by SOURIAU management, the R & D team realized the need for a large-scale innovation plan for surface treatment technology to ensure connector manufacturing in France. The elimination of hexavalent chromium further promoted SOURIAU's practice of innovation and »green design», and strengthened its achievements, demonstrating the advantages of core technologies. Nicolas Paumier, D38999 Composite Product Manager, explains: SOURIAU's proactive response to REACH demonstrates our commitment to our customers, who also face the same challenges in terms of innovation, environment or human health and safety. In light of this, the new REACH-compliant product line will have a positive impact on our orders as it meets the new requirements of European regulations and global trends in our field.