Customer application 26 April 2018
Hand in Hand for Ex Protection

Quintex has relied on WAGO for ex modules for ten years.

Ex protection is definitely a topic most system manufacturers and operators do not enjoy discussing in detail, due to its extreme complexity. But not Quintex! Ex protection is their “daily bread.” This highly specialized company provides installation-ready junction boxes for ex zones, which solve this vexing problem for system manufacturers and operators. Quintex housings always include WAGO rail-mount terminal blocks and the WAGO I/O SYSTEM 750.

Explosion protection originated in mining. This was a dangerous profession up until the second half of the nineteenth century. In the meantime, explosion protection has also spread to other industries. Examples include the chemical industry, the production of crude oil and natural gas, the food industry and biogas systems – anywhere that gases and dusts are generated that create a “dangerous explosive atmosphere” when combined with oxygen. If ignition, caused by a hot surface or an electrical spark, is applied to these mixtures, then a situation could quickly arise that absolutely must be prevented: an explosion, which may potentially injure many people.

The WAGO I/O SYSTEM 750 XTR ‒ the Benefits for You:

Fieldbus-independent, flexible and robust
Carries all internationally relevant approvals
Compact design favors use in tight spaces

Explosion Protection is a Matter of Trust

“Explosion protection is all about trust. To put it bluntly: People’s lives are at stake,” says Gisbert Schmahl. He speaks from experience, as the technical managing director at Quintex, a company quite familiar with explosion protection. Founded about ten years ago as a spin-off, Quintex is now a mid-sized company specializing in ex terminal boxes, ex controllers and components, ex heat tracing, ex cable ducts and ex overpressure controllers. Quintex solutions are suitable for use in ex zones 1, 2, 21 and 22 and are certified according to international specifications like ATEX, IECEx and EAC. According to product manager Klaus Weiter, the company, based in Lauda-Königshofen near Würzburg, Bavaria, has customers including equipment and systems designers, as well as end customers – meaning system operators. “We don’t offer standardized solutions. Instead, our technology ranges from lot size 1 up to custom series manufacturing.” In order for Quintex to be able to meet these individual customer requests and remain competitive, the company has learned to skillfully combine components that have already been tried and tested in industrial applications.

Ready-to-Connect Solutions Designed for Ex Zones

Enclosure solutions from Quintex, like polyester housings made from fiberglass reinforced plastics or 1.4404/316L stainless steel, have proven their worth in harsh environments thousands of times over. In particular, aggressive chemicals and mechanical loads have hardly any effect on them. Silicone seals in the cover provide a clean, durable seal, protecting the installation and control technology in the interior. For populating their boxes, Quintex has relied on WAGO’s portfolio of solutions for ex and non-ex areas for more than ten years.

Ex and Non-Ex from a Single Source

CAGE CLAMP® connection technology from WAGO both saves time during wiring and also ensures a safe connection, even in particularly demanding environments, because the contact is always spark-free. In addition, this product range offers maximum freedom for implementing ex and non-ex applications with one system economically. For example, in a biogas system, the WAGO I/O SYSTEM 750 handles the central functions in the life-sustaining measuring and control technology While components without ex protection remain de-energized following an alarm from the safety technology, systems with corresponding ATEX intrinsic protection continue to operate. Separate automation systems are not necessary for implementing these two application areas, because the WAGO I/O SYSTEM 750 allows operation of ex and non-ex bus modules in a single node.

As functional as the hardware sounds, it is only part of the market solution that Quintex offers, according to Gisbert Schmahl. “Customers expect more from system integrators than just an off-the-shelf solution; they require individual systems tailored to their specific needs,” explains Gisbert Schmahl. “We sell functions, not individual devices.” That means customized solutions – including tailoring all the WAGO technology integrated into the terminal boxes to work together perfectly, design coordination at the beginning of projects, clarification of the necessary details and all required releases and documents.

Before It Explodes, When It’s on Fire

With WAGO components and their close contact with the connection technology specialists from Minden, Quintex is able to supply its customers with pre-built connection technology and connection-ready terminal boxes and trace heating within a very short time frame. “If it’s a rush job, we can complete it within three days of receipt of the order with our express manufacturing,” says product manager Klaus Weiter with pride. Short delivery times are one of Quintex’s unique selling points,

but they require judicious vendor selection. “As a system integrator, we’re always responsible towards our customers for what our vendors do. We’ve been able to rely on them one hundred percent,” adds Gisbert Schmahl, who is more than satisfied with the collaboration between Quintex and WAGO.

Authors:
Klaus Weiter, Product Manager at Quintex, and Kay Miller, Global Industry Manager for Water at WAGO

Product Overview

Item no.: 750-1405/040-000

16-channel digital input ; 24 VDC ; 3 ms ; Extreme

Item no.: 750-338/040-000

Fieldbus Coupler CANopen ; D-Sub ; Extreme

Item no.: 750-1515/040-000

8-channel digital output ; 24 VDC ; 0.5 A ; 2-conductor connection ; Extreme

Item no.: 750-464/040-000

2/4-channel analog input ; Resistance measurement ; Adjustable ; Extreme

Item no.: 750-652/040-000

RS-232/485 Serial Interface ; Extreme

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Customer application 26 April 2018 Hand in Hand for Ex Protection