English
Battery-material flexible connectors must satisfy two separate requirements: electrostatic control and control of metallic components in the product-contact path. These requirements should be specified and validated independently against the actual process installation.
Pneumatic conveying, vibrating screens and repeated powder-to-wall contact can generate electrostatic charge. The PU-10-AS configuration uses an inherently static-dissipative polyether TPU formulation with a surface resistance of 10⁶–10⁹ Ω.
The dissipative polymer provides a controlled electrical path through the flexible component. It does not replace grounding of metallic equipment.
Metallic spigots, clamps, process piping and surrounding equipment must remain bonded according to the facility grounding design and applicable electrical requirements.
Flexible connectors may incorporate metal retention bands, wires, eyelets or grounding elements. Where metallic contamination is restricted, the relevant design requirement is not simply “non-metallic material”; it is the absence of metal retention components from the product-contact path.
The SOSHH metal-free configuration places the retention element in an external HF-welded pocket. The internal product-contact bore remains polymer-only.
Metal-detector performance must be validated using the complete installed assembly, including spigots, clamps and downstream equipment.
NCM, LFP, graphite and carbon-based powders can impose abrasion on flexible connectors depending on particle hardness, particle size, velocity, concentration, temperature and flexing frequency.
The PU-15 / PU-10-AS material system provides:
These values provide material-property data for engineering selection. Actual service life must be established from the installed geometry and process duty.
Figure 2: Engineering cross-section comparison. The conventional clamped design (left) exposes external metal fasteners prone to vibration fretting and sliver contamination. The SOSHH snap-in design (right) encapsulates polymer snap-bands entirely outside the flow path, creating a smooth, 100% metal-free product-contact bore.
| Engineering Parameter | Specification | Engineering Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Base polymer | Static-dissipative polyether TPU | Charge-dissipative flexible wall |
| Surface resistance | 10⁶–10⁹ Ω | Static-dissipative range |
| Volume resistance | 4.02 × 10⁷ Ω | SGS-tested value; Report SHMR240801578301-1 |
| Electrical test | IEC 62631-3-1:2023 | Laboratory resistance measurement |
| Product-contact metal | No metal retention component in product-contact zone | Controls metallic-component exposure in the powder path |
| Tensile strength | 40 MPa | Mechanical strength of TPU substrate |
| Elongation at break | Approximately 600% | Allows large deformation before tensile failure |
| DIN abrasion loss | 39.0 mg, DIN ISO 4649 | Material abrasion indicator |
| Standard wall | 1.0 mm PU-10-AS configuration | Standard flexible-wall construction |
| Continuous temperature | −30 to +120 °C | Battery-material engineering envelope |
| Short-term peak | +120 °C | Peak condition; not a continuous operating rating |
| CIP reference | 85 °C | Applicable where the selected construction has been qualified for this cleaning condition |
| High-temperature / solvent option | CNC-machined virgin PTFE | Use where TPU temperature or chemical limits are exceeded |
| PTFE temperature | −70 to +260 °C | High-temperature and chemical-duty material range |
| Standard diameter range | Ø102–Ø804 mm | Standard SOSHH dimensional range |
| Custom fabrication | CNC-cut + HF-welded construction | No injection-mold tooling charge for custom transitions |
Electrostatic control is a system requirement.
The dissipative TPU provides a controlled electrical path through the flexible component within the specified resistance range.
Metallic spigots and process equipment must remain electrically bonded to the plant grounding system.
The complete assembly must be evaluated for continuity, grounding and electrostatic risk under the actual operating conditions.
The SGS electrical test data can support the technical documentation for hazardous-dust applications. It does not by itself constitute a blanket certification of every installed assembly for ATEX Zones 20, 21 or 22.
The final hazardous-area classification and installation design remain the responsibility of the site engineering team and the applicable conformity-assessment process.
Figure 3: Three-tier electrostatic control architecture. Static-dissipative PUAS TPU (Level 1, 10⁶–10⁹ Ω/sq) safely bleeds powder-friction charges without sparking, while external equipotential bonding jumpers (Level 2) and verified facility earthing (Level 3, R_earth < 1 Ω) maintain zero-potential across rigid machinery.
The relevant engineering requirement is:
No metal retention component in the product-contact zone.
The retention system is located outside the product-contact bore in HF-welded external pockets.
This design addresses the product-path requirement without relying on an exposed metal retention element inside the powder stream.
For metal-detector applications, validate the complete finished assembly with the actual detector sensitivity, product effect, spigots, clamps and downstream equipment.
Anti-static performance does not determine the complete connector specification.
For each battery-material application, the following conditions must be checked together:
| Design Input | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Powder type | Determines abrasion and chemical exposure |
| Particle size / morphology | Influences local wear |
| Transfer velocity | Affects erosive wear |
| Vibration amplitude and frequency | Determines dynamic fatigue |
| Positive pressure | Determines wall stress |
| Vacuum | Can cause wall collapse |
| Temperature | Changes TPU mechanical behavior |
| Cleaning chemistry | Determines hydrolysis and chemical compatibility |
| Metal-detector position | Determines reinforcement selection |
| Product-contact requirements | Determines allowable construction materials |
Standard 1.0 mm flexible connectors are intended for lower-duty gravity transfer, screening and general powder-processing connections.
When the installation operates under substantial vacuum or positive pressure, the connector should be selected with the required reinforcement and geometry rather than relying on wall thickness alone.
For vacuum applications:
Where a metal-free product path is mandatory, use the non-metallic reinforcement configuration that has been qualified for the required vacuum level.
Figure 4: Negative pressure performance comparison. Standard unreinforced sleeves (left) collapse inward under vacuum, causing powder choke and pinch wear. The SOSHH vacuum-reinforced design (right) integrates engineered polymer anti-collapse rings to maintain a full round bore and smooth powder transfer.
Do not interpret the connector's electrical test report as a universal ATEX certification for every installed system. SOSHH provides third-party electrical test data, including SGS Report Ref. SHMR240801578301-1, for use in the site's hazardous-area assessment. Final conformity depends on the product classification, installation and applicable ATEX requirements.
No.
The flexible connector provides a dissipative path. Metallic spigots, equipment and process piping must still be properly bonded to the plant grounding system.
The metal-free configuration has no metal retention component in the product-contact zone. The retention element is located in an external HF-welded pocket.
The complete assembly should still be checked where a metal detector or X-ray inspection system is part of the process.
The current material data are 40 MPa tensile strength, approximately 600% elongation at break and 39.0 mg DIN abrasion loss.
These values are material-property indicators. Production life depends on actual powder, velocity, temperature, flexing and installation geometry.
Yes, where temperature or chemical compatibility exceeds the TPU envelope. CNC-machined virgin PTFE is the higher-temperature and higher-chemical-resistance option, subject to final geometry and application review.
For engineering sizing, send the following information directly to:
Please also provide the equipment make/model or a dimensioned drawing when available.
The engineering review can then determine the material, reinforcement, dimensions and documentation required for the actual installation.
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