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Q: Is there a difference between resins?
A: There are several companies that make a vast number of resins. Each of these resins will have a cost based on the specific requirements of the end product. Resins have been developed to withstand most corrosive environments, be either flexible or rigid, and some even have low smoke and flame spread. The selection of the most cost efficient resin for a specific job should only be determined when the facts of the chemical environment are known (chemical and concentration, temperature and pressure). This should be done between the end user, vessel manufacturer and possibly the resin manufacturer. See discussion on why "Vinyl Ester Resins are NOT Cure-All in Corrosion Service".
Q: What standards are used to determine the quality of a product?
A: The production of a quality product is the life blood of all industries and those of us in the composite (fiberglass) industry are no exception. Since the early years of composite fabrication, standards existed for the corrosion fabricators. One of the earliest was the PS 15-69 (Custom Contact-Molded Reinforced-Polyester Chemical-Resistant Process Equipment) which was published by the US Department of Commerce's National Bureau of Standards. This is still the current standard for vertical non-pressurized cylindrical tanks and all fiberglass duct and pipe. ASTM C 582 (Contact-Molded Reinforced Thermosetting Plastic (RTP) Laminates for Corrosion Resistant Equipment), ASTM D 4097 (Contact-Molded Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Thermoset Resin Chemical-Resistant Tanks) and ASME/ANSI RTP-1 (Reinforced Thermoset Plastic Corrosion Resistant Equipment) are three other standards that are commonly used in the manufacture of FRP tanks, duct, pipe and equipment. Other standards exist such as ASTM D 2563 (Classifying Visual Defects in Glass-Reinforced Plastic Laminate Parts) and ASTM D 2583 (Indentation Hardness of Rigid Plastics by Means of a Barcol Impressor) for quality control. All of these standards and others should be used in conjunction to ensure quality products.
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