TECHNICAL

At RDT we pride ourselves on our level of innovation, attention to detail and quality of products. We understand that to deliver a product to market that lives up to our expectations requires rigorous, independent and objective testing. Composite products are manufactured in accordance with the strict ISO 9000 systems in place at the Moorland group production facility.

Material - What is SMC? – What is DMC?

SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) and DMC (Dough Moulding Compound) are glass fibre reinforced composite materials that primarily consist of inorganic ingredients. The organic plastic content is less than 30 per cent by weight: unsaturated polyester resin, a thermosetting resin, which cures by means of a cross-linking reaction. Fibreglass reinforcement guarantees superior mechanical properties. Additional additives like low-profile components, fillers, release agents, catalysts and process additives are used to enhance the performance or processing of the material.

Glass fibres in SMC are usually chopped to a length of 25 or 50mm. DMC usually contains fibres of 6mm or 12mm length. This amount can vary from 20 to 60 per cent by weight.

As with any material system, be it metallic or plastic, SMC can be formulated to meet specific performance requirements such as high tensile strength, high dimensional stability, high heat resistance, low smoke & toxicity levels, excellent electrical performance, Class ‘A’ surface and chemical stability and corrosion resistance. SMC/DMC outperform typical thermoplastic materials in all aspects, making them true engineering materials.

Please see the chart below showing the typical performance characteristics of standard SMC.

Independent Testing

All of our products have been rigorously tested by third party UKAS accredited test facilities.

The University of Nottingham

A BS EN124 B125 (12.5 tonne) vertical test programme was undertaken by The University of Nottingham Civil Engineering Department. A 600mm x 600mm chamber was tested, together with a Saint Gobain Inter-Ax cover & frame, incorporating their LTS (Load Transfer System) design. Click here to see the results.

Saint Gobain Pipelines PLC

A BS EN124 D400 (40 tonne) vertical test programme was undertaken by Saint Gobain Pipelines PLC at their Product Design and Development facility in Ilkeston. Again a 600mm x 600mm chamber was tested with the Inter-Ax cover & frame.
Click here to see the results.

Lloyds British Testing PLC

A BS EN124 E600 (60 tonne) vertical test programme was undertaken by Lloyds British at their test facility in West Bromwich. A 600mm x 600mm chamber was tested with an E600 loading Silent Knight design cover & Frame. Click here to see the results.

Ceram Building Technology

A lateral side load test programme was undertaken by Ceram Building Technology and funded by the Polymer Cluster. This test was designed to simulate the ground pressures placed on chamber walls once installed. Pressure was placed onto the 2500mm length of a chamber that then simulated how the buried chamber would react at depths of up to 7 metres. Click here to see the results.

In-House Testing

As part of our continued quality programme, random production samples are tested to ensure a quality product is supplied every time.

Production

Production of the RapidSTACK and DuctBOX range of access chambers takes place at the Moorland group ISO9000 facility in the UK. We hold freely available stocks of both access chamber systems but also plan production runs to the demand and delivery requirements of individual clients where appropriate. Production facilities are ideally located for quick access to the UK’s motorway networks and. with our logistics partners, RDT can offer fast and reliable deliveries to all parts of the globe.