STORAGE IN WAREHOUSE

Atmospheric agents and solar radiation cause degradation of the elastomers which manifests itself with surface cracks (visible perpendicular to the direction of elongation), oxidation of the surface (it becomes resinous and, over time, brittle) and a decrease in tensile and tensile strength. elongation.

The purpose of what is listed below is to provide the general criteria to ensure that our items, kept in stock, do not undergo a change over time in their initial characteristics which conformed to the applicable requirements. Our items cannot be classified as "perishable", as they are made with particular materials and processes that guarantee their durability over time; however, any finished rubber product held in warehouse tends to "age" in the long term, i.e. to undergo a slow decay of some of its characteristics. For this reason, it is essential that storage conditions are studied and implemented in order to reduce these variations to industrially acceptable values. The provisions of this procedure apply, in general, to all rubber articles supplied by us. For particular items there may also be specifically targeted procedures or technical specifications.

The parameters that influence the duration of the items stored in the warehouse can essentially be summarized as follows:
- packaging characteristics
- quantity and arrangement of pieces in the polyethylene bag or box
- storage mode
- environmental storage conditions
- time spent in warehouse

Our company has defined the storage conditions prescribed here on the basis of many years of experience and therefore different preparation and packaging methods cannot be used, just as complaints from customers for material stored in conditions other than expected will not be accepted.

PACKAGING CHARACTERISTICS

The following materials are normally used for the packaging of our items:

1) Polyethylene bags (LLPD) for the packaging of loose pieces and for protection from ozone, dust and pollution in general: (see the specific technical purchase specification). The bags are closed by heat sealing (up to approximately 300 mm in width: for larger widths stapling with a double or triple flap is permitted); all bags have a special die-cut that prevents the formation of condensation inside them
2) Corrugated cardboard boxes of different sizes and thicknesses based on the characteristics and dimensions of the pieces to contain. The boxes have the purpose of protecting the material contained in them from dust and light and to facilitate their handling and arrangement in the warehouse; they are not designed to specifically resist water or excessive loads, but to withstand normal storage and handling conditions. The standard closure consists of adhesive tape with our logo indicated. The identification data are normally defined with the customer.

QUANTITY AND ARRANGEMENT OF PIECES

The items are usually packaged in low density polyethylene (LLPD) bags or are, if agreed with the customers, placed in cardboard boxes, taking care to prevent the pieces from damaging each other if they are too compressed together.

STORAGE METHODS

The storage conditions can be summarized as follows:

1) The pieces must be stored in the warehouse only in the packaging provided in the previous paragraph.
2) If pieces are removed from a package, the remainder must be left in their original conditions and, after removal, the packaging must be reclosed so that dust and foreign bodies do not enter.
3) Any pieces removed from the boxes and not used must be placed back in the original packaging, and not in others, so as not to lose the identification elements. The arrangement of the stored pieces must be the same as that already described.
4) The boxes can be stacked to reduce the space occupied, but it is naturally essential that the weight on the bottom box is not excessive. The walls must not be stressed to the point of bowing. Taking into account the weights involved, it is recommended to never place more than three boxes on top of the first one.
5) The identification elements placed by our company must remain clearly visible on the packages, in particular the lot number must remain identifiable; the sides of the boxes with the contents indications must therefore be positioned on the outside, so as to allow easy reading.
6) Stock rotation: the position of the packages in the warehouse, and the loading and withdrawal systems, must be such as to guarantee that use is carried out starting from the oldest material, to avoid excessive waiting for some packages.< br> 7) The environmental storage conditions must correspond to those prescribed in the next paragraph.

ENVIRONMENTAL STORAGE CONDITIONS

The environmental storage conditions are very important in order to limit the aging of the pieces kept in stock as much as possible. It is essential to adapt the conservation methods to the following criteria:
1) The temperature of the storage room must not fall below 5 degrees centigrade, and must not exceed approximately 30 degrees. It should be kept in mind that the cold tends to make the rubber brittle, thus favoring breakages and tears, while the heat tends to modify its mechanical characteristics, including hardness. When heated, the effects of aging are accelerated.
2) The packages must be kept in areas where there is no risk of falling water, steam, oils, sparks or anything else that could damage the packaging with consequent degradation of the material contained: the rubber compounds used for the production of our components (except for some types specifically designed for other characteristics) have high resistance to oils and solvents, but their presence in the stock conservation phase should be avoided.
3) Packages must not be kept in areas rich in ozone: for example, proximity to electric motors, quartz or neon lamps, or other sources should be avoided. Ozone is a strong oxidant and causes cracking.
4) The environmental humidity must not exceed values such as to cause the package cardboard to begin to moisten, with consequent loss of mechanical resistance. As a guide, it is suggested not to exceed 70% relative humidity.
5) Packages must be kept away from localized sources of heat, such as radiators or air heaters, steam pipes or in any case hot fluids
6) Avoid direct lighting of the stock material. Keep packages or containers tightly closed and keep them in the dark.