Innovative Minds, One Common Goal: The Development of ComEx Global
The development of the ComEx Global series marks a milestone in BARTEC‘s history, bringing together innovative minds from different fields to create a product portfolio that meets the highest technical and normative standards. Here, the team shares some insights into the journey behind the creation of the series.
ComEx‘s development process is rooted in a structured approach based on the team‘s experience and the market’s needs. From the learning process to the implementation of the innovation process, all steps were carefully planned and executed. Simon Dyhringer, Product Manager Ex e, emphasizes the integration of customer and market needs into the development process.
Simon Bender, BARTEC Team Leader R&D Mechanics ESS is delighted with the cooperation between the specialist departments at BARTEC: “ComEx Global needed an interdisciplinary approach for the implementation, which required a wide range of skills from the various BARTEC specialist departments: R&D, Supply Chain and Industrial Engineering worked hand in hand here with their various sub-departments for the success of the project. Without this overarching cooperation, the project would not have been feasible in the end.”
The milestones achieved reflect the hard work and commitment of the team. In particular, the achievement of the IECEx/ATEX & UL certificates, which are crucial in the field of explosion protection. ''Development projects are not a ‘one man / woman show’. They can only be successful with a cooperative approach and the full commitment of the entire team! Our goal was to achieve an economical, lean and modern industrial design that simultaneously meets the highest mechanical requirements and safety standards of a globally applicable Ex product. I think the project team definitely succeeded in this,” says Simon Bender, BARTEC Team Leader R&D Mechanics ESS.
The ComEx Global series represents a significant evolution over its predecessors, with improved features and international certifications for global market access. The modular design allows for flexible adaptation to specific customer requirements and offers a wide range of application possibilities.
Our goal was to achieve an economical, lean and modern industrial design that simultaneously meets the highest mechanical requirements and safety standards of a globally applicable Ex product.
Simon Bender, BARTEC Team Leader R&D Mechanics ESS
The ComEx Global series is more than just a product line. Ingeborg Beil, Application Engineer R&D ESS at BARTEC, has been part of the company‘s mechanical development for more than 45 years and is therefore the most important contributor to the project. She was instrumental in the development of the ComEX series and has now driven the third generation forward. She still remembers the early days: “Back then, the head of development said: ‘Get a few ComEx boxes out of the warehouse for an impact test, we will get UL approval’”. Now the ComEx Global series is one of the most extensive development projects with a complete redesign including recertification of the product portfolio.
The series represents BARTEC‘s commitment to quality, safety and customer satisfaction and is a continuation of the ONE BARTEC philosophy based on collaboration and shared success.
The successful launch of ComEx Global is a credit to the entire team whose commitment and dedication helped bring this challenging project to completion.
Kevin Rogers, BARTEC Head of Global R&D, ESS
ComEx Global and its Benefits
ComEx Global has been the reference of control and signalling systems in the hazardous environment since decades. With our ComEx Global portfolio you are sure that the electrical equipment operates safely in hazardous areas without causing any explosion, fire or damage. In hazardous areas, the failure not to use an explosion-proof control station may have negative consequences on the environment and safety: fire, plant damage, loss of life, contamination are only some examples of this catastrophic and bad impact.
Thanks to ComEx’s wide range of combinations, accessories and easy and fast mounting options, ComEx solution has been installed in several international applications worldwide in which an explosive atmosphere is likely to occur.
It is the most flexible system for control and signalling devices, consisting of complete modular devices available in single, double and triple sizes in GRP and stainless steel enclosures. This modular system allows you to create customised complete solutions including specific local control and signalling devices that are especially suitable for harsh environments, extreme temperatures and fires.
This flexible solution includes enclosures, modules, actuators and accessories coming from our BARTEC product portfolio and can be used as: emergency stop function according to IEC/UL 60947-5-5, control of machines, motor and control systems, components for OEM machine builders, modular system and functions according to customer requirements, control stations. You can find more in the brochure.
To completely fulfill customers requirements, we have recently upgraded our ComEx solution with an innovative and modern design which includes new actuators, boxes in three sizes and improved lamp modules with increased input voltage range and improved illumination of all colors types.
The design of the actuating elements enables easy and safe mounting and can be complemented by useful accessories. The new lamp modules are now more reliable and efficient as we increased their immunity to interference. In addition, we also considered the energy aspects and reduced their power consumption while improving the level of brightness in combination with our pilot light indicator. The updated lamp modules have now an extended input voltage range of 12-230 V for AC/DC operation and an extended frequency range for AC operation with 20 – 400 Hz.
In addition, our new ComEx Global solution includes a red & yellow selector switch and a new emergency stop twist-to-release according to IEC/UL 60947-5-5. This is another key feature that sets ComEx apart from other control and signalling device solutions: BARTEC´s emergency stop actuators (pull-to-release and twist-to-release) are the only components certfied as "Emergency Stop Devices for Use in Hazardous Locations – Component” for Canada and USA under the UL catergory number NNTO2/8.
Certificationwise, the new ComEx Global solution is now compliant with the most important international standards like IECEx, ATEX and NEC & CEC which allows you as customer to install the components and equipment globally. Further specific certificates as INMETRO, CCC, PESO and ECASEx are available.
Thanks to all these new technical improvements and new global certifications for hazardous areas, including cULus, we took our ComEx Global solution to a new level: it is the most advanced and safest ComEx ever with the continuous high quality that customers have ever taken advantages since decades.
If you are looking for a modern, safe and reliable way to control and monitor electrical equipment, you are in the right place: ComEx Global is the right solution for your safety needs. Find more here.