A significant change for ASP

A significant change for ASP

Dec 15, 2020 | Press release

This year, ASP is celebrating its 32 years of existence! On the strength of its past experience and recognised know-how ASP is now located in several European countries and it is focused in developing a way to meet the international customers’ needs.

This is why the time has come for ASP to update its identity to bring into line with its ambitions. The General Meeting held in September 2020 endorsed an important change: “ASP – Atelier Systèmes de Protection” becomes

“ASP – Advanced Systems of Protection”.

This new name informs better in what ASP can support users of robots. It highlight our capacity to innovate and create technologically “advanced” solutions. It also aims to be the link between the history when ASP created the first robot cover and the actual current high-tech solutions. It won’t create any disruption in our customer relationship. It will therefore continue to be synonymous with competence and performance, while consolidating our identity and strengthening our international presence under a single brand.

The new ASP logo associated with this change of name will be deployed on all our communication material with a new graphic design.

This “seamless change” symbolises a fresh impetus in ASP’s development, a rebound to a future that is both ambitious and shared.

For any further information, you can contact your account manager or fill out the contact form.

 

 

M1 classification of the ASP technical fabrics

M1 classification of the ASP technical fabrics

Jul 10, 2020 | Technical information

 

Some industrial robots evolve in extreme conditions, subjected to heat and / or hot or even incandescent projections. ASP has created specific covers for them, made of M1 classified fabric: they are non-flammable. Explanations…

French standard (NF) for reaction to fire

In fire safety, reaction to fire is characterised by the way a material will behave as combustible. It is defined by 2 criteria:

  • Combustibility: quantity of heat emitted by the complete combustion of the material
  • Flammability: amount of flammable gas emitted by the material

According to standard NF P. 92.507, these 2 criteria fall into 5 categories, from M0 (the most difficult to ignite) to M4 (the most easily inflammable). Materials classified M0 will hardly ignite while materials M4 will ignite very quickly.

Classification M1 and M0 of ASP fabrics

ASP has 10 different technical fabrics, respecting the classification M1 or M0. They are mainly used for the design of protective covers for robots in the automotive and aeronautic industries, in the forge and foundry.

Body assembly and welding

The shoeing activity in the automotive industry requires protective covers resistant to welding spatter.  Based on aramid, the technical fabrics used provide excellent mechanical resistance for arc welding, spot or laser welding, and durably protect from splashes.

housse protection robot cover ferrage ignifuge plastron poignet ASP eulmont

Wrist cover in Tiffon-R

ASP has also developed a cover system for CMC (Clever Modular Concept – patented solution). The welding gun protection are protected by two technical fabrics classified M1:

  • Texalis, fabric coated on two sides, one of which in aluminized rubber, constitutes the body of the cover
  • Cardel, which has a green elastomeric face, has a high resistance to sparks. It constitutes the plastron (thickness 2mm)

In addition, these 2 aramid-based fabrics are guaranteed to be silicone and halogen-free, and are tear-resistant.

housse protection robot cover ferrage ignifuge plastron pince cmc ASP eulmont

Welding gun cover

Protections in the automotive industry

ASP propose également à ses clients de l’industrie automobile des housses de protection de véhicules fabriquées en Covel (un tissu technique orange classé M1 doublé d’un élastomère noir) ou en ELIT2. Sans silicone, il offre une très bonne protection contre les impacts, et bien sûr les projections chaudes accidentelles. La housse véhicule est fabriquée sur-mesure pour assurer une efficacité maximum aux opérateurs.

 

 

 

 

 

ASP: volunteers to fight against the Covid-19

ASP: volunteers to fight against the Covid-19

Jul 3, 2020 | Press release

ASP : les salariés bénévoles pour lutter contre la Covid-19

The production of medical protection equipment back to France has not been won yet. But the expertise of French industrial companies is no longer to be proven.

Medical gowns for the hospital of Nancy

At the end of March, facing the critical situation and the distress calls from the medical environment, ASP leaders put themselves in contact with the university hostpital of Nancy to offer their help: the hospital was looking for regional companies capable of manufacturing gowns for medical staff.

ASP was then in the process of adapting its services to better manage the effects of the health crisis and preserve the health of employees. The suspension of the production of covers decided on March 19 had placed some employees in partial activity; others were teleworking to continue advancing on pending cases. At the same time, since March 23, some employees have already been manufacturing category 2 masks in conjunction with the Alsace Textile Pole.

A volunteer team facing the coronavirus

For this mission to support caregivers, management had the objective of being at the lowest cost. Only the “cut” raw material will therefore be invoiced to the Nancy University Hospital at cost price, the preparation being provided thanks to the volunteer work of ASP staff, outside production hours. Half of the company’s workforce volunteered to support this process, while emergencies in France were under the pressure of the pandemic.

A smoothly conducted affair

We contacted one of our suppliers to find a fabric which corresponds to the specifications linked to the manufacturing of gowns. The available color, orange, was accepted by the CHU. 5 prototypes were produced to validate the series. Then the “start” was given!

In shift, the volunteers, dressmakers of course but also administrative, commercial staff, technicians or even managers take turns to assemble, control and then pack the gowns, all in strict compliance with the health protocol to guarantee non-compliance contamination of delivered equipment.

Thus, after working hours or Saturdays, between 150 and 250 over-blouses are produced by each team. The target is to deliver 6,000 pieces in total.

The return of CHU staff is very positive and our teams are proud to contribute to this national surge of support for our caregivers.

ASP improves the twist lock fasteners for fixing covers to the robots

ASP improves the twist lock fasteners for fixing covers to the robots

Jun 5, 2020 | Technical information

The ASP protective covers are stowed on the robot at the ring of axis 1 using a system called “twist lock fastener”. The twist lock fasteners are fixed on the ring and go in the eyelets of the cover and finally are being locked to hold the cover in place.

Old model of twist lock fastener                                                                                                                                                         Cover fixed on the ring of axis 1

 

The new twist lock fasteners of the protective covers

ASP now uses high quality twist lock fasteners. Made of brass, they do not rust, are stronger and the support is more stable. The covers are therefore now equipped with these new twist lock fasteners, recognizable by their color.

The old model of twist lock fastener (silver) and the new model (brassy)                                                                                      The new model of twist lock fastener in fixing up process

 

If you are renewing an ASP cover, we recommend you to change the twist lock fasteners. We will send you a bag containing the new brass twist lock fasteners free of charge. The change is simple and requires only few tools.

Of course the ASP team is at your disposal in case of any help required.

Mask Covid-19 : ASP is mobilised

Mask Covid-19 : ASP is mobilised

Jun 4, 2020 | not classified, Press release

When on the 17th of March, Pole Textile Alsace invited their members to participate in the production of masks, we immediately replied with a big “yes”.

Mask production : Challenge taken up !

A real cooperation has been set up with the Pôle Textile Alsace, to support the community. The Pôle proposed the model of the mask that had just been approved to reach the Afnor standards and brought together the raw materials. For our part, we have implemented the procedures published by the Pole Textile Alsace in order to respect the barrier gestures during the reception of the fabric, but also during assembly and packaging the production till the shipment. We had to be ready as soon as possible in order to protect our employees and to guarantee the best sanitary quality for the produced masks.
The ASP team showed great responsiveness when the company had to adapt itself to the lockdown by making staff working from home or on part-time. But the challenge is taken up! Since the first batch n ° 001, started on March 24, we have produced more than 27,000 masks! And each week, the production continues for the Pole Textile Alsace with 4,000 new masks.

Masks washable dozens of times, and recyclable!

It is our practice to use high quality fabrics and to respond to a client’s specific problems. We apply the same rule of conduct with these protective face masks: washable at more than 60 °, they are reusable several dozen times and fully recyclable at the end of their life! For non-sanitary use (category 2 masks), they are intended to protect professionals who are not in contact with the general public (work colleagues for example). They filter 84.9% of 3 micron particles and can be worn for 4 hours.

 

If you wish to order these masks of category 2 for your personnel, you will find the procedure to follow on the website of Pôle Textile Alsace.