In Europe it is known as Atex, in China as CCC Ex. Both regulations are created with the aim of reducing or, even better, preventing fires or explosions from occurring in environments rich in gas, dust or vapors. The ultimate purpose of these regulations, in any target market, is to protect the ecosystem, health and safety.
In China, the CCC standard (China Compulsory Certification) is the regulation to which a part of the electrical products marketed in the country must be compliant and certified.
The cardinal principles and requirements of the Chinese certification for explosive environments are contained in the document CNCA-C23-01: 2019 - Compulsory Certification Rules - Explosion protected electrical Equipment (CCC Ex for short).
The CCC Ex regulations apply to the production of equipment manufactured in China but also to those of foreign origin that are imported into the Chinese market. Producers are obliged to have their products tested in order to ensure compliance with the requirements of the legislation.
Ex-proof electrohydraulics is one of the leading technologies for Atos, that immediately took action to obtain the certification (mandatory from the entry into force of the regulatory provision on 1 October 2020) and therefore be able to continue exporting ex-proof hydraulic components to China for installations in hazardous environments. Without this certification, it would no longer have been possible to sell explosion-proof products in China.
Atos was thus the first company in the world to have received CCC Ex certification from TÜV SÜD. The issuing of the certification is the result of a long collaboration between TÜV and Atos, both in Italy and in China. The two companies, in fact, have been working together for years to complete training projects for the qualification of Chinese technical personnel for the issue of Atex certification in China and vice versa.
The certificate was issued by TÜV Italia, the Italian branch of TÜV SÜD, for all explosion-proof products for surface:
The certification of explosion-proof products for mines is currently underway, and afterwards the CCC certification process will be started for intrinsically safe valves equipped with the new solenoid (see also the Atos ProMotion newsletter n.57 in this regard. - March 2022).