Quality Control
An aspect commonly overlooked by consumers in their quest for
quality products is how that quality is ensured from the raw
materials onward. A consumer is easily wooed by glossy pictures
of mansions decorated by vinyl fence or by outlandish claims by
manufacturers or distributors on the Internet. They fail to
investigate more deeply what is being done to ensure that a
24/7-extrusion plant keeps the same level of quality day after
day, hour after hour.
Westech's Quality Assurance Protocol ensures that QC officers
are constantly on the job, from the point the resin and
additives begin their trek through the extrusion process,
through the extrusion process itself, and out into the finished
product inventory. Resin is checked for moisture, color and
content. The compound batches are analyzed in a pre-extrusion
check for molecular fusion temperature and pressure. Extruded
profile samples are cut and checked on line for color, gloss,
radius and dimension, then samples are tested off-line for
impact resistance, heat and freeze reaction and even UV
resistance using an accelerated weathering technique.
Manufacturing tolerance norm is "plus or minus" 10% in this
industry. Some manufacturers even use a "plus zero, minus 20
thousandths" tolerance. Westech's manufacturing tolerance of
plus or minus 5% is among the most stringent in the industry,
and applies to all of the testing described above. This results
in a consistently premium product output, which has earned
Westech the reputation of being the premier extruder in the
industry.
Testing
Constant testing is part of
Westech's Quality Assurance Protocol during extrusion, but there
are other ways that Westech ensures a high quality finished
product.
Westech designs fence, deck, railing and garden accessory
systems that are tested for efficacy. Fences have to be designed
to withstand windloads, or to protect young ones from
endangering themselves around pools. Railings have to be
designed to act as guardrails, not only for children, but also
for large adults. Other products have to be designed to accept
snow loads, or to resist wind uplifts. All of this is taken into
account by Westech's Product Development Group, that
meticulously ensures not only compliance with National and
International codes, but aims to exceed these, even establishing
new benchmarks for the industry to guide themselves by.
Westech's in-house testing and Quality Assurance Protocol is
another reason why when you Demand the Best, you Demand Westech.
Comparison with Store-bought
"Why is the Vinyl fence available at the Big Box store so much
cheaper than yours?"
That is the question that haunts dealers and consumers that lack
understanding about vinyl. You get what you pay for. Resin
prices are set at commodity levels (supply and demand strictly
dictate pricing). Additives are similar in pricing. Competition
is dramatic, with over 20 extruders in North America vying for
the same market. In order to capture market share some new
manufacturers establish a low price, which they later may raise.
Others decide to make an 'economy' product, either by making a
thinner product, which may not conform to industry standards or
building codes, or by using recycled materials which change the
dynamics of the product itself (see section on Co-extrusion,
Regrind), or they may fabricate the product using inexpensive,
high-volume and inferior methods, such as gluing the pickets on
to the rails, or using brackets to attach the rails to the
posts. Or they may use all or a combination of the above.
The most apparent differences in product quality are:
- Striation lines along the face of the profiles (like drag
lines all along the length).
- Low gloss (possibly indicating inferior additives in the
capstock).
- Corner Radius measurements may show inequalities from one
side or face of the profile to the other, or from one profile
to another, indicating low Quality Control procedures.
- Grey back (dark grey or brown inside usually indicates a
high content of recycled materials used inside)
- Thin Cap Stock (the capstock thickness may be so thin,
that it looks like it was painted on, or is very irregular, in
some places nearly disappearing - this indicates
non-compliance to ASTM requirements).
- Fastening Methods of the profiles to each other is by
quick and easy methods, which, in of themselves are weaker,
but become even weaker due to high volume production and
inferior Quality Control.
Other differences may come to the fore over time.
- Tio2 levels may be significantly lowered, resulting in a
degradation of the product under UV exposure (yellowing,
cracking, low impact resistance).
- Impact modifiers may be of inferior quality, or have a
lowered level, resulting in low impact cracking and sharding.
- Usually these lowered standards result in a greatly
reduced Warranty coverage and period.
All of the above information is designed to make the consumer
aware of the differences. As in every industry, it must be
emphasized, you get what you pay for in the end. There certainly
are niche markets for all types of products, due to economic or
logistical considerations. And this is not to say that a
consumer will not get a premium brand product at a Big Box
store. Several regional branches have decided to supplement
their Do-It-Yourself business with a Furnish-And-Install Program
which uses higher quality products, such as Westech's, through
our network of Fabricator/Installers. |
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