KOMPAN

KOMPAN ELEMENTS
Material Specifications

Specifications
KOMPAN ELEMENTSTM is the all-new playground system from KOMPAN designed according to a set of specially defined specifications, to meet the demands of future playgrounds all over the world, as an alternative to the well-known KOMPAN MOMENTSTM wood-based system.

The main specifications are:
· Unique design with high flexibility
· High level of industrial manufacturing (uniform quality)
· High resistance against:
· Wear
· Climatic impact
· Vandalism
· Low maintenance demands
· Environmental focus

Choice of materials and production technologies
The choice of materials for each component in the system is based on a set of rules that implicate:

1. Mechanical demands such as strength, elasticity, impact and wear resistance.
2. Physical demands such as climatic strength (moisture, rot, ozone, UV radiation, corrosion, temperature fluctuations), colourability and manufacturability.
3. Environmental demands such as recycling potential – meaning parts that have no critical contents, e.g. heavy metal based UV stabilizers, and no PVC.
4. Visual demands such as surface texture, range of gloss, lowest possible degree of fading under exposure of sunlight within the frame of environmental standards (3), no major colour changes due to wear=less maintenance (coloured-through materials).
5. High consideration to the users with regard to resilience and textures of surfaces, heat conduction, rounding of edges etc.

KOMPAN's product development strategy is not limited by any demands of in-house manufacturing, which means that we are free to incorporate state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies.

Technical solutions
The basic system consists of a completely new range of building components, for which flexibility, function, strength, durability, uniform quality, cost and aesthetics have been key factors in the development process, in addition to the choice of materials and selection of manufacturing technologies. Our goal has been to design a system providing total durability of the structural components for the expected lifetime of the products.

Main components and materials
Posts are made of 101.6 x 2.5 mm hot-dip galvanized steel tubes, covered by a thick layer of specially formulated UV and ozone stabilized, impact and wear resistant, maintenance-free EPDM rubber. The rubber layer is applied by vulcanization – a process that directly applies the rubber to the steel using pressure. This creates a part with maximum adhesion of the rubber to the steel, creates a uniform shape and has a highly resilient surface (child-friendly). Grooves are moulded into the rubber layer in order to positively locate the connections of components and activities.
Crossbars, support posts and safety bars are made of 38 mm and 48 mm hot-dip galvanized steel tubing.
Multifunctional barrier and roof panels with several moulded-in features are made of min. 3 mm blow-moulded, double-walled, UV stabilized, coloured-through polyethylene (PE) that provides a high impact resistance even at low temperatures.
Secondary panels are made of 19 mm UV stabilized coloured-through extruded and hot-press laminated high-density polyethylene.
Floor modules in various geometric shapes are constructed of hot-dip galvanized steel frames, made of specially KOMPAN designed multifunction T-track profiles with decking of 18 mm thick plates of high-pressure laminate (HPL) with a in moulded-in non-skid surface.
The floors are attached to each post by means of stainless steel connector straps.
Various primary connectors are made of die-cast aluminium that has been alloyed specifically for outdoor environments. These connectors are attached to the posts by means of stainless steel connector straps.
Connector straps are made of 1.25 x 30 mm high-strength stainless steel with built-in 8 mm threaded nuts. Each strap can carry up to 5 additional connectors made of cold-formed welded stainless steel with built-in 8 mm threaded nuts. The additional connectors may be slid onto the steel strap, allowing multiple connections to occur at the same height from a post.
Various secondary connectors and manipulative parts
are made of UV stabilized polyamide (PA).
Height adjustable and easily detachable footings* are made of specially KOMPAN designed hot-dip galvanized 2.5 mm thick, roll-formed steel profile with built-in aluminium expansion elements to ensure a stable connection between posts and footings. 6 pcs 10 mm button head bolts provide the connection between posts and expansion elements.
*) Patent protection of this feature is currently applied for.
Larger play activities such as single, double and curved slides, spring item bodies and interfaces are made of hollow UV stabilized rotomoulded polyethylene (PE).
Medium size play components such as basins and funnels are made of vacuum formed UV stabilized ultra impact-resistant polycarbonate (PC).
Smaller play components such as megaphone, curved handholds, etc. and safety elements (Do-Nuts, net connectors, spacers, swing suspensions, end caps) are made of UV stabilized conditioned injection-moulded polyamide/nylon (PA6) or polypropylene (gearshifts, manipulative devices, sand scoops).
Soft play components such as hammocks, swing seats, binoculars and handles on spring items are made of moulded UV and ozone stabilized rubber with steel/plastic reinforcements where necessary.
Ropes/nets are made of steel-reinforced UV stabilized polypropylene and wear-exposed horizontal straps are covered with transparent polyurethane (PUR) for improved wear resistance.
Hardware (bolts and nuts) exposed screws are 8 mm high-strength stainless steel with socket head. Hidden connectors are 10 mm high-strength delta-magni coated steel with hexagon heads.


Tests
KOMPAN’s products and materials are not only tested according to the current safety standards in Europe and North America, but also to fulfil our own strong demands for user safety, proven play value and technical performance.

Product testing safety standards
KOMPAN products are designed to fulfil the relevant safety standards/guidelines in each market, and since we are a worldwide supplier, our products are typically approved by more than one institute or authority.
The major safety standards/guidelines are EN1176 (S), ASTM1487-01 (S), CPSC (G) and CSA (S). All products marketed worldwide have the internationally recognized TÜV certificate for accordance to the EN1176 standard.

Strength/durability tests
All products must go through a static load test in order to achieve TÜV and ASTM certification. In addition, KOMPAN maintains its tradition of also testing our products dynamically since our experience is that the repeated moving loads provided by playing children are much more crucial for the durability than a heavy static load.
Vandalism resistance is also an area where KOMPAN has defined our own guidelines, which in short terms can be expressed as follows: The products must be able to withstand the forces and impacts that can be provided by the human body without using tools. To reduce the immediate risks for product safety in the event of vandalism, KOMPAN’s products are designed with steel reinforcement in ropes and rubber components, and use ductile plastic materials that prevent sharp edges when damaged.

Field tests
Before launch, KOMPAN products are field tested at specially selected, heavily used playgrounds for extended periods of time. The focus of these tests is to evaluate technical performance, as well as play value and child development.

Material tests
KOMPAN’s choice of materials is followed up by testing the materials according to relevant standards within related areas such as building industry (flammability and corrosion) and toy directives (toxicity). We have also defined our own standards, e.g. friction and wear of flooring surfaces.