PFLITSCH fire protection solutions –
when it comes to safety, we are right on track

At first glance, cable glands play no more than a secondary role in the overall safety concept of a railway vehicle. However, they are indispensable when it comes to ensuring reliable, seamless fire protection in trains, as the primary aim is that every component and all the materials used fundamentally contribute to either preventing a fire or limiting its spread and the resulting consequences. In view of the increasing level of automation in railway technology, not only certified fire protection but also effective EMC protection are becoming more important than ever.

A number of norms and standards have been created to test the two essential criteria of fire protection, i.e. the control of the spread of smoke and fire and the containment of harmful smoke and gas development. Apart from the globally recognised EN 45545-2 and EN 45545-3 standards, which cover both areas, manufacturer- and association-specific standards such as the Bombardier standard SMP 800 and the US NFPA standard also play an important role.

The fire protection requirements for cable glands depend firstly on where they are to be used in the train and are divided into interior (R22) and exterior (R23) use categories. Secondly, the hazard level (HL) of the train is also an important factor, which is determined by the operation category and the design category. The material testing itself verifies compliance with the threshold values for oxygen content, flue gas density and toxicity. 

Complete cable glands undergo the “Integrity” fire resistance test. In our case, that means the UNI Dicht and blueglobe cable glands as well as the blind plugs. The demanding E30 fire resistance class was achieved in the test. In concrete terms, this means the cable glands are fire-resistant for 30 minutes, which is twice as long as required in accordance with EN 45545-3 (E15 = 15 minutes).

The Bombardier standard SMP 800 is designed to test the emission of toxic vapours by the sealing inserts of cable glands in the event of fire. Both PFLITSCH fire protection sealing inserts made of TPE and silicone are well below the limit values.

The US NFPA standard is also important. The tests examine properties such as heat development and visible smoke release rates. These properties were also tested for our fire-resistant sealing inserts made from TPE and silicone: both passed the tests successfully.