QUALITY
POLICY
It
is the policy of Clearwater Collection to supply quality consumer
Acrylic Bathroom products mostly for homeowners and commercial
establishments. This is to be continually achieved by ensuring
the quality of our product and service meets the customer requirements
while striving for continuous improvements in order to achieve
and maintain customer satisfaction.
To
this end the company is operating a documented quality system
with the emphasis on conforming to the requirements of ISO 9001:2000.
The most important aspects of the company's quality performance
are the quality of its products and services and its commitment
to continuous improvement.
Competent
and trained personnel, who are aware of the importance of meeting
customer requirements, carry out the operations of the quality
system. The quality system has been constructed from a series
of interlinked processes, which enable us to keep processes consistent
with customer requirements.
The
system is kept under continual review to identify improvement
opportunities and we ensure that our customers and suppliers participate
in the identification of improvements to products, services and
communication.
CLEARWATER COLLECTION LIMITED
FREE STANDING ACRYLIC BATH MANUFACTURING PROCESS
Clearwater
Collection manufactures "twin-skin" free standing acrylic
baths from two sheets of 5mm acrylic. The individual processes
are described below:
1.
VACUUM FORMING
A 5mm sheet of Sanitary grade acrylic is
clamped above a Vacuum forming Tool which is suspended on a rig.
Each individual bath has its own Mould Tool. The 5 mm sheet is
then heated under a special purpose oven for approximately 10
minutes at a temperature of 185 degrees centigrade. The air is
vacuum sucked from the mould which then draws the sheet down into
the mould to form the shape of the Bath. This method is used for
both the inner and outer bath skins.
2.
BATH REINFORCEMENT
After a bath shell has been formed it is
then reinforced with 700 grams of glass fibre laminate. The laminate
is initially sprayed on by a chop spray machine and then it is
rolled by hand to eliminate any air bubbles to ensure correct
adhesion to the shell. The shells are placed in the drying room
to cure. When dry, the outside skin is drilled on the foot platforms
and a fixing bolt and nut are secured. The nut is placed on the
inside and the bolt on the outer.
3.
CASTING DEPARTMENT
Clearwater has developed a stone based polyester
cast resin mix that is poured onto the inner of the outer shell.
Bodyfiller is placed onto the tap ledge to give it extra strength
and a honeycomb structure is applied to the sides, ensuring maximum
heat retention. The already trimmed inside shell is then inserted
into the outside shell and clamped into position. This is then
left to cure.
4.
TRIMMING
After curing the Baths are trimmed to remove
any surplus acrylic and at this stage adhesion tests are carried
out.
5.
FINISHING DEPARTMENT
The Baths are then transported for 100%
inspection in the finishing department. The underneath where the
two skins meet filled with a bonding paste to ensure strength
and rigidity. When the bonding paste has cured, the under rim
is sanded both with rough and smooth grit to ensure a smooth flat
finish. The bath, where required, is then drilled to meet the
customers specification i.e. tap holes, waste hole, overflow,
touch pad. Each bath is then put through the rigorous quality
test procedure and any imperfections are identified and removed.
The bath is then polished to a high quality finish and packed
to the specification required.
6.
IN PROCESS INSPECTION
At all stages the individual operator is
made accountable for their workmanship and an individual personal
inspection sticker is added to the bath through every process.
SPECIFICATIONS/DIMENSIONS
Each bath is different, but as a guide the
average dimensions are as follows. Please refer to our Baths page
for examples of current models.
Depth
Average: 470mm
Width Average: 750mm
Length Average: 1690mm
Water Capacity Minimum: 180 litres
Weight Average: 35kg
Acrylic Thickness: 5mm per skin
