Engineered to Fail

Engineered to fail. It sounds preposterous! Imagine a car company boldly asserting that they’ve engineered their vehicles to break down. Consider the ramifications of a personal computer maker revealing that their computers were designed to crash. Engineering for failure, simply put is not a sound business strategy, except when it comes to rupture discs (also known as bursting discs) used in process safety systems. These sacrificial parts are designed to burst when pressure within production equipment exceeds a certain threshold by breaking down, stopping the process to prevent or mitigate hazardous events.

Rupture discs are critical instruments utilized so that companies can ensure process safety as set forth by the International Safety Standards (IEC 61508/61511). These devices prove most effective when they fail according to pre-established specifications. Inferior rupture discs often cause unnecessary and expensive production shutdowns due to the lack of quality testing and expertise in manufacturing.

At Continental Disc Corporation, we specialize in engineering and manufacturing the highest caliber rupture discs on the market.

To that end, we partnered with Intertek Consulting Services, the leading provider of safety system assessment and verification. Intertek has performed an independent analysis of our HPX, BDI (Burst Disc Indicator), and BDI-FLX products. Each one of these products scored an equivalent SIL (Safety Integrity Level) rating of four (4), the highest rating available.

Shane Bacon, CDC’s Director of Quality and Compliance states, “Through detailed probabilistic failure mode analysis and evaluation of our products, we can confidently say that our HPX and burst disc indicator products provide our customers with the highest levels of safety protection.”

For over 50 years, Continental Disc Corporation has manufactured premier rupture disc products for a variety of process industries. Aviation, aerospace, and defense sectors have turned to us to solve their complex, specialized pressure protection and pressure activation needs. Our reverse acting rupture discs are proven to be essential to chemical processing industries seeking to operate systems near designated pressure capacity. Petroleum refining and hydrocarbon industries rely on the sealing capabilities of our rupture discs for cost-effective system protection with a focus on fugitive emissions. Beverage, food, dairy and pharmaceutical industries depend on our sanitary line of discs, specifically developed to meet stringent purity requirements.

When it comes to safety, there is no room for compromise or margin for error. Complex manufacturing infrastructures require safety systems that reduce the risk of hazardous events, while ensuring process reliability, productivity, and profitability. Upon rigorous assessment, Intertek awarded our HPX, BDI, and BDI-FLX products the coveted SIL rating of four, a score that cannot be improved upon.

Intertek’s findings serve as evidence of what we at CDC already know — our products are the finest that money can buy. This independent evaluation demonstrates our commitment to unmatched safety and top-of-the-line quality. Contact us today to discover more about our extensive offerings, or to help you choose the right disc to fit your needs, use our Disc Selection Form here.

Click here to view the SIL letter from Intertek.