The Association

Objectives

Association Euro-Qualiflex (AEQ) is the association of the leading European manufacturers of flexible metal elements. Our key objectives are:
 

  • professional representation of our members´ interests to make sure that they are heard and understood
  • initiate and support European and international standardisation to improve the safety and reliability of our members´ products even further
  • award the AEQ Certificate as meaningful and independently verified proof of our members´ excellent competence in designing and manufacturing flexible metal elements
  • drive and finance fundamental research to increase knowledge and take the state of the art to the next level

Key facts

FOUNDED in 1966
18 MEMBERS with production sites in 24 COUNTRIES,
940 MILLION EUROS TURNOVER with flexible metal elements, and more than
8.000 EMPLOYEES

Organization

President

Serhan Alpagut (Ayvaz A.S.)

Administrative Council

Serhan Alpagut (Ayvaz A.S.)
Andreas Brand (Senior Flexonics GmbH)
Johannes Nührenberg (EagleBurgmann Germany GmbH & Co. KG)
Dr. Marc Seckner (Witzenmann GmbH)
Andrea Spadone (Tubiflex S.p.A.)

General Assembly

The General Assembly meets at least once a year at changing locations.

General Manager

Stefan Thomann

Office

Association Euro-Qualiflex
Iltisweg 6
72336 Balingen
Germany
Tel.: +49 7433 3869 176
E-mail: aeq@kellencompany.com

aeq certificate

AEQ quality catches on - always! And in order to show supreme quality to customers at first glance, AEQ developed a challenging catalogue containing all the central requirements for quality and reliability in this product sector. If an independent notified body confirms compliance, the awarded company can use the AEQ Certificate as independent and meaningful proof of quality. Customers can be sure to get a reliable product that will comply with their requirements and exceed their expectations.

Key Elements
  • Working QualityManagement System
  • Compliance withrelevant Standards
  • Qualified Suppliers &Equipment
  • Validated Manufacturing & Welding
  • Significant TestingProcedures
  • Appropriate ProductLiability Insurance
  • Independent Verification

Working Quality Management System

  • e.g. ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949, etc.

Compliance with relevant Standards

  • design and calculation according to relevant European Regulations and Directives, European and international standards, amd/or customer specific requirements

Qualified Suppliers & Equipment

  • selection of qualified suppliers to comply with product specifications
  • appropriate own forming equipment and regular maintenance

Validated Manufacturing & Welding

  • validated manufacturing methods and welding procedures
  • qualified personnel and welders

Significant Testing Procedures

  • suitable testing procedures and equipment to comply with the relevant technical standards
  • regular calibration

Appropriate Product Liability Insurance

  • liability insurance premium with a sufficiently wide scope and sufficient insurance sum

Independent Verification

  • independent third-party verification by a notified body
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Standardisation

Standardisation is extremely important to AEQ and its members. It helps implementing legal requirements and other reasonable requirements into significant standards that are developed by experts for these products and thus make sure that the standards work in practice. Standards make products safer and set a minimum standard which customers can rely on.

The most important standards are EN ISO 10380 and EN 14585 for corrugated metal hoses and hose assemblies, and EN 14917 for metal bellows expansion joints for pressure applications:

EN ISO 10380
Pipework - Corrugated metal hoses and hose assemblies (2012)
This international Standard specifies the minimum requirements for the design, manufacture, testing and installation of corrugated metal hoses and metal hose assemblies.

EN 14585
Corrugated metal hose assemblies for pressure applications (2024)
This harmonised European Standard specifies the requirements for material, design, manufacturing, testing and documentation for corrugated metal hose assemblies with a maximum allowable pressure PS greater than 0,5 bar.

EN 14917
Metal bellows expansion joints for pressure applications (2021)
This harmonised European Standard specifies the requirements for design, manufacture and installation of metal bellows expansion joints for pressure applications, i.e. maximum allowable pressure greater than 0,5 bar.
Requirements are given for calculation and design of single and multi-ply expansion bellows which may be unreinforced, reinforced or toroidal. They may be subject to internal or external pressure and axial, lateral or angular displacement. Suitable materials and their physical properties are listed.
In addition, information is given on the proper selection and installation of expansion joints in piping and pressure vessel application.

Please find a selection of additional relevant standards for metal hoses here and expansion joints here.
 

Standardisation Committee CEN/TC 342

AEQ initiated European standardisation in the early 1980´s already and has supported it ever since. Standardisation is organised in CEN/TC 342 which covers metal hoses, hose assemblies, bellows and expansion joints for general applications and for specific applications as required by the market, but avoiding an overlap with other relevant CEN/TCs.
 

The products covered by CEN/TC 342 are used for a wide range of applications, such as:

  • pressure equipment
  • gas & water distribution and appliances
  • petrochemical industry
  • automotive industry
  • refrigerating industry

Stakeholders involved in the standardisation process are:

  • manufacturers
  • users
  • authorities and non-governmental organisations
  • testing organisations
  • consumers

Benefits

  • safer and more reliable products
  • harmonized products and materials to be used within applications governed by European Regulations and Directives where the CE mark is needed
  • avoiding the fragmentation of the market with products that are produced according to similar but not identical national standards
  • more economic products

Working Groups

CEN/TC 342 has three working groups covering its specific areas of activity:

  • WG 1: Hose assemblies and fittings
  • WG 2: Expansion joints
  • WG 3: Hose assemblies for gas applications
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Hydrogen

Hydrogen is a key component in the European Union's strategy to the energy transition, net-zero, and sustainable development. Its characteristics, such as high flammability, easy diffusion and low transport temperatures, can be challenging for certain applications, however, and essential standardisation is, to a large extent, still missing. There are many high-level initiatives on both EU and national level to kick-off and coordinate these urgently needed standardisation activities.

AEQ established a Working Group Hydrogen Standardisation to focus on standards that impact metal hoses, bellows and expansion joints specifically. We want to make sure that they address hydrogen applications completely and appropriately. Our key activities are to

  • review existing standards for gaps and identify areas where new standards are needed;
  • identify the responsible bodies, e.g. ISO, CEN-CENELEC, national standardisation bodies, or private bodies; and
  • develop AEQ´s position and bring it into these bodies, ideally by active participation.

The most important aspects to investigate and address in standards are

  • safety;
  • reduced lifetime;
  • temperature;
  • material restrictions;
  • cleanliness;
  • test methods; and
  • certification
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Continuous Research

Continuous research is of utmost importance to understand and predict the behaviour of flexible metal elements under certain conditions. It improves the state of the art and allows our members to offer better solutions at more attractive prices.

AEQ has started to research creep fatigue, which can have a large influence on the lifetime of metal bellows at high temperatures and long holding times, in 2012 already. The results of this ongoing research will help our members reducing the risk of premature failure and saving costs because products will no longer have to be overdesigned.