Hain-Yo Enterprise's Success Built on Innovative Faucet Valve

With pressure balance valves having been the higher-end replacement in kitchen and shower faucets, so equipped with anti-scalding feature, one world-caliber manufacturer in Taiwan, Hain-Yo Enterprise Co., Ltd., has successfully carved out a niche with such technology after decades of devotion to quality and R&D.

This maker, by specializing in pressure balance valves and ceramic cartridges since 1990, has achieved product differentiation in the sector, and later moved up the supply chain into OEM (original equipment manufacturing), effectively positioning itself on higher ground.

Running two factories, one each in Taiwan and China, Hain-Yo turns out a variety of pressure balance and ceramic valves, with 30% of which sold in Taiwan and the remainder exported to North and South Americas and Asia. This maker is also on the supplier list of globally well-known faucet vendors such as Delta and Moen.

Uncharted Territory
Ted Chang, the president, recalled having made the bold decision to venture into the pressure balance and ceramic valve sector, when almost none of his peers in Taiwan turned out such higher-end products, partly because traditional rubber seal-integrated valves were still popular and partly because the production called for more advanced equipment and higher technologies.

“It was uncharted territory that obliged us to learn by doing,” says Chang. To turn out quality products with functionality compliant with national standards, the company partnered with local ceramic companies in northern Taiwan to absorb know-how related to precision ceramic and processing skills, and imported high-grade ceramic powder and machinery from Japan for cross-nation cooperation.

Chang says that precision ceramic in pressure balance valves have to be sintered and formed into discs from 1600 to 1650 degrees Celsius to reach hardness of higher than 1000HV, and then surface processed, polished to a flatness within 0.2?m to meet international standards. All components and parts in the faucet that handle water-flow must be tested for non-toxicity.

Used to adjust incoming hot and cold water pressure and compensate for fluctuations in water temperature, pressure balance valves must also be able to maintain outlet water temperature within 48.9 degrees Celsius, with the incoming hot water kept between 48.9 to 82 degrees Celsius and cold water from 3.9 to 26.7 degrees Celsius.

Upgrades
Despite the challenge for a small and medium firm to meet applicable standards, Chang was unfazed, steadfastly upgrading manufacturing capabilities and laboratory equipment over the years.

Chang says his company has invested in manufacturing automation, with a full line of advanced equipment imported from Japan, including hydraulic injection machines incorporating robotic technologies and PLC controllers and computer controlled jet printers, to assure output quality consistency and production flexibility.

In addition, the company has also, after studying major American and European quality standards, upgraded testing instruments in its laboratory to do air tests (complying with AS NZS 3718-2005), burst pressure tests (ASME A112.18.1-5.3.2), pressure and temperature variation tests (ASSE 1016 2005-3.5.2) and life tests (ASME A112.18.1-5.2).

Furthermore, the company works strictly according to quality standards in its factory, which has been laid out for optimal output, as well as being ISO 9001 approved in 1999. Besides being trained in-house and outside periodically, each worker is also required to be part of the entire quality check process, from incoming material, spot-checking to pre-delivery inspections. “Hain-Yo aims to achieve the highest quality standards by adhering to the TQM (total quality management) concept; while most customers are satisfied with our manufacturing and management after visiting our facilities,” Chang stresses.

Quality Assurance
Showing the JH01 GJ gear-type pressure balance valve as example, Chang says the ceramic disc has hardness rating of 1100HV, with surface roughness ranging within Ra0.2?m, and flatness rated 0.6?m. With the piston of 303 stainless steel, the valve is extremely precise in parallel and concentric parameters, and meets ANSI/ASME A112.18.1 standards.

Besides being able to keep outlet temperature constantly at sub-48.9 degrees Celsius, the valve also can maintain outlet temperature to within 2 degrees Celsius to ensure both safety and comfort. Another cutting-edge feature is the high-precision piston which automatically lowers the flow rate to 1.9 liters per minute within five seconds to keep outlet temperature constant when cold water supply fails, which has passed the anti-scald standard ASSE 1016

The company's pressure balance valves resist against air pressure of 100PSI and water pressure of 500PSI, and are tested for 500,000 actuations under ASME requirements. Some have also been patented in the U.S., China and Taiwan for its improved structural designs and functionality. “Our valves are certified by NSF in the U.S., WARS in the U.K., ACS in France and Water Mark in Australia and New Zealand, which reflects our determination to be a top-caliber supplier,” says Chang.

Customer-oriented Service
Backed by over 20 years of manufacturing experience, the company is noted for its customer-oriented services, and recognized as a competent ODM (original design manufacturer).

Drawing on state-of-the-art computer software and instruments as the 2.5D optical measuring system and its capacity for trendy design, the company can handle R&D projects to build pressure balance valves according to customer specifications, claims Chang.

Furthermore, the company can also deliver valves in different materials and economical ceramic discs for better marketability. “We believe only a truly needed product can create maximum value for customers. So, we base R&D on customer needs and help them to develop ideal valves for different markets. This is our effective strategy that builds long-term partnerships with domestic and foreign buyers,” says Chang.

The company's superb R&D capability is reflected in its participation in developing the water recycling system-integrated IR faucet in 2010, which has been developed by a Taiwan's leading IR faucet manufacturer with help from the ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institution)'s Water-Ware Team.

After reviewing suppliers for some time, ITIR's engineers chose Hain-Yo among numerous candidates as the valve designer for the IR faucet, mainly because the company was one of the very few Taiwanese valve makers familiar with the NSF standards and experienced in developing, manufacturing ceramic valves.

Vertical and Horizontal Integration
With the IR faucet being a revolutionary product with a water-recycling system incorporating a super capacitor, Chang led his company's R&D team to redesign a ceramic valve with four interior inlets and functionally improved parts to ensure semi-automated operation of the IR faucet.

“Given a valve being the heart of a faucet, then we literally brought the IR faucet to life,” says Chang proudly.

To stay competitive, Chang says that the company has stepped up vertical and horizontal integration, and has been busy developing functionally improved valves for higher-end faucets and touch modules for bathrooms. “Bathroom touch modules, one of the newest concepts unveiled by German firms in recent years, are developed to integrate functions of bathroom lighting and shower faucet is the next-generation bathroom fitting. And we're partnering with Taiwanese firms from the electronic and faucet industries to explore such trend,” Chang says.

“To boost competitiveness to fend off rivalry from emerging countries, we always focus on R&D of higher-end products while tapping synergy to enhance profile globally,” says Chang.

Chang says his company plans to explore new markets in the coming years and boost global presence by participating in more international trade fairs, and he will personally visit overseas customers to build closer ties. (SC)

HAIN-YO ENTERPRISES CO., LTD.

102 Tientung Rd., Homei Town, Changhua County, Taiwan 508

Tel: 886-4-757-4837

Fax: 886-4-757-4817

E-mail: hainyo@ms24.hinet.net

http:// www.ceramiccartridge.com.tw