Global chemicals giant BASF is stepping up its push into railway safety, rolling out a wide portfolio of engineering plastics designed to meet some of Europe’s toughest fire protection standards.

 

Safety, fire protection, and reliability are key requirements in the railway industry - especially for electrical and electronic components. 

 

Numerous BASF Engineering Plastics grades meet the European railway standard EN 45545 and are certified accordingly. This enables manufacturers to reliably fulfill the stringent fire safety requirements in rail vehicle construction.

 

At the heart of the standard is a simple goal: save lives in worst-case scenarios.

 

The EN 45545 standard aims to minimize the likelihood of fire ignition, slow down flame spread in the event of a fire, and limit the emission of smoke and toxic gases. This ensures that passengers and personnel have sufficient time to safely evacuate the vehicle even in extreme situations. 

 

Depending on the area of use and the specific application, different Hazard Levels (HL) are defined. BASF engineering plastics are qualified for relevant application groups such as R22, R24, R25, and R34.

 

BASF’s focus is clear—critical electrical and electronic systems where fire risk can escalate quickly. Its solutions rely on advanced flame-retardant technologies engineered specifically for rail applications.

 

The focus of BASF plastic solutions tested according to EN 45545 is clearly on applications for electrical and electronic components. 

 

Specially developed flame-retardant systems of classes FR30, FR40, and FR72 - particularly relevant for the railway sector - are used, for example. The flame-retardant systems are based on nitrogen/phosphorus intumescent systems as well as magnesium hydroxide as a halogen-free alternative. 

 

These flame retardants without intentional addition of chlorine and bromine also minimize the potential risk of secondary damage caused by corrosive smoke gases.

 

Manufacturers also get a practical edge: greater flexibility without added regulatory hurdles.

 

Another advantage for processors and OEMs is that EN 45545 certification is color-independent. Once a material is certified, all color variants can be used without requiring additional approval. Different wall thicknesses are covered in the tests by defined minimum and maximum thicknesses, providing additional design freedom.

 

The company says it already has a deep bench of certified materials ready for deployment across rail systems.

 

With this broad portfolio, BASF supports rail vehicle manufacturers and system suppliers in implementing safe, high-performance, and standards-compliant plastic solutions for demanding railway applications.