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New RotoMolded Fuel Tank Earns EPA and CARB Certification

ASHTABULA, Ohio--A new three-layer plastic fuel tank offered from custom rotational molding and design firm MODRoto (formerly Meese Orbitron Dunne Co.) has earned EPA and CARB certification for meeting Title 40: Part 1060 standard covering fuel vapor permeation from tanks in watercraft, recreational vehicles, lawn and garden equipment, and other non-road and stationary equipment.

MODRoto (www.modroto.com) worked with Bluskies International, LLC in Bartlett, Ill., to create a unique resin to build the three-layer tank that features a proprietary design with two layers of polyethylene separated by a barrier layer of ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH). The new fuel tank replaces cumbersome, five-and seven-layer plastic fuel tanks with a streamlined design that complies with regulations and can be manufactured at a reduced cost.

The rotomolding involved in the making of the three-layer tank "allows for more complicated geometries and more affordable molds on low-volume products," said Mike Dorsey, vice president of manufacturing for MODRoto.  "The tooling costs up front are only a fraction of what it is with blow molding."

A typical-sized fuel tank in rotomolding will likely cost $10,000 to $15,000 on a tool, whereas the cost is seven to ten times greater for blow molding, Dorsey said.

The new fuel tank may be custom designed and rotomolded to fit nearly any size, shape, or space and is available in a choice of colors and finishes. Rotationally molded in a single piece, the new fuel tank offers superior impact strength versus metal tanks and eliminates their potential for leaks at welds, seams, and fastening points, according to the company.

"Longevity wise, one of the biggest problems with some of the metal fuel tanks, whether they're steel or fabricated aluminum tanks, is the high cost, particularly in labor. And then you're always worried about leaks from the wells from fatigue down the road which you wouldn't get in a plastic fuel tank," Dorsey said.

MODRoto is a custom design and manufacturing company specializing in the conversion of metal, fiberglass, wood and other parts or products into complete, integrated, rotationally molded plastic designs. The company operates more than 20 rotational molding machines in four facilities throughout the United States.