Cosmetic cover

To be allowed on your boat, a Plastimo compass must pass challenging quality control tests. Needless to say, all Plastimo compasses comply with the regulation... but Plastimo's stringent requirements are even more demanding : at every stage of production, each compass is tracked, checked and thoroughly inspected, so that quality is never a coincidence. Accelerated ageing tests, carried out in our laboratories, guarantee that the dome and all other components are totally impervious to UV rays. Vibration tests used to simulate the vibrations generated by rough sea and high-speed : the card must remain absolutely stable, whatever the vibration frequency. While the regulation requires tests from 7 to 40 Hz, Plastimo challenges its compasses to tests between 5 and 100 Hz. Temperature tests : our compasses are tested in heated and refrigerated cabinets from +60° to -20 °C (+180° to -70 °F). Even in these extreme temperatures, the compass must not leak or develop bubbles. Stability tests : when the card is deflected (40° or 90°), it must return to its original position and settle within a predetermined time (called the "half-period"). Precision and accuracy are tested on each cardinal point. After a 95° deflection, the card must return to its original position, within a 1° maximum allowance. Packaging protection : in order to guarantee optimum protection during transport, we regularly drop test our packaged compasses from a 1 metre height to a hard surface. Final quality tests : assembled, packaged and ready for shipment, Plastimo compasses are once again inspected with a statistical sampling.
These stringent tests and quality assurance procedures allow Plastimo to offer a 5 year warranty on all its compasses, and to certify an outstanding quality that meets all European and ISO specifications.

Dome

Pivot holder Pivot Pivot bearing Card Magnets Sapphire-cup Platform Index needles Lubber line

Expansion diaphragm

Compensation

B. Y. Leglatin ©

Plastimo compasses : the chamions' choice.
Yvan Zedda ©

Innovation stems from state-of-the-art research & development. For over 40 years, the Plastimo Research and Development department has created and engineered extremely dependable compasses, combining top performance with stylish design. Building on the same development philosophy, our engineers now use the most sophisticated computer assisted design programs.

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