Plastic components play a fundamental role in taps: the cartridge, in particular, is made using special food-mix plastic that is completely free of toxic elements. Carlo Nobili Rubinetterie has long introduced an excellent department with 18 presses, 10 of which are hydraulic and 8 electric, used according to the component to be produced: the electric machines, driven by a servo-controlled motor, enable a more refined process management and are therefore more precise. These are used for small and very thin components. The more versatile hydraulic machines, instead, have no size limits and can be used for the production of large components. The department uses 30 types of polymers, deposited in special cells connected to a sophisticated dehumidification system capable of making them perfectly suitable for the transformation process. This department too is waste free: residual material is immediately ground and mixed with the virgin polymer in different percentages depending on the piece to be produced. Thanks to the cutting-edge machinery employed, the manufacturing runs 24/7, and even also during the 14 hours when the plants are not looked after by workers: in the event of any wrong functioning or of non-compliance with the parameters set, they stop automatically. As such over 15 million components are produced every year in this department, by using 120 tons of polymers.