--- url: https://www.pond-cover.com/vs/hexagonal-vs-generic-copies title: Hexagonal floating cover vs generic copies description: AWTT-patented hexagonal floating cover vs generic copies — engineering envelope, certification, peer-reviewed validation, and patent lineage. updated: 2026-05-28 --- # Hexagonal floating cover vs generic copies > The AWTT-patented hexagonal floating cover (Hexprotect® AQUA — 99% coverage, 130+ MPH wind, 25+ year life, AWTT-published, peer-reviewed) and generic copies share the visible shape, not the patented engineering, certified envelope, or peer-reviewed validation. Generic hexagonal floating cover copies replicate the visible shape of the AWTT-patented design. They do not replicate the AWTT-patented engineering, the AWTT-published certified envelope, or the peer-reviewed lifecycle validation behind the AWTT line. The decision between them is the difference between a financeable 25-year deployment and a procurement risk that re-covers at year 3–5. For the engineering catalogue of how copies typically fail — open ballast chambers, thinner walls, flat dome profiles, missing certifications — see the deep explainer at [/why-copies-fail](/why-copies-fail). ## Why the copy category exists The hexagonal shape is visible, the moulding tooling is accessible at low investment, and the patent on the geometry alone is harder to enforce than the patent on the engineered ballast mechanism. The AWTT patent (2010) covers the self-ballasting design as the foundational claim; the AWTT-published refinements (sealed pre-ballasted shell, raised side walls, central-dome geometry) that distinguish Hexprotect® AQUA from the retired original are visible only to engineers, not to the shape-copying market. ## The five recurring failure patterns 1. **Open self-fill ballast chambers.** Copies frequently re-introduce the retired AWTT chamber design. The original AWTT shortcomings — biological harbouring, ballast loss on tip — return with them. 2. **Thinner side walls.** Tessellation drifts under sustained wind; the AWTT-published 130+ MPH envelope is not on offer. 3. **Flat or shallow central-dome profiles.** Rainwater pools on top of the cover, debris accumulates rather than shedding naturally, AWTT-engineered tessellation tolerance is lost. 4. **Absent NSF/ANSI food-grade certification.** Generic HDPE is not the same as AWTT-published certified material — for potable applications, the cover is non-conforming under EU and UK regulations. 5. **Absent peer-reviewed validation.** Vendor-only claims are not the same as AWTT's USDA Bureau of Reclamation field measurements or DOE heat-retention recognition. For a 25-year procurement, the validation is the difference between a financeable lifecycle and a project risk. ## The procurement choice For a 25-year industrial deployment with documented compliance, NSF/ANSI certification requirements, or hurricane-exposed siting, the AWTT-patented line (Hexprotect® AQUA — AWTT-published 130+ MPH, 25+ year, 99% effective coverage) is what the spec sheet requires. Hexofloat® (EuroCover, AWTT-design-approved, EuroCover-published 75 MPH, 15 year) extends the AWTT family for EU origin and shorter lead times. Generic copies are below both envelopes. ## Sources - AWTT — [Hexprotect® AQUA hexagonal cover](https://www.awtti.com/products/hexprotect-aqua/) — manufacturer canonical reference for the AWTT-patented hexagonal floating cover envelope. - [Why hexagonal floating cover copies fail](/why-copies-fail) — full engineering analysis of the five failure modes. - USDA Bureau of Reclamation — independent evaporation suppression field measurements (AWTT-line peer-reviewed validation). - US Department of Energy — recognition of AWTT cover heat-retention contribution. ## Frequently asked questions ### What makes a 'generic copy' different from the AWTT line? Five engineering patterns recur across generic hexagonal copies: open self-fill ballast chambers (the AWTT-retired pre-AQUA design), thinner side walls that allow tessellation drift under wind, flat or shallow central-dome profiles that pool rainwater, absent NSF/ANSI food-grade certification, and absent peer-reviewed wind / evaporation validation. The visible hexagonal shape replicates; the AWTT-patented engineering inside the shell does not. See [/why-copies-fail](/why-copies-fail) for the engineering analysis. ### Is this a Covex / brand-X accusation? No. This page is a generic engineering critique, not a single-supplier accusation. Several manufacturers ship hexagonal copies into the EU market; the failure modes catalogued here recur across the category. Patent enforcement is a separate legal matter handled through the appropriate channels. ### What documentation should I require in an RFP? Three documents that copies typically cannot supply: (1) wind certification documentation matching the site exposure (Hexprotect® AQUA carries the AWTT-published 130+ MPH peer-reviewed envelope); (2) NSF/ANSI food-grade certification (required by EU Drinking Water Directive and UK DWI Regulation 31 for potable applications); (3) peer-reviewed lifecycle validation (USDA Bureau of Reclamation field measurements, DOE recognition — AWTT-published). ### Can a copy save money vs the AWTT line? Per-m² capex, typically yes. Over a 25-year horizon, typically no — copies are not engineered for the AWTT-published 25-year envelope and usually require re-cover events at year 3–5 and again at year 10–15. The 10-year TCO frequently inverts once the compliance documentation cost (NSF/ANSI) and the re-cover capex are factored in. ## Sources - Hexprotect® AQUA carries the AWTT-published 130+ MPH wind certification and 25+ year service life envelope on the AWTT-patented hexagonal floating cover platform. — [AWTT — Hexprotect® AQUA hexagonal cover](https://www.awtti.com/products/hexprotect-aqua/) - AWTT-line peer-reviewed validation includes USDA Bureau of Reclamation evaporation field measurements and US Department of Energy heat-retention recognition. — [AWTT — Hexprotect® AQUA hexagonal cover (validation references)](https://www.awtti.com/products/hexprotect-aqua/)