The flammability of materials and finished products used in commercial, industrial and residential environments is an important consideration in general efforts to minimize the risk of injury and death attributable to fires. Regardless of their specific composition, the materials may serve as an ignition source when used in close contact with heat or as fuel for an resulting fire. Some materials are more resistant to ignition sources than others, or burn faster or extinguish faster. Manufacturers should therefore consider different types of materials to reduce the possibility of fire associated with the use of their products.

What is flammability test

Flammability testing is the basic way to determine how easily a material or finished product will ignite or burn when placed or used close to fire or heat. In fact, the flammability test encompasses a number of different test protocols and methods which aim to measure the specific sensitivities of a material up to a source of ignition, propensity to burn, and combustion rate when fired. These and other properties are evaluated to determine whether a particular material or finished product can be used safely without intended contribution to the risk of fire.

Why flammability testing is important

The United States, the European Union (EU) and other countries have introduced regulations that set minimum flammability requirements for many materials and finished products. Although the characteristics of these regulations vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the intention is the same; that is, to reduce unnecessary deaths and fire-related injuries. Compliance with these requirements is usually demonstrated by flammability test reports conducted by independent third parties. Judicial zones generally require special warning labels for the intended use of a product. Failure to comply with these requirements may prevent access to the market or lead to sanctions by regulatory authorities.

Our services at a glance

türcert of the latest technology products accredited with ISO 17025 flammability testing laboratories can evaluate the products and materials in accordance with Turkey and the EU flammability requirements. It is equipped to test a wide range of fabrics and textile products, consumer and industrial garments and other apparel as well as furniture products, furniture and toys. Our testing services can help ensure compliance with applicable regulations, avoid unnecessary delays in introducing new products to the market, and prevent costly implementation actions.

TÜRCERT's flammability testing services include testing for a number of fire-related properties, including:

• Ignition sensitivity
• Ignition rate
• Spread Fire
• Combustibility
• “Flash over” point

TÜRCERT's global reach also helps us to support worldwide supply chain oversight efforts and ensure that the products and materials supplied meet flammability regulations and other requirements and specifications.

Fire and Flammability Test

Will your products, subsystems, or components work as intended when exposed to fire or will they enter flames? Fire and flammability testing is required for products used in a wide range of industries such as Aerospace, Defense, Telecommunications and Consumer Electronics. EUROLAB offers fire and flammability testing services, which generally fall into two categories;

1. Ignition and flame spread
2. Fire resistance

Ignition and Flame Spread

Such tests are used to directly determine the effect of the flame on the operating or non-operating equipment. The devices tested can range from fuel or hydraulic lines to pumps or actuators for aircraft engines to telecommunications central office network equipment. Often the test is combined with additional factors such as vibration, pressure, gas and air flow and temperature changes depending on the formal specification and your individual requirements.

Fire resistance

The fire resistance test simulates the effects of a real fire. Measures the ability of substances to and will continue to burn in a fire environment. Flammability properties of materials exposed to controlled external flame are accurately measured. The flammability of the material is determined by a wide variety of criteria, depending on the product type and applicable standards.

Fire Test for Air Force and Aviation

The FAA and other organizations call a set of specifications for fire and flammability testing. These include RTCA DO-160 Chapter 26, ISO 2685, FAA AC20-135, FAA Powerplant Engineering Report No. 3A and FAR Section are in 25. EUROLAB holds a number of accreditation approvals, requiring specific burner equipment and customized fire chambers to meet specifications, safety of technicians and engineers. The technical characteristics are the various combustion lengths, the distance from the original edge to the farthest damage of the test specimen due to impact of the flame, and the burning time from failure of the components depending on the component being tested, for example 60 seconds. Internal compartments housing team or passengers.

EUROLAB uses both vertical Bunsen type and horizontal (see pictured above) liquid fuel burners. The flame temperature for the burners reaches the required 150 ° F ± 2000 ° F (1100 ° C ± 80 ° C). The heat flux of these burners is at least 4500 Btu (116 ± 10kW / m²) per hour.

Fire Test for Telecommunications

• Fire Spread Test GR 63-CORE
• NEBS Fire Test GR-63

The fire propagation test is part of the GR 63-CORE telecommunications standard. During fire propagation testing for NEBS certification, flames are allowed to leave the boundaries of the shelf, along with other criteria, for longer than 30 seconds. Fire is one of the tests that has undergone major changes in recent years. Verizon (SIT.NEBS.TE.NPI.2002.010, 1 Supplement 2002), GR-63-CORE or ANSI T1.319 has applied different test methods. Fire propagation is an area to be considered. TÜRCERT engineers work closely with our customers to minimize the cost of this difficult and destructive test.

Flammability of Plastic Materials

UL94

TÜRCERT offers a variety of tests for UL approvals, including flammability testing under UL94.

UL94 Flammability Test

• 94HB Horizontal Combustion Test
• 94V-0, V-1 or V-2 Vertical Combustion Test
• HBF, HF-1, HF-2 Horizontal Burning Foam Materials
• VTM-0, VTM-1 or VTM-2 Thin Material Vertical Combustion Test
• Glow Wire Combustion Test

TS EN 13501-1

It is a fire reaction classification standard for building materials, valid in European countries. In accordance with this standard, construction materials are subjected to the tests described in the standards set out in the following table. The table also indicates that different classes require different test methods.

IEC 60695-2-11; 60695-2-12; 60695-2-12

The glow wire test is used to simulate the heat effect that may occur in defective electrical equipment, such as overloaded or sparkling components. The test results provide a way to compare the ability of materials to extinguish flames and their ability to produce particles capable of spreading fire. The red wire apparatus and common test procedure are specified in IEC 60695-2-10. A finished product or a portion thereof is exposed to a luminous wire for 30 seconds at a specified temperature to determine whether contact exposure causes ignition. If the sample ignites the flame time, the maximum height and dripping material ignites a tissue layer below the sample. If there is no flame, the sample is considered to have passed. or when the flame is extinguished within 30 seconds of the glow wire being removed and the tissue does not ignite unless otherwise specified in the relevant specification. As the test specimens prevent testing, the test specimens shall be a finished product.

• IEC 60695-2-11 - Glow Wire Test (GWT) is used when a glow wire test is performed on a final product. The results of this test will be PASS or FAIL at a given temperature. Passing the test does not require the sample to fire or self-extinguish within 30 seconds after removal of the heated element. Furthermore, the sample may not fire the tissue paper when dripping occurs.
• IEC 60695-2-12 - Glow Wire Combustion Index (GWFI) is a property associated with the raw material used in the final product. This property is determined by performing the glow-wire test on a test plate of a raw material of a certain thickness. GWFI is the highest temperature at which the material does not ignite or self-extinguish within 30 seconds after removal of the heated element.
• IEC 60695-2-13 - Glow Wire Ignition Temperature (GWIT) is a property associated with the raw material used in the final product. This property is determined by performing the glow-wire test on a test plate of a raw material of a certain thickness. GWIT is the lowest temperature at which the material ignites and burns for more than 5 seconds, while the heated element is in contact with the test plate.

Contact TÜRCERT to learn more about our Flammability, Flame Retardancy, Flame Imperviousness and Flammability Testing services.