Weathering Testing
VTEC Weather Testing Laboratory
Determining how a material or product will react to normal or extreme weathering is a critical process. It provides your team with essential data that will influence how you move forward — by modifying your design or continuing with the existing build. Our accelerated weather testing laboratory at VTEC Labs provides you with comprehensive information on how your products respond to nature’s forces. Our weathering testing gives actionable analysis and provides your team with the necessary data to develop performance-driven products. The best weather testing technology on today’s market is called accelerated weathering testing.
Contact VTEC
Since 1982, VTEC Laboratories has earned an international reputation for being a leader in industrial and commercial product test services. This includes a full-service accelerated weathering testing source. We’re a multifunctional company with a wide range of testing abilities including listing, labeling and follow-up inspection services.
Weathering testing is a primary service we’re proud to offer. As an ASTM-compliant testing service, we adhere to the highest standards to ensure you receive valid data you can rely on — every test and every time. We also do custom work for private businesses, government institutions and military applications.
When you collaborate with VTEC Laboratories, you benefit from our versatile skillsets, international reach and personal approach. Contact us today for the test you’re looking for. You can reach us online or call us at 718-542-8248.
What Is Accelerated Weathering Testing?
Weathering is a material or product’s adverse response to the Earth’s climate conditions. Solar rays, excessive humidity and extreme temperatures often cause early and complete product failures. That’s especially prevalent where products weren’t designed with materials suitable for weathering conditions they experience. It’s also a result of manufacturers failing to test their products under real or simulated conditions.
There’s no substitute for placing products in a real climatic environment and observing how they perform. However, testing in an open weather environment is a time-consuming process. Realistic tests taking months or years aren’t cost-effective. It’s far more efficient to accelerate the process by testing in a laboratory-controlled, simulated weather environment.
Accelerated weather testing lets you understand how your products respond to certain weather conditions. That can be regular weathering under normal conditions or seasonal fluctuations including heavy storms and natural disasters. By accelerating your weathering testing and regulating it in simulated conditions, you essentially get the same climate-response data, but in a much quicker time. You’ll have insight into how your products react to light, rain, heat, cold and other factors over specific periods.
How Does Accelerated Weathering Testing Help You?
Products and materials intended for outdoor use must be designed to withstand harsh weather conditions. Nature’s primary weather forces are sunlight, ozone, moisture, and temperature. Secondary forces include biological phenomena, sand, salt and air pollutants like chemicals and acid rain. Combined, these weather factors take a toll on outdoor pieces. Weathering testing before your manufacturing process is excellent insurance against premature and unexpected product failure.
Determining how products and their materials respond to normal and extreme weathering is critical. Testing is a vital part of making sure your product’s materials are suitable for the environment they’re destined for. Weathering testing provides your team with essential data that influences how you move forward. That data allows you to modify your design or continue with the existing build. When the military deploys their systems in extreme weather conditions, they first test the durability at VTEC.
Valuable data from accelerated weathering testing lets your company revise product design if it’s notwithstanding certain weather conditions. That might be by increasing its structural strength or decreasing its water penetration. Whether you build for residential applications or commercial purposes, weathering testing ensures your products are properly engineered to withstand every element they’re likely to find.
By controlling parameters and simulating natural weather conditions in our test chambers, VTEC Laboratories significantly accelerates product testing time. Instead of taking months or years to evaluate performance and provide meaningful data, VTEC’s accelerated weathering testing provides data in as little as a two-week turn-around. Some of the accelerated weathering testing conditions simulated in the test lab include:
- Solar exposure to natural, ultraviolet and infrared light
- Water exposure through simulated rain, condensation, and mist
- Temperature fluctuations from extreme heat and cold
- Salt and corrosion conditions
- Combined light, temperature, humidity and corrosive exposure
Accelerated weathering testing gives manufacturers significant benefits. Although it’s not possible to perfectly simulate every expected weather condition a product might find, laboratory data is sufficiently accurate to anticipate potential problems. This gives your research and design team critical insight to assess any improvements before actual production. By looking at elements like UV radiation, UV exposure, and water spray, VTEC labs temperature controlled analysis gives
Weathering testing on an accelerated scale allows multiple runs in a short time. It’s particularly efficient where new products must comply with strict regulations, such as protective coatings, paints, and varnishes. Weathering testing also provides you with an audit trail in case of future complaints or litigations. For careful manufacturers, accelerated weathering testing is part of production costs. They know it’s the cost of not weathering testing that’s really expensive.
Testing by Industry
At VTEC Laboratories, we offer weathering testing for many industries, including:
Our ISO-accredited facility adapts to more than 20 different test standards of leading agencies. VTEC weathering testing, however, focuses on the standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), which are in-depth and encompass a range of materials, like plastics, and several weather factors, such as humidity, water and light.
Types of Accelerated Weathering Testing
There are three distinct weathering testing types. Each technique has its specific applications along with pros and cons. The best option for a particular product depends on the objective, the time allotted and how detailed the data needs to be. These three tests for weathering are:
- Natural Weathering: This weathering testing process is also called static weathering. It’s the simplest form and relies on products being exposed directly to nature’s forces. Often, products are placed in racks and left out in the elements where they’re bombarded by solar rays, pelted by rain, baked in the sun and frozen in the cold. Natural weathering is the most authentic testing form because it’s a real-world and real-time process. Although natural weathering gives the truest data, the time frame makes it unsuitable for most manufacturers’ production schedule.
- Naturally-Accelerated Weathering: Accelerated natural weathering also involves direct exposure to nature. Products experience direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures that they’d receive once put into consumer end-use. However, the duration or length of exposure is significantly less than what it takes during natural weathering testing. That’s because technicians use assisting devices to accelerate weathering time. That can be mirror arrays to amplify solar radiation, water induction to increase moisture and artificial heat or cold to create temperature fluctuations. Naturally-accelerated weathering also can involve adding salt or chlorine to induce corrosion.
- Laboratory-Accelerated Weathering: Most weathering testing today occurs inside laboratories. Engineers and scientists use sophisticated equipment to create accurate climatic conditions that products are destined for after production. Specially designed weathering chambers mimic the light, temperature and humidity that exist in real environments. These climatic-controlled conditions accelerate weathering at a profound rate. In facilities like VTEC Laboratories, realistic weathering conditions accurately mimic actual factors found in nature. Laboratory settings considerably reduce testing time while delivering meaningful data that predicts a product's chance of success or failure once introduced to the field.
Because laboratory analysis is an artificial process, it’s mandatory to have test standards for weathering testing. Various procedures for an accelerated aging test include exposure of non-metallic materials to simulate natural conditions. That can involve friction testing, rubber deterioration or plastic breakdown under solar radiation.
VTEC Laboratories strictly adheres to weathering testing standards set forth by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Exposure tests that meet ASTM test standards are valid, reliable and recognized by every leading industry involved in weathering tests. You can depend on ASTM standards for in-depth analysis across a range of materials and a wide scope of climatic simulations.
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
Since 1898, the American Society for Testing and Materials has set the bar for product evaluation. The ASTM is a world leader in developing valid processes in over 12,000 applications. Testing standards are defined in directives identified by numeric prefixes followed by a clear written title identifying the subject matter.
By adhering to ASTM standards, VTEC Laboratories accurately recreates synthetic conditions closely resembling what products experience under extreme natural conditions. That might be using vulcanized rubber test standards or employing high-tech equipment like a carbon-arc light apparatus, a fluorescent ultraviolet (UV) lamp apparatus or a xenon arc light.
VTEC Laboratories depends on the ASTM’s leadership and global technical expertise for weathering testing standards and technical content development. Using the ASTM’s advanced information technology (IT) infrastructure, VTEC labs have access to the latest testing methods, classifications, specifications, guides and practices that support American business to create top-quality products.
VTEC Laboratories offers weathering testing services for many industries including aerospace, automotive, construction, government, military, oil and gas, textiles, manufacturing, chemicals, plastics and railroads. Typical products being tested are plastics and rubber. Regardless of material composition, each test follows rigorous steps to ensure valid assessment.
Each VTEC test follows guidelines set forth in ASTM directives. Some of the testing standards we offer are ASTM D573, ASTM D750, ASTM D1149, ASTM D2126, ASTM G154 and ASTM G155. Here is a detailed look at our most popular ASTM weathering tests:
ASTM D573
Standard Test Method for Rubber — Deterioration in an Air Oven - Rubber products need to resist physical property deterioration caused by thermal aging and oxidation. The ASTM D573 test method outlines how to assess rubber’s performance characteristics under specified accelerated conditions. Annex A1 in the directive has important information on precision testing and accelerating test age evaluation.
This weather testing procedure determines elevated temperature influence on vulcanized rubber physical properties. Because vulcanized rubber is a highly varied substance, ASTM D573 testing may not give an exact correlation with field service performance. Other rubber compounds evaluate test results on a laboratory comparison basis. ASTM D573 standards refer to documents that detail:
- Sample preparation for physically testing rubber compounds
- Test methods for vulcanized rubber and thermoplastic elastomer tension
- Materials, equipment and procedures for testing vulcanized rubber sheets
- Practice for evaluating natural rubber
- Test methods for evaluating styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)
ASTM D750
Standard Practice for Rubber Deterioration Using Artificial Weathering Apparatus - This ASTM directive describes standard practices for testing rubber deterioration using artificial instruments that recreate major natural factors like solar rays, heat and moisture. Instruments include a fluorescent ultraviolet light source, a xenon-arc light source, an enclosed carbon-arc light source and an open-flame carbon-arc light source. The purpose is to accelerate natural forces and put a strain on rubber products held in a jig.
Rubber products' resistance to accelerated forces is measured by a percentage decrease in tensile strength and the elongation breaking point. Resistance to amplified stresses is the main testing criterion. A secondary criterion is observing the extent of surface cracking or crazing on the rubber product. ASTM D750 standards refer to documents that detail:
- Test methods for thermoplastic elastomer tension and vulcanized rubber
- Best practices for rubber material testing including equipment and mixing
- Precise evaluation of test methods in the rubber and carbon industries
- Exposing non-metallic materials to laboratory light acceleration devices
- Preparing vulcanized rubber pieces for test purpose
ASTM D1149
Standard Test Methods for Rubber Deterioration — Cracking in an Ozone Controlled Environment - Weather testing rubber products in an ozone controlled environment is a highly important procedure. Ozone is destructive to both natural and synthetic rubber. Both rubber forms break down when exposed to ozone. That can seriously reduce a product’s service life unless treated accordingly.
The ASTM D1149 directive outlines procedures for testing rubber products’ resistance degree. That’s judged on cracks on rubber surfaces and rated according to magnitude and appearance. Test methods amplify light sensitivity through accelerated time and exposure intensity. ASTM D1149 standards refer to documents that detail:
- Rubber deterioration and surface cracking test methods for indoor ozone
- Outdoor ozone effects on surface cracks and rubber deterioration
- Best practices and standard conditions for rubber deterioration/cracking
- Testing rubber through dynamic ozone cracking in a chamber
- Rubber property testing for extension cycling fatigue
ASTM D2126
Standard Test Method for Response of Rigid Cellular Plastics to Thermal and Humid Aging - Rigid cellular plastics have a wide range of potential uses. ASTM D2126 prescribes detailed testing procedures for rigid plastics but cautions that test applications must be based on the product’s intended use. Plastics are notably sensitive to heat as well as light. Moisture is also factor in plastic weathering.
The standard test method for rigid cellular plastic products recommends a variety of conditions, depending on the desired exposure a product is likely to receive. Tested plastic products have various temperatures and humidity levels introduced in laboratory settings. Primarily, technicians record dimension changes occurring in stressed products. ASTM D2126 standards refer to documents that detail:
- Terminology relating to plastics
- Test methods for evaluating plastic responses under thermal and humid aging
- ISO standards for rigid-testing cellular plastics
- ANSI standards for rigid cell plastic testing
- ISC documents for aging on cellular plastics and elastomers
ASTM G154
Standard Practice for Operating Fluorescent Ultraviolet (UV) Lamp Apparatus for Exposure of Non-Metallic Materials - The ASTM G154 standard is one of the most common accelerated weathering testing practices in the industry. This involves subjecting products to intensified fluorescent ultraviolet light conditions for varying durations. G154 testing is also done in conjunction with increasing and decreasing moisture levels.
Because of the light spectrum found in fluorescent ultraviolet lights, this test is mostly done on products intended for low-light conditions such as indoor or shaded applications. Fluorescent ultraviolet weathering testing includes both UVA and UVB light spectrums. ASTM G154 standards refer to documents that detail:
- Calculating the property retention index of plastics
- Guide to conducting an interlaboratory study for precision test methods
- Terminology relating to artificial weather testing on non-metallic materials
- Practices for exposing non-metallic materials to laboratory light sources
- Reference tables for solar ultraviolet spectral distribution
ASTM G155
Standard Practice for Operating Xenon Arc Light Apparatus for Exposure of Non-Metallic Materials - Xenon arc light apparatus exposures perform best on materials destined for use in outdoor, bright light applications. ASTM G155 weathering test guidelines govern xenon arc lighting that’s similar to direct sunlight. Amplification with xenon arc lighting accelerates product testing time in a lab setting more than natural light conditions allow.
Many commercial and industrial products specify weather testing specifically involve G155 xenon arc lighting conditions. Aging acceleration with xenon arc lights normally includes repetitive cycles of light and moisture under controlled artificial environments. ASTM G155 standards refer to documents that detail:
- Best practices for interlaboratory testing of paint and related materials
- Conducting interlaboratory studies to determine test model precision
- Calculating plastic property retention indexes
- Practices for operating light-exposure apparatuses with moisture exposure
- Exposing non-metallic materials in accelerated test devices using laboratory light
Other Common Weathering Tests that VTEC Performs
Besides weather testing for solar radiation effects, moisture resistance and temperature sensitivity, many vulnerable products can be tested for other environmental threats. VTEC Laboratories specialize in weathering tests as per ASTM directives for light, humidity and temperature, but we do additional custom weather testing for these natural exposures:
- Salt spray and chlorine corrosion
- Sand and mineral abrasion
- Airborne pollutants
- Biological hazards
- Acid rain
- Thermal shock
- Vibration impact
Contact VTEC Laboratories for a Weathering Testing Quote
With more than three decades of experience and a knowledgeable team of engineers, VTEC Laboratories delivers the personable, fast and accredited weathering testing your company needs to drive product developments forward.
Request a weathering testing quote today by contacting us online or calling us at (718) 542-8248.
