The Exova Group, which was recently acquired by Element Materials Technology, has announced an investment in both weather and security testing rigs at its Wednesbury laboratory to improve the quality of services to customers.
The new equipment will be utilised for weather and security testing doors and windows to BS 6375-1, including air permeability, water tightness and wind resistance. Having previously accommodated weather test samples up to 4m high and 3m wide, Element is now increasing this ability with an additional weather rig able to accept test samples up to a maximum of 5m wide and 4m high. The laboratory’s security testing capability has also increased with another new rig that will fit samples up to 5m wide and 3m high, giving the facility three security rigs that can be utilised to test simultaneously.
A customer requiring a full initial type test program on both doors and windows will be able to carry out the four weather and security tests simultaneously on different test rigs. According to Element, this will mean test programmes that would have taken several days can now be completed in a fraction of the time.
John Lawrence, managing director of Westcoast Windows, commented: “We have been working with Exova for over seven years, employing their weather tightness and security testing equipment to enable third party independent certification of our composite windows and doors. Their investment in the new larger testing rigs has enabled us to test our largest sliding doors, which was essential to ensure our full range of products can be encompassed within the Exova BM TRADA Q Mark scheme and Secured by Design accreditation demanded by our customers.”
Element provides testing to British, European and International standards for Secured by Design, CE marking and individual specifier requirements for doors and windows.
