AWL are pleased to be helping Grayson Automotive Systems confirm the corrosion durability for their pump coatings and heat exchange cooling systems using test cycles according to ISO 9227. Grayson Thermal Systems designs, tests, manufactures, supplies and services innovative heating and cooling systems for OEMs in the bus and coach, commercial vehicle, rail, off-highway, defence and stationary battery energy storage system sectors.
AWL Ltd are pleased to have helped Unova Paint Products Ltd confirm high corrosion durability for their Fluoro Ethylene Vinyl Ether resin-based topcoat paint systems after CX and C5VH qualification according to ISO 12944-9:2018. This test regime is a tough cyclic ageing environmental test incorporating UVA, condensation, salt spray and low temperature exposures within its cycle. Only the toughest of paint systems will qualify
Fluoropolymer coating technology has provided an opportunity for a substantial reduction in repainting and maintenance schedules helping to bring down the overall carbon footprint of your project. AWL Ltd are UKAS accredited for performing ISO 12944:2018 paint qualifications for all durability categories according to the testing requirements of parts 6 and 9. Contact us to find out more.
We are pleased to be helping Iceland based Markus Lifenet confirm the UV durability for their safety critical Markusnet system.
The Markusnet is a rescue device that enables one person to react immediately and effectively to a man overboard situation along a ship side or quay. The net enables rescuers to lift the victim in seconds, despite freeboard height of vessel, thereby greatly decreasing the level of danger. It can also be used with a crane.
It provides the ability to lift/hoist crew while standing or siting in the net. It can also be used to lift/hoist unconscious crew in a horizontal position.
The Markusnet type MS is mandatory equipment on decked vessels in several countries. It is also standard equipment in all harbours in Iceland and is now the model for international standards. It is manufactured in several standard versions, depending on freeboard height.
AWL were pleased to have helped Resdev Ltd (Resin Development) confirm relative wear performance between their ranges of flexible and seamless flooring systems. Resdev’s Pumadur range of high performance polyurethane flooring is designed to exceed the ever changing needs of both the industrial and commercial markets for seamless hygienic flooring.
For impact and abrasion resistance testing of raised digits, a new sample lay-out will be trialled at AWL for the first time. The current issue of 145e falls short of approved test methodology for number plates with raised digits particularly for impact, abrasion and post-abrasion retests to confirm continued compliance to clauses 5.3, 7 and 8.
AWL welcomes positive contributions by any interested party including BS technical committee members and BNMA for practical and meaningful test methodology for impact and abrasion as well as foreseen modifications regarding the current thermal resistance test method in terms of additional assessment for adhesion at the centre of the plate where longitudinal distortion dynamics caused by thermal gradients between +65C and -40C shall provide the greatest challenge for adhesion of raised digits. It is hoped this additional discussion and R&D at AWL will help format the next issue of BSAU145.
Consideration to the return of the old 145d vibration rig for post-thermal, post-corrosion and post-weathering clauses may help provide a meaningful assessment for acceptance of adhesion alongside peel tests perhaps?
Post-weathering test results are also of concern since they may show colour shift with risk of ANPR contrast, retroreflection and colorimetric non-conformances.
There are some out there that may consider this approach too maverick for a test house and that we should remain neutral and should wait for the technical committees and other organisations/associations to do their stuff to introduce practical yet meaningful amendments to this British Standard to cater for the popularity of 4D and gel number plates.
I do not take this approach due to the glacial speed these organisation take to get things done.
Lets face it. The demand is high and 4Ds are here to stay!
To be continued……..
We would like to remind any potential manufacturers of gel and 3D number plate digits, that the sample units submitted for testing shall be prepared according to Fig 1 of BS AU 145e:2018 (see below) onto fully constructed number plates using acrylics, adhesives and reflective sheets that have previously demonstrated conformance to 145e.
A sticky point with raised digits of any kind is the requirement for abrasion resistance that is currently required over the reflective only. There is concern here at AWL that when raised digits are abraded according to 145e, they may change colour/contrast causing them to fail post-abrasion colour, contrast and retro-reflection requirements.
We have seen black gel and acrylic 3D digits turn a grey after abrasion (clause 13) and UV weathering testing (clause 15).
AWL would suggest a specific sample unit for abrasion testing (if we are to stay with the current 145e methodology) that comprises of the characters B and 8 shown in Fig 1 but mounted centrally and longitudinally using the correct spacing ensuring the minimum length is 200mm to suit the stroke length requirements of clause 13. Discussions are ongoing………….watch this space.
We are pleased to be helping various second and third tier suppliers to BMW of small ancillary parts to confirm corrosion performance using the BMW group cyclic corrosion test AA-0224. The test is used to verify the resistance of surface coatings and adhesives to corrosive infiltration. Exposure periods range from 1 to 12 cycles (1 week to 12 weeks) depending on the corrosion performance requirement for the parts.
AWL are currently in discussion with manufactures of gel and 3D character digits with reference to their suitability and legality for sales within the UK . Gel and 3D plates are in popular demand for many car enthusiasts and dealerships but there is still an ongoing debate whether these are actually legal!
It is our opinion that as long as the digits pass the relevant clauses of BSAU145e:2018 there should be no reason why these should not be used, and we have recently helped a major UK supplier of number plates achieve conformance to 145e for both gel and acrylic 3D number plate constructions (reflective/adhesive/acrylic combinations) that can demonstrate 145e conformance on their own.
The gel and 3D digits will need to be tested as fully constructed number plates and should be submitted for testing according to Fig 1 within 145e the same as any other number plate. Digits should not be submitted for testing as stand-alone samples.
Initial concerns for manufactures should be their ability to remain stuck to the plate after testing without delamination, and retain the required contrast ratio, low retro-reflection and colour requirements after thermal cycling and UV weathering for ANPR capture.
We are pleased to be working with Dow Silicones UK Ltd to verify the UV resistance of various formulations of silicones in a relative performance trial using our array of accelerated weathering test chambers.
We are pleased to be continuing our longstanding partnership with Radmet Consulting Ltd for the provision of our corrosion testing services. Radmet Consulting are experts in metallurgical failure analysis, materials testing and expert witness representation.
