Education

For the first time in over 30 years, the test standard ISO 105-B04 Textiles — Tests for colour fastness Part B04: Colour fastness to artificial weathering: Xenon arc fading lamp test has been updated. This revision clarifies the intent of the standar...

The Q-SUN Xe-3 xenon arc chamber reproduces the damage caused by full-spectrum sunlight and rain. In a few days or weeks, the Q-SUN tester can reproduce the damage that occurs over months or years outdoors. The Q-SUN Xe-3 tester is a full-featured li...

The Q-SUN Xe-2 rotating rack xenon arc test chamber reproduces the damage caused by full-spectrum sunlight and rain. In a few days or weeks, the Q-SUN Xe-2 tester can reproduce the damage that occurs over months or years outdoors. The Xe-2 tester is ...

The Q-SUN Xe-1 xenon arc chamber reproduces the damage caused by full-spectrum sunlight and rain. In a few days or weeks, the Q-SUN tester can reproduce the damage that occurs over months or years outdoors. The Q-SUN Xe-1 tester is a tabletop lightfa...

Weathering test standards often include guidance on repositioning of test specimens. This is the practice of moving specimens to different locations within a test chamber over the course of a test. Q-Lab considers specimen repositioning a best practi...

This question sounds straightforward, but it is based on some erroneous assumptions. Generally the person asking this intends to take the light output of the testers (expressed in Langleys, joules, or Watts/m2) and divide it by the intensity of outdo...

Automotive exterior testing has been using back spray for years. It’s required in order to run SAE J2527, the performance-based replacement for SAE J1960. This is the only standard that we know about which requires this odd function. Although we do o...

Background and Problem StatementQ-Lab worked to develop a correlative accelerated and outdoor testing program for an American manufacturer of high-end outdoor furniture. This company’s products are commonly installed in public places such as shared o...

Problem StatementA manufacturer of interior carpet for automobiles had no in-house testing capability to optimize the expensive UV stabilizers in their product. They found themselves spending a significant amount of time and money sending their newly...

Decoral America is the Florida-based subsidiary of Decoral, an Italian company that manufactures “decorative coating systems”. Their technology is based on a sublimation process to deposit decorative finishes on a wide variety of materials, including...