Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Entrance, Internal, Sliding & Bi-folding Doors 103 THE door industry journal spring 2024 Even though the human eye cannot detect them, UV rays can cause substantial damage to doors. UV radiation exposure can lead to colour change, reduction in gloss levels, cracking, crazing, chalking, blistering, hazing or complete product failure in relatively short periods of time. Any product which has intermittent exposure to natural light, even indoors behind glass or which is exposed to fluorescent light, should undergo some form of UV testing. Doors are a prime example of where this degradation can occur, as a result of the effects of sunlight on the material that the door is made from. UV testing: how does it work? To reproduce the impact of ultraviolet radiation exposure, accelerated UV testing can be conducted in a controlled laboratory environment. The process uses a combination of intense UV, heat, and moisture to test materials and components for degradation. To give housebuilders and homeowners complete peace of mind, it’s vital to find industry experts with the right laboratories and testing equipment to ensure the process is as accurate as possible. Specialist laboratories, such as Element Materials Technology’s Wednesbury laboratory, can perform a wide range of UV tests with programmable temperature, humidity and irradiance, including Xenon Arc and Fluorescent QUV, as well as testing that mimics outdoor exposures experienced in Florida and Arizona, where the climate is more extreme. The laboratory can also perform assessments pre and post-tests and at various intervals. These include colour and gloss measurements, weight, AATCC Greyscale readings, as well as mechanical, impact and strength testing, to give a comprehensive picture of a product’s performance and provide a deeper understanding of a material’s behaviour. Usually, technical standards will detail test durations but would depend on factors such as the location of the door, the face being tested and whether it is in direct or indirect sunlight. Supply chain advantages Ultimately, UV testing provides housebuilders and door manufacturers with vital data quickly, and this data may otherwise have taken years to gather via customer feedback. The information generated from testing is enormously valuable and beneficial in terms of product design, quality assurance and any potential liability issues, as well as allowing manufacturers to sell products as superior in terms of performance and durability. Not only this, but these tests give a certain amount of protection against reputational damage and potentially costly remediation with homeowners in the future. UV testing also benefits door manufacturers who can avoid any potential product recalls for insufficient product standards in the future. In such a saturated market, being able to declare strength under the duress of UV light reinforces customer confidence and demonstrates that UV testing is an excellent way to stand out from competitors. For more information about Element Materials Technology, visit: https://www.element.com/materials-testing-services/ultraviolet-exposure-uv-weathering-testing 1 National Housing Federation - Building new homes 2 House building data, UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)
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