Why Request UV Weathering Testing?
Applied Technical Services offers our ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited ASTM UV testing capabilities to clients who need to determine the long-term effects of sunlight exposure on their product. The sun’s radiation can change an array of characteristics (both aesthetic and mechanical) in exposed materials over time. Certain types of polymers, for instance, may grow unstable and sustain cracks if exposed for significant, uninterrupted periods. The sun obviously emits visible light and heat, but these stimuli do not primarily contribute to chipping paints, fading fabrics, and cracking leathers — ultraviolet (UV) rays, the higher frequency of electromagnetic radiation found in sunlight, cause these phenomena.
Manufacturers and parts suppliers need to assess their products’ resistance to various weathering factors, including the sun’s rays. ATS’ accelerated weathering services help clients determine their design materials’ resistance to UV degradation.
Our ASTM UV Testing Capabilities
Our Environmental Testing division performs this testing using our fluorescent UV weathering chambers. These finely tuned machines not only produce carefully controlled ultraviolet radiation but also control relative humidity and ambient temperature to simulate a broad spectrum of climate conditions like those faced by products intended for outdoor service lives. ATS technicians can instead apply UV waves and temperature changes through a pane of glass to replicate the service conditions of automotive interior materials or those otherwise used near windows. ATS technicians then expose the sample to cycles of these stimuli in patterns outlined in the applicable testing standard or the client’s specifications as relevant to the situation.
We perform this method of testing to a variety of standard specifications, including the following for which we maintain ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation through the A2LA:
- ASTM D4329
- ASTM D4587
- ASTM D5894
- ASTM G154
- ISO 4892-3
- ISO 11507
- SAE J2020
About ATS
Applied Technical Services has dedicated itself to the pursuit of quality since our founding in 1967. While the 50+ intervening years have seen us expand the scope of our services — now offering an array including testing and analysis, consulting engineering, industrial inspections, equipment calibrations, personnel training, and forensic investigations — we have always balanced this growth by increasing the depths of our expertise.
We perform all ASTM UV testing under the umbrella of our ISO 9001:2015-registered quality management system. ATS maintains this distinction because it helps us continually improve our services and uphold the standard of quality and professionalism our clientele expects.
Products require testing appropriate to their intended service environment to verify their functionality and dependability before they go on to mass production. Consider working with an environmental testing expert for your next UV testing job — ATS takes a closer look!
