The Applied Technical Services Family of Companies (FoC) tests UV light to evaluate how materials respond to sunlight exposure.
How Does UV Light Damage Materials?
The sun emits UV rays that can cause chemical and physical changes in materials with a low resistance to UV light. This damage is called UV degradation and can affect various materials, including fabrics, plastics, and paints. UV degradation commonly causes several issues, including:
- Cracks
- Color Fading
- Reduced Strength
- Decreased Flexibility
The extent to which UV light damages materials depends on several factors, including the type of material, the UV light’s intensity, and the length of exposure. Certain materials are more susceptible to UV damage than others. For example, plastics, textiles, and rubber are relatively easily damaged by UV light, whereas metals are less vulnerable to UV damage.
What is UV Light Testing?
Manufacturers rely on UV light tests to observe how their products and materials respond to extended exposure to sunlight. These tests help manufacturers do the following:
- Age their products at an accelerated rate
- Maintain or improve quality control
- Develop new design choices
- Comply with industry standards and regulations
Our UV Light Testing Services
Our UV chambers can also imitate weather cycles by raising and lowering ambient temperatures, generating condensation/water spray, and varying the length of exposure periods. ATS uses all these variables to understand how the sample would react to some real environmental stimuli in a live-usage scenario.
Xenon Arc UV Testing
Our environmental testing experts use xenon arc chambers to evaluate how various materials respond to ultraviolet radiation.
QUV Weathering
Our QUV testing services allow our experts to observe how our client’s products respond to sunlight and similar weather conditions. This device excels at simulating outdoor conditions, providing manufacturers with the information needed to predict how the product may age in certain conditions over extended periods. Our UV light testing services comply with numerous ASTM standards, including the following:
- ASTM D2565
- ASTM D4459
- ASTM D4674
- ASTM D6695
- ASTM G154
- ASTM G155
Applied Technical Services
Founded in 1967, Applied Technical Services is a reputable provider of consulting engineering, testing, inspection, and calibration services nationwide. Throughout our 55 years in business, we’ve maintained the customer-centric structure of a local operation while significantly expanding our capabilities to better service clients in multiple industries. Is your company in need of high-quality UV light testing? Please submit a web request form or call +1 (888) 287-5227 to learn more about our UV testing capabilities.
