Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are heavily regulated in the automotive industry, and for good reason. That new car smell that we are all too familiar with contains VOC chemical compounds that can potentially be a health hazard. VOCs emit from the car interior materials, such as the fabrics and dashboards. Research indicates that VOCs can cause cancer and respiratory issues in humans, which has led to the regulation of these chemical compounds by automotive companies. However, there is not a harmonized standard, nor is VOC testing a federal requirement. Most all automotive companies have their own internal standards that OEMs must adhere to in order to qualify as a supplier.
Automotive VOC emissions testing varies based on the company, and may include dynamic thermodesorption, bag testing, static headspace, chamber testing, and micro-chamber. ATS has developed the capability to test to the various automotive standards. The most recent addition to our list of automotive VOC testing is the chamber emission testing. The chamber testing is conducted to adhere to standards such as the General Motors specification, GMW15634. Using our one cubic meter test chamber ATS will be able help our customers ensure that their materials comply with specification requirements. Chamber testing is an area of VOC analysis that ATS expects to develop additional testing capabilities to test to in the very near future.
ATS’s current automotive VOC testing includes:
| Test Type | Method |
|---|---|
|
Dynamic Thermodesorption |
VDA 278 (A2LA Accredited) General Motors – GMW 15634 (A2LA Accredited) |
|
Bag Testing |
Ford – BZ-108-01 Honda – 0094Z-T7S-0000 Hyundai/Kia – MS300-55 Mazda – MES-CF 0806B Nissan – NES M0402 Toyota – TSM 050G, BSDM 0512, BSDM 0508 |
|
Static Headspace |
VDA 277 Ford – BZ 157-01 Volkswagen – PV 3341 (A2LA Accredited) Volvo – VCS 1027,2749/STD 1027,2714, VCS 1027,2759 |
|
Formaldehyde & Aldehydes |
VDA 275 Ford – FLTM BZ 156-01 General Motors – GMW 15635 (A2LA Accredited) Volkswagen – PV 3925 (A2LA Accredited) Volvo – VCS 1027,2739 |
|
Micro Chamber |
ISO 12219-3 ASTM D7706 Chrysler – CS13398 Ford – FLTM-BZ 151-01 |
|
Chamber Testing |
General Motors – GMW 16853 Subaru – TS420-00-033 |
|
Odor |
VDA 270 BMW – GS 97014-4 (2018) Nissan – NES MO160 Volkswagen – PV 3900 (A2LA Accredited) |
|
Fogging |
DIN 75201 Ford – SAE J 1756 Toyota – TSM 0503 G Volkswagen – PV 3015 Volvo – VCS 1027, 2719 |