Impact Solutions Expand Accelerated Weathering Capabilities
Over the last three weeks, Impact Solutions have been working on the expansion of their accelerated weathering capabilities with the installation of two weatherometers.
This week they received a brand new Colour Fastness Cabinet, providing exceptional viewing conditions for assessing samples for grey scale determination and to BS EN ISO 105 and retailer specifications.
The cabinet will allow their experts to use a grey scale method to determine physical changes on the surface of a sample material, which has been exposed to a range of stresses. A test sample has to endure specific stresses such as UV ageing, temperature ageing, light ageing and weathering in order to be tested to ensure that it is suitable for its intended use. This will allow Impact Solutions to test sample materials against specifications, which essentially helps to evaluate and determine the performance of your product.
Grey scale determination is the physical surface evaluation of exposed sample material to record if it has retained its original hue. The exposed test specimen is placed alongside an untreated specimen of the same product, under lights within the colour fastness cabinet. The difference in colour between the two specimen is measured using the sections on a gray scale. Within the cabinet, a light helps the observer to identify the severity of the surface changes of the exposed sample material. The gray scale ranges from 1 being the lightest and biggest change in colour, to 5 being virtually no change in colour.
When evaluating the test specimen, standardised lighting should be used. Impact’s new Colour Fastness Cabinet contains four different standardised lights: daylight; incandescent light; cool white fluorescent light and ultraviolet light. The daylight option is used when measuring colour fastness as it is the light in which the colour will appear closer to the way it will usually be seen in its natural environment.
As a company, Impact’s new Colour Fastness Cabinet allows them to add to their over 120 combined years of experience. As always, Impact Solutions are happy to talk to you and advise you on how to test and develop your product. Email them today at info@impact-solutions.co.uk or give them a call on +44 (0) 1324 489 182.
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