Application of Horizontal & Vertical Flammability Tester

The customer is a domestic manufacturer of electronic and electrical components, with products widely used in household appliances, industrial control equipment, and power supply systems. As the proportion of exported products continues to increase, the customer faces higher requirements for material selection and safety compliance. In particular, strict evaluation of the flammability performance of plastic housings, insulating parts, and internal structural components is required to meet UL94 and related IEC and GB standards.

Testing Challenges

In practical testing, the customer encountered the following challenges:

(1) A wide variety of materials requiring both horizontal and vertical flammability tests, with low efficiency when switching between test modes using conventional equipment;

(2) Export products needing compliance with UL, IEC, and GB standards simultaneously, placing high demands on test consistency and data repeatability;

(3) Excessive manual operation, making key parameters such as flame height and burning time susceptible to operator influence;

(4) The internal quality control department requiring a standardized and traceable flammability testing process.

Solution

To address these requirements, we supplied the Horizontal & Vertical Flammability Tester (UL94 Flammability Tester) for evaluating the fire performance of electronic and electrical materials and components.

The tester supports both UL94 horizontal and vertical burning tests on a single platform. By adjusting the burner angle (20°, 45°, and 90°), the system simulates different early-stage ignition scenarios and realistically reproduces material combustion behavior during initial fire exposure. The equipment uses industrial-grade methane gas, with flame height precisely adjustable from 20 mm to 175 mm, fully complying with UL94, IEC 60695, and GB/T 5169 series standards.

Application Process

The customer installed the tester in its material testing laboratory for the following purposes:

(1) Incoming inspection and flammability screening of plastic raw materials;

(2) Verification of UL94 HB, V-2, V-1, and V-0 classifications for finished components;

(3) Comparative testing of burning rate, flame spread, and combustion intensity for different material formulations;

(4) Flammability performance verification during the new product development stage.

The tester integrates an ignition system, exhaust system, gas flow and pressure regulation devices, pressure gauge, U-tube manometer, and specimen fixtures, ensuring stable and safe test operation. The specimen clamping structure allows fast loading and unloading, significantly improving daily testing efficiency.

Application Results

After introducing the UL94 Horizontal & Vertical Flammability Tester, the customer achieved the following results:

(1) Standardized flammability testing procedures with improved result stability;

(2) Reduced operator-related variability, enhancing data repeatability and comparability;

(3) Simultaneous compliance with UL, IEC, and GB standards, reducing reliance on external testing services;

(4) Reliable technical support for product safety certification and customer audits.

The tester has become a key instrument within the customer’s material selection and quality control system and continues to support new product development and regulatory compliance activities.