Ul LLC

Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

Martin Behrendt

Bahman Sarabi

Wilfried Teeting

Wilfried Teering

The invention relates to a method and a device for testing the fire hazard of a material. According to one embodiment of the method, a plane region of the surface of a specimen made of the material is brought in contact for at most a predetermined contact time with a glow wire, which has been heated to a predetermined temperature. Image data of the specimen are furthermore acquired by at least a first camera at least while the specimen is in contact with the glow wire. Image processing of the acquired image data of the specimen is furthermore carried out, preferably in realtime, ignition of the specimen by the glow wire being detected if applicable. A first duration is then determined, which corresponds to the length of time between the application of the tip of the glow wire on the specimen and the ignition of the specimen. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the invention, a second duration may if applicable be determined by means of the image processing of the acquired image data of the specimen, the second duration corresponding to the length of time between the application of the tip of the glow wire on the specimen and the end of the ignition of the specimen. The method and the device are suitable in particular for carrying out tests to assess the fire hazard of materials according to the standards EN 60695-2-10, -12 and -13.

Method and device for testing the fire hazard of a material

The image data capture of a test piece is performed with at least one first camera. A reference point of the test piece is determined by processing the image data recorded with the at least one first camera. A burner is positioned at a prescribed first distance from the reference point for the flame exposure of the test piece. At least one second camera may also detect whether the test piece exposed to a flame is burning or incandescing. At least one third camera may be used for monitoring the burner flame and at least one fourth camera may be used for determining whether the test piece drips while burning. Furthermore, at least one detector may used for detecting whether the drips ignite a pad of wadding positioned under the test piece.

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Meerbusch, Germany

Martin Behrendt