Ignition, smoke and fire effluent testing

Reliable fire tests assure global manufacturers that the materials they produce and use meet industry and regulatory performance standards. For more than 100 years, UL has provided single-source testing for a broad range of performance characteristics-from smoke density and ignition temperature, to emissions of toxic gases. With highly specialized equipment and a wide range of dedicated testing facilities, UL performs the critical small-scale materials tests and large-scale correlation work required for classification or certification.

Test Standards

UL tests to the current editions of the following Standards:

• ASTM D1929, Standard Test Method for Determining Ignition Temperature of Plastics
• ASTM E136, Standard Test Method for Behavior of Materials in a Vertical Tube Furnace at 750° C
• ASTM E662, Standard Test Method for Specific Optical Density of Smoke Generated by Solid Materials
• ISO 5659, Plastics-Smoke Generation
• ISO 5660-1, Reaction-to-Fire Tests-Heat Release, Smoke Protection and Mass Loss Rate-Part 1: Heat Release Rate (Cone Calorimeter Method)
• NES 711, Determination of the Smoke Index of Products of Combustion from Small Specimens of Material
• NES 713, Determination of the Toxicity Index of Products of Combustion From Small Specimens of Materials

Broad applications

Fire tests for such materials performance characteristics as smoke density, ignition temperature and emissions of toxic gases are used in a large number of industrial applications, including:

• Plastics
• Building construction materials
• Roofing
• Foams
• Fabrics
• Laminates
• Wire and cable
• Coatings
• Mineral and fiber boards
• Research and development

The UL advantage

UL understands the requirements of specific applications and offers comprehensive, single-source testing of a broad range of materials. Listed products appear in a UL product directory, used by more than 2,500 authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), code officials and manufacturers to evaluate and select materials.