ACCELERATED WEATHERING AND SALT SPRAY TESTING
Blackwater operates a Q-SUN Xe-3-HSC xenon arc chamber, equipped with humidity control, water spray, and a chiller to reproduces the damage caused by full-spectrum sunlight and rain. In a few days or weeks, the Q-SUN tester can reproduce the damage that occurs over months or years outdoors. The Q-SUN Xe-3 tester is a full-featured lightfastness, colorfastness, and photostability chamber. A product exposed outdoors to direct sunlight experiences maximum light intensity for only a few hours each day. The Q-SUN Xe-3 chamber can subject test specimens to the equivalent of noon summer sunlight for 24 hours a day, every day. Consequently, specimen degradation can be highly accelerated.
Blackwater can perform accelerated weathering testing in accordance with ASTM G155 “Operating Xenon Arc Light Apparatus for the Exposure of Non-Metallic Materials” on practically any material, including composite decking, wood decking, siding, coatings, films, vinyl/plastic parts, etc.
Blackwater can perform salt spray testing in accordance with ASTM B117, “Salt Spray Test for Corrosion” and ASTM G85 “Standard Practice for Modified Salt Spray (Fog) Testing”. Our salt spray chamber can be used to test the resistance of parts eroded by brine solutions, including fasteners.
ACCELERATED WEATHERING AND SPRAY TESTING
Blackwater operates a Q-SUN Xe-3-HSC xenon arc chamber, equipped with humidity control, water spray, and a chiller to reproduces the damage caused by full-spectrum sunlight and rain. In a few days or weeks, the Q-SUN tester can reproduce the damage that occurs over months or years outdoors. The Q-SUN Xe-3 tester is a full-featured lightfastness, colorfastness, and photostability chamber. A product exposed outdoors to direct sunlight experiences maximum light intensity for only a few hours each day. The Q-SUN Xe-3 chamber can subject test specimens to the equivalent of noon summer sunlight for 24 hours a day, every day. Consequently, specimen degradation can be highly accelerated.
Blackwater can perform accelerated weathering testing in accordance with ASTM G155 “Operating Xenon Arc Light Apparatus for the Exposure of Non-Metallic Materials” on practically any material, including composite decking, wood decking, siding, coatings, films, vinyl/plastic parts, etc.
Blackwater can perform salt spray testing in accordance with ASTM B117, “Salt Spray Test for Corrosion” and ASTM G85 “Standard Practice for Modified Salt Spray (Fog) Testing”. Our salt spray chamber can be used to test the resistance of parts eroded by brine solutions, including fasteners.
BUILDING ENVELOPE AND PRODUCT APPROVAL TESTING SERVICES
Blackwater specializes in testing of various fenestration products to ensure that they meet the rigorous requirements of the Florida Building Code TAS and various other industry standards. This testing assures contractors, manufacturers, engineers, glazing consultants, and AHJs (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) that the products will meet the design requirements for the structures in which they are installed.
Blackwater routinely performs the following building envelope testing:
- Impact Testing – small and large missile impacts are performed in various locations on the specimens, using pneumatic cannons, simulating hurricane or tornado windborne debris. Also, we provide ANSI Z97.1 safety glazing testing for assessment of safety when the glazing materials are broken by human contact.
- Cyclic Wind Pressure Loading – following impact testing, specimens are cycled to extremes of design pressures to ensure that the products do not experience gross structural failure (deglazing, etc)
- Structural Loading – static pressure loads are applied in both directions to determine the ability of the product to withstand design differential pressure loads (simulated wind loads), including an appropriate factor of safety. Deflections and permanent sets of structural members are measured and compared to allowable criteria.
- Operating Force and Forced Entry Resistance are determined per ASTM and AAMA Standards
- Water Penetration and Air Infiltration – water penetration and air infiltration tests are performed to ensure that the products are adequate for protection of the building envelope. Calibrated mass flow meters are utilized to determine the air infiltration at a given pressure. Water infiltration is determined utilizing calibrated nozzles to direct a water spray over the entire surface of the specimen while under differential pressure, simulating a storm environment.
- Dynamic – we can perform dynamic testing using a propeller driven wind and water stream on the specimens. This test is particularly useful for building codes or jurisdictions outside of hurricane wind zones.
- Structural Testing – racking, tensile, compression, cyclic loading, and cold creep testing of structural wall panels.
BUILDING ENVELOPE AND PRODUCT APPROVAL TESTING SERVICES
Blackwater specializes in testing of various fenestration products to ensure that they meet the rigorous requirements of the Florida Building Code TAS and various other industry standards. This testing assures contractors, manufacturers, engineers, glazing consultants, and AHJs (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) that the products will meet the design requirements for the structures in which they are installed.
Blackwater routinely performs the following building envelope testing:
- Impact Testing – small and large missile impacts are performed in various locations on the specimens, using pneumatic cannons, simulating hurricane or tornado windborne debris. Also, we provide ANSI Z97.1 safety glazing testing for assessment of safety when the glazing materials are broken by human contact.
- Cyclic Wind Pressure Loading – following impact testing, specimens are cycled to extremes of design pressures to ensure that the products do not experience gross structural failure (deglazing, etc)
- Structural Loading – static pressure loads are applied in both directions to determine the ability of the product to withstand design differential pressure loads (simulated wind loads), including an appropriate factor of safety. Deflections and permanent sets of structural members are measured and compared to allowable criteria.
- Operating Force and Forced Entry Resistance are determined per ASTM and AAMA Standards
- Water Penetration and Air Infiltration – water penetration and air infiltration tests are performed to ensure that the products are adequate for protection of the building envelope. Calibrated mass flow meters are utilized to determine the air infiltration at a given pressure. Water infiltration is determined utilizing calibrated nozzles to direct a water spray over the entire surface of the specimen while under differential pressure, simulating a storm environment.
- Dynamic – we can perform dynamic testing using a propeller driven wind and water stream on the specimens. This test is particularly useful for building codes or jurisdictions outside of hurricane wind zones.
- Structural Testing – racking, tensile, compression, cyclic loading, and cold creep testing of structural wall panels.
What We Test
Blackwater’s clients, both domestic and international, have trusted us with testing for a wide variety of fenestration and glazing products for both residential and commercial applications including:
- Curtain Walls – Spider Systems, Aluminum
- Window Walls and Storefronts
- Movable Window Walls – Aircraft Hanger Doors, etc
- Skylights
- Windows – Fixed, Horizontal Sliders, Single-Hung, Double Hung, Casement, etc
- Doors – Sliders, Pivot, Inswing, Outswing
- Accordian Shutters
- Louvers
- Garage Doors
- Roll-Down Hurricane Shutters
- Balcony Rails – Picket, Glass
- Wall Systems/Structural Panels – concrete, steel, wood, aluminum
- Wind Abatement Systems – Impact resistant fabrics, etc
- Roof Mounted Equipment & Enclosures
- Roof Assemblies
- Fasteners and anchorages
Check out our gallery for test videos, photos, and a sampling of some of the buildings that we have supported product testing for!
What We Test
Blackwater’s clients, both domestic and international, have trusted us with testing for a wide variety of fenestration and glazing products for both residential and commercial applications including:
- Curtain Walls – Spider Systems, Aluminum
- Window Walls and Storefronts
- Movable Window Walls – Aircraft Hanger Doors, etc
- Skylights
- Windows – Fixed, Horizontal Sliders, Single-Hung, Double Hung, Casement, etc
- Doors – Sliders, Pivot, Inswing, Outswing
- Accordian Shutters
- Louvers
- Garage Doors
- Roll-Down Hurricane Shutters
- Balcony Rails – Picket, Glass
- Wall Systems/Structural Panels – concrete, steel, wood, aluminum
- Wind Abatement Systems – Impact resistant fabrics, etc
- Roof Mounted Equipment & Enclosures
- Roof Assemblies
- Fasteners and anchorages
Check out our gallery for test videos, photos, and a sampling of some of the buildings that we have supported product testing for!
CAPABILITIES
Blackwater can test your largest specimens to the extremes of design pressures and impact loads required. We can achieve test pressures in excess of 300 psf, and impact velocities in excess of 150 fps to qualify your products for the Florida Building Code High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) and for tornado design loads. Our exterior test wall can accommodate specimen sizes up to 35’ tall and 50’ wide. If you need to test a larger specimen, give us a call, and we can make modifications if necessary. Inside, we have multiple test walls and chambers to accommodate a wide variety of sizes and configurations, and the ability to process the multiple samples required for certification. Our experienced technicians can install and test the most complex configurations.
CAPABILITIES
Blackwater can test your largest specimens to the extremes of design pressures and impact loads required. We can achieve test pressures in excess of 300 psf, and impact velocities in excess of 150 fps to qualify your products for the Florida Building Code High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) and for tornado design loads. Our exterior test wall can accommodate specimen sizes up to 35’ tall and 50’ wide. If you need to test a larger specimen, give us a call, and we can make modifications if necessary. Inside, we have multiple test walls and chambers to accommodate a wide variety of sizes and configurations, and the ability to process the multiple samples required for certification. Our experienced technicians can install and test the most complex configurations.
IN THE WORKS
We are constantly striving to improve and add to our test certifications to provide you the most comprehensive test solutions. We are currently pursuing AAMA Certification to be able to provide testing services for AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440, “North American Fenestration Standard/Specification for Windows, Doors, and Skylights” (commonly referred to as the NAFS standard) for those clients with markets outside of Florida. Our strategic plan also includes additional facilities and test equipment to supplement our NFRC simulation capabilities with physical thermal testing (ASTM C1199, ASTM C1363, NFRC100/200/300, NFRC102). Check our certifications page for updates. Let us know if there are test protocols that you require that we do not currently offer!
IN THE WORKS
We are constantly striving to improve and add to our test certifications to provide you the most comprehensive test solutions. We are currently pursuing AAMA Certification to be able to provide testing services for AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440, “North American Fenestration Standard/Specification for Windows, Doors, and Skylights” (commonly referred to as the NAFS standard) for those clients with markets outside of Florida. Our strategic plan also includes additional facilities and test equipment to supplement our NFRC simulation capabilities with physical thermal testing (ASTM C1199, ASTM C1363, NFRC100/200/300, NFRC102). Check our certifications page for updates. Let us know if there are test protocols that you require that we do not currently offer!
