4 Common Flammability and Flame Retardants Standards applied on Tarpaulin & Industrial Textile？

4 Common Flammability and Flame Retardants Standards applied on Tarpaulin & Industrial Textile？

Summary

In tarpaulin and industrial textile industries, there are several testing standard used in different countries. Such as NFP92-507/ EN13501-1 / DIN4102-1 / CSFM T19 / ASTM E84 / BS7837 / BS5867 / AS/NZS 1530.3 / AS/NZS 3837 / ISO 6941:2003.

Here we can check all those stadnards and see what is the different between those standards.

4 Common Flammability and Flame Retardants Standards applied on Tarpaulin & Industrial Textile？
How many different kind of common Flame Retardants Testing Standard are used for Industrial Textile?


4 Important Fire Retardant Certifications for Industrial Textile

ASTM E-84 Class A, Safety Standards, CSFM, Product Development, certification, nfpa-701, fire retardancy, FR

Fire retardancy is a required safety standard for industrial fabrics used for various private and public uses such as awnings, event tents, gym divider curtains, and even theater drapes and curtains.

Value Vinyls ensures our products meet the rigorous fire safety requirements of three industry tests.

CSFM Title 19

California's Code of Regulations requires structures or elements within buildings made with industrial fabric,

In order to attain a CSFM Title 19 certification, fabric samples must be tested twice; first at an approved independent lab, then at the official Office of the State Fire Marshal in California. Fire Marshals ensure the fabric samples meets California's flammability standards, then send the official certification when completed.[1]

ASTIM E84 – Upholstered Walls 
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Test Method E-84 or ASTM E-84, comparatively measures the surface burning traits of industrial fabrics by observing flame spread and the amount of smoke developed. [4] This classifies the fabric as Class A, Class B, or Class C. 
Purpose: Rates flame spread and smoke development of interior finish building materials. 
Method: As application dictates (wrapped panels, glued fabric, etc.) samples are laid in 25’ tunnel and lit aflame at one end. 
Test: Measures how far and fast flames travel and the amount of smoke that develops. 
Association for Contract Textiles (ACT) Recommendation: Flame spread of 25 and smoke dev. of 450 or less for Class 1/A 

Notes: This is usually considered to include any items that are a part of the structure.

For products that pass these criteria: 
Class A, Flame Spread 1-25, Smoke Developed Less than or equal to 450 
Class B, Flame Spread 26-75, Smoke Developed Less than or equal to 450 
Class C, Flame Spread 76-200, Smoke Developed Less than or equal to 450. 

Please note, this test is comparable to UL 723, ANSI/NFPA No 255, and UBC No. 8-1
CPAI-84
This is a test to evaluate the flame resistance of fabrics found specifically in tents. CPAI-84 also gives certification and performance criteria to test suppliers. What is analyzed is how the fabric is resistant to fire depending on char length and how much mass was lost from burning. This test, however, does not determine whether or not a fabric is flame retardant. CPAI-84 was conceptualized in 1976 to reduce the likelihood of fires in paraffin-coated tents, such as those associated with circuses and fairs. This standard, however, is considered outdated and has not been revisited in over two decades. Since that time, very much has changed in the way textiles and fabrics for tents and canopies have been created. Both CPAI-84 and NFPA 701 are standards that assess flame-resistant properties of fabrics. While CPAI-84 is a standard made exclusively for materials in tents, NFPA 701 is a more general method of testing fabrics.
NFPA 701
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has a book of guidelines for testing the flammability of objects. In many states, it is required for many fabrics used in public spaces to be flame retardant. A test known as NFPA 701 is conducted to demonstrate how textiles such as those found in canopies react when put on fire. What is observed is how much the fabric resists the flame after 12 seconds. What is measured following that is the size of the flame, the char length, and if the fabric continues to burn. If a fabric has a char length of smaller than 6.5 inches, an after-flame of less than two seconds, and it does not continue to burn after falling to the ground of the testing chamber, the fabric passes and is certified as flame retardant.

Test Method 1 
1) Fragments or residues of specimens that fall to the floor of the test chamber shall not continue to burn for more than an average of 2 seconds per specimen for the sample of 10 specimens. 
2) The average weight loss of the 10 specimens in a sample shall be 40 percent or less. 

Test Method 2 
1.Performance Criteria. 
1) When any specimen continues flaming for more than 2 seconds after the test flame is removed from contact with the specimen, the material shall be recorded as having failed the test. 
2) When the length of char of any individual folded specimen exceeds 1050 mm (41.3 in.), the material shall be recorded as having failed the test. 
3) When the char length of any single flat specimen exceeds 435 mm (17.1 in.), the material shall be recorded as having failed the test. 
4)When at any time during or after the application of the test flame, any portions or residues of the material being tested break or drip from the specimen fall to the floor of the test apparatus, and continue burning for more than 2 seconds after reaching the floor of the test apparatus, the material shall be recorded as having failed the test.