AUTOMOTIVE TESTING
The Element Materials Technology Group is one of the world’s leading global providers of testing, inspection, and certification services for a diverse range of products, materials, and technologies in advanced industrial supply chains where failure in use is not an option. Headquartered in London, UK, Element’s c.9,000 scientists, engineers, and technologists, working in 270+ laboratories around the world, support customers from early R&D, through complex regulatory approvals, and into production ensuring their products are safe and sustainable.
In 2021, Element set out its new, industry-leading environmental commitments, adopting science-based targets and committing to net zero emissions across its entire global business by 2035. These environmental commitments follow Element’s achievement of the highest ESG ranking in the testing, inspection, and certification industry from Sustainalytics, a global leader in ESG research and data.
WELCOME
Our UKAS-accredited automotive test laboratory based in the West Midlands, UK, specializes in interior and exterior automotive trim and components for commercial, passenger, rail, and off-road vehicles.
We provide a comprehensive range of material and component testing for automotive interior and exterior suppliers. Our services are designed to fully support both the Design Verification (DV) and Product Verification (PV) test phases.
On your journey from test plan through to test report, our highly skilled team can support you with quote development, fixture manufacturing, testing of your products and dedicated program management. We also offer the option for you to visit the site and witness testing.
OUR TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES
Environmental Testing
Temperature capabilities of -40°C to 150°C. Humidity testing capabilities 10% to 100% relative humidity (RH). Reach in and full vehicle chambers available.
See page 8 for more information.
Accelerated Weathering Testing
Interior and exterior weather-ometer tests. Xenon-Arc, Carbon-Arc, Sunshine Carbon Arc, QUV Fluorescent and open air weathering available.
See page 7 for more information.
Corrosion Testing
Neutral Salt Spray (NSS), Cyclic Corrosion Testing (CCT), Copper Acetic Salt Spray (CASS), prohesion, filiform and ozone.
See page 10 for more information.
Vehicle Interior Air Quality
Fogging, odor, determination of organic compounds, specific compound emissions, formaldehyde, full vehicle interior emissions, 10L/2000L bag method and thermodesorption.
See page 12 for more information.
Paint, Coatings and Materials Testing
Scratch, mar, pencil hardness, coating thickness, abrasion / wear, stone chip, impact, high pressure jet wash, car wash brush, water immersion, gloss, L* a* b* & Delta E and grey scale measurements.
See page 6 for more information.
Chemical Testing
Resistance to fluids and fuels, crocking, staining, soiling and cleanability, migration.
See page 6 for more information.
Tensile Testing
Peel, elongation, tear, compression, shear and strength.
See page 6 for more information.
Functionality and Durability Testing
Load and abuse, force and deflection measurement, door/boot slam, insertion and removal. Performed at high or low temperatures. See page 11 for more information.
Flammability Testing
Horizontal and vertical burning available. See page 13 for more information.
Dimensional Stability
Gap, flush, deflection, deformation and point to point measurement using a portable photogrammetry system to perform 3D measurements on components and full vehicles. See page 9 for more information.
WHAT WE TEST
Our equipment is designed with versatility in mind, capable of handling a wide range of materials such as plastics, rubbers, textiles, metals, glass, and paint systems. We also conduct comprehensive testing on full components, including seats, instrument panels, doors, consoles, flooring, and headlamps, to name a few, right up to the full vehicle. We can also service many other industries as well as automotive.
STANDARDS WE TEST TO
We test to a variety of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), UK and international standards, including:
And many more. Bespoke testing is also available.
To view a complete list of our accreditations, please visit element.com/accreditations-and-approvals
PAINT, COATINGS & MATERIALS TESTING
We offer a comprehensive range of tests to help you understand the behaviour and characteristics of materials across all industries using the latest equipment and techniques. We can perform this testing against multiple OEM-approved and international standards.
Abrasion:
• Taber
• Abrex
• Martindale
• Linear
• Curved surface
• Transverse
Chemical Resistance:
• Resistance to fluids and fuels
• Soiling and cleanability
• Crocking and colourfastness
• Migration staining
• Perspiration resistance
• Blocking
Tensile:
• Peel
• Compression
• Shear
• Elongation
• Tear
• Breaking strength
Evaluations and Measurements:
• Dimensional stability
• Gap and flush
• Photogrammetry
• LAB colour
• AATCC Grey Scale
• Gloss
Adhesion
Scratch and Mar
High Pressure Washer
Impact:
• Stone chip
• Gravel bombardment
• Grit blast
• Ball drop
• Cold slam
• Indentation and hardness
UV & ACCELERATED WEATHERING
We have extensive facilities to reproduce the damaging outdoor conditions of ultraviolet radiation in order to test materials for light fastness and degradation.
We can perform Xenon, Fluorescent QUV, Carbon Arc sunshine weather-ometer, open air weathering, Kalahari weathering, Florida weathering, solar simulation, Super UV, Ford lantern, and metal halide testing.
Our Atlas and Q-Lab equipment are all approved by many OEMs in the automotive, paints and coatings industries and have programmable temperature, humidity and irradiance.
CAPABILITIES
We test to UK, European and international standards using the following equipment:
Ci3000 Ci4000 Ci5000 SUGA SX75 Q-Lab Beta LM
We have various filters available such as Quartz, Borosilicate, Soda Lime, CIRA and Xenochrome, to replicate natural daylight as well as exposure through glass / windows.
STANDARDS WE TEST TO
4892-2
J1976
4892-3
G155
FLTM BO 116-01
105-B06
NES M0135
HES D6601
J2412
G154
J2527
75220
PV1303
Other international and OEM specifications are available upon request.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Our chambers are fully programmable to allow precise and controlled ramp speeds to replicate any environmental conditions. We can expose samples to high heat or sub-ambient temperatures for long durations or alternate the conditions by performing a thermal cycling program. We can conduct various measurements and assessments before and after the environmental exposure to further test your product’s integrity.
CAPABILITIES
26 Chambers
Max 6M x 6M x 3M
Temperature range -40°C to 150°C
Humidity range 10% to 100%
PHOTOGRAMMETRY
We offer photogrammetry measurement using a portable GOM TRITOP System on site and also at customer sites.
Photogrammetry is an optical, mobile, non-contact measurement system that accurately defines an object’s 3D coordinates. This software captures measurement data of a part after subjecting it to environmental test conditions, and comparing it to a CAD drawing or an ‘as received’ sample. Deformation and displacement of components are calculated, creating a highly accurate picture of your part’s performance to provide you with a detailed report of movement across all areas, identifying any areas of concern which would not normally be seen by the naked eye.
This analysis can be performed on single components, assemblies and full vehicles.
CORROSION
We have a range of chambers that offer a comprehensive corrosion testing service, enabling us to cover various industry requirements. Corrosive tests are essential to measure the corrosive effects a particular environment may have on metals and coated metal surfaces. The correct choice of material and the use of protective coatings are essential for extreme environments.
CAPABILITIES
Neutral salt spray Copper Acetic Salt Spray (CASS) Ozone testing
Cyclic Corrosion Testing (CCT)
Water condensible 100% relative humidity Filiform Roof spray and humidity capabilities Prohesion
EXAMPLES OF STANDARDS WE TEST TO
ASTM B117
TPJLR.52.265
ASTM B368 ISO 9227
TPJLR.52.252
ISO 6270 VDA 233-102 PV 1210
Other international and OEM specifications are available upon request.
FUNCTIONALITY & ENDURANCE
We offer simulation testing for functionality and endurance by exposing components and materials to external inputs.
Vehicle components demand precise and consistent performance to ensure they perform throughout the vehicle’s life cycle. Bespoke testing can involve various pre-treatments of the parts, such as environmental cycling, corrosive atmosphere exposures, fluid or dust exposures, or pressure loading.
The endurance and functionality tests can also take place at high or low temperatures with specified levels of humidity or cyclic conditions. Our services in this field include the building and designing of test fixtures, including the production of bodywork profiles from client-supplied CAD data, either for direct supply to the customer or retained in order to offer this service in-house.
CAPABILITIES
Insertional and removal forces Deflection Power and manual durability
Static and dynamic loads Operating efforts Material wear Stiffness
Serviceability cycles
Load and abuse
Force and deflection measurement Quality feel
TYPICAL TEST ITEMS
Door latch and assemblies
Cooling systems
Cup holder and glove box Sunvisors
Seat mechanisms Floor mats Lighting systems
Vents
Boot lid and trunk space assemblies Handbrake mechanisms
VEHICLE INTERIOR AIR QUALITY (VIAQ) & EMISSIONS
We provide several methods to analyze emission levels in materials and components.
Emissions from vehicle trim components (PVC, polyurethane, foam, carpets, adhesives, etc.) can adversely affect Vehicle Interior Air Quality (VIAQ) and the comfort and health of drivers and passengers. As a result of these concerns, VIAQ is of growing importance to the automotive industry, due to market image and ever increasingly due to industry regulation.
TEST CAPABILITIES
Fogging / condensible constituents (photometric and gravimetric)
Odor testing
Formaldehyde
Specific substance emissions
EXAMPLES OF STANDARDS WE TEST TO
Total VOCs
Thermodesorption
Tedlar bag method
Volkswagen VW 50180
Ford FLTM BZ 156-01
NES M0402 NES M0160 ISO 12219
FLTM BZ 157-01
Volvo VCS 1027, 2729 / 2739 / 2749
Other international and OEM specifications are available upon request.
BMW GS 97014-2/3
FLAMMABILITY
We offer testing to numerous fire and flammability standards to verify the performance of automotive interior materials.
Motor vehicles contain several components and materials in the passenger compartment that can burn if subjected to a significant enough ignition source. These materials need to have a degree of burn resistance so that occupants have time to escape the vehicle in the event of a fire. Element offers various test methods, including horizontal and vertical testing, developed by the motor industry to assess burning behaviour.
EXAMPLES OF STANDARDS WE TEST TO
ISO 3795
ASTM D635
FMVSS 302
GMW 3232
Nissan NES M0094 SAE J369
Toyota TSM0500G
GB 8410 Republic of China
Honda D6003 UL 94
Volvo VCS 5031,19 Volkswagen TL 1010 TL 1011
VSTD 19 ECE R118 Peugeot D45 1333 Daimler DBL 5307
Other international and OEM specifications are available upon request.
WHY CHOOSE ELEMENT?
The experts at Element help make certain that the products and materials we test for our customers are always compliant, safe, and fit for purpose. Our standing in the automotive sector rests on our extensive experience, collective international proficiency, swift turnaround times, and the overall quality of service we deliver.
Benefits of testing with Element include:
• Central location at our Wednesbury supersite - a 50,000 square foot laboratory with the ability to witness testing and utilize meeting rooms
• UKAS-accredited laboratory - so you can be confident in our practices and procedures
• Testing expertise - our experts are on hand to support you with testing throughout the entire product life cycle
• Testing capabilities - to a vast range of OEM, British and International standards
• Wide range of equipment - spanning environmental, accelerated weathering, corrosion, vehicle interior air quality, paint, coatings, materials, chemicals, tensile, functionality, durability, flammability and dimensional stability
• Breadth of product focus - from single components and materials to entire assemblies and full vehicles
• Excellent availability and turnaround timeswith the option of express services
• Bespoke test programs - tailored to your product needs and requirements of the end markets you want to reach.
We look forward to working with you and sharing our expertize to help create the best testing program for your products and organization.
