INTRODUCTION APPLUS+ LGAI - Our company history As a brief resume of our history LGAI - Laboratori General d'assaigs i Investigacions (whose commercial name was LGAI Technological Center) was fully owned (100%) by the Government of the Generalitat de Catalonia, one of the 17 regions of Spain in 1907. This company had a tender to hand over its management. This tender were awarded to Agbar Automotive in March 2003 by a company called AGBAR "Aigües de Barcelona Group" (that is on the stock market) which integrates another company called Applus specialist in certification business. On November 2007, the Carlyle Group for the majority of the capital, and a consortium led by Caixa de Catalunya that includes prestigious financial and industrial institutions, concluded the adquisition of Applus+. At present Applus+ LGAI is the name of the original LGAI, and is one of the companies of the Applus+ group You might find more information of our company and Applus+ group at www.appluscorp.com BUSINESS VISION In order to certify that the highest standards are being met, in Applus+ we test, inspect, endorse, verify and analyze services within the sector. We consult and work with our clients in order to attain these high standards of quality. Applus+ is present in all sectors (multisector) and in all countries (international) in order to offer a better service to its clients, the Applus+ purpose is to be the world leader in volume of certifications, the reference point in the certification sector, developing and creating new standards; opinion leader within the sector thanks to its expert professionals and the latest technology in the field. SERVICES Third- party assesment o Certification o Calibración o Testing o Inspection Engineering and development Training BUSINESS STRATEGY Flying view of Applus+ CTC High Technology Knowledge Branding + = Customer Confidence
FIRE LABORATORY The Product Conformity B.U. of Applus+ LGAI has a very well know FIRE LABORATORY, that is one the EGOLF membership from 1992, please look in web site www.egolf.org.uk The Fire Laboratory is divided in five sections: 1. Reaction to Fire 2. Reaction to Fire-Euroclases 3. Fire Resistance 4. Fire Detection 5. Thermotechnics. Front view of Fire Laboratory of Applus+ CTC
EXPERIENCE Applus+ LGAI has a large experience testing products for fire resistance and reaction to fire from 1988, during this period of time about 5.000 products have been tested in our facilities. As a reference in the year 2007, our team carried out more than 300 test becoming the laboratory of Spain which tested more product by year. 21 persons compose the Fire Laboratory, with 9 Engineers working in it. Between our team we can remark, as the most experienced persons: o Mr. XAVIER ESCRICHE - Industrial Engineer. Graduated in 1972 o Mr. JORDI MIRABENT - Industrial Engineer. Graduated in 1989. o Mr. ALBERT GER - Electrical Engineer. Graduated in 2003. o Mr. SALVADOR SUÑOL - Chemical Engineer. Graduated in 2005 Mr. Escriche and Mr. Mirabent are working in Applus+ LGAI from the 1988, year when the Fire Resistance Laboratory started its work in the market. The sections we have mentioned are described in the following paragraphs: 1. REACTION TO FIRE New Spanish regulations for Reaction to Fire: In the Real Decreto 312/2005, this government ordinance, gives approval to the new classification of the construction products. Annex IV refers to the adaptation of the new requirements regulations for Reaction to Fire, point 4.2 of this annex. Concerning textiles materials, this are the test standards: Reaction to Fire of hanging textile elements (curtains and lace curtains, etc.) Classification s/une-en 13773 Reaction to Fire of stalls, armchairs, seats, upholstery. Classification s/ UNE-EN 1021-1 (ignition source: lighted cigarette) and UNE-EN 1021-2 (with a ignition source equivalent to a match flame).
REACTION TO FIRE - New classification - EUROCLASSE Introduction: The appearance of this new classification system, comes by the interest from the European Union in unifying classification criteria for the Fire Security of building products, in all of the countries. With the new norms, the product classification will be valid in every countries of the EU. Approximately about 15 years ago the Technical Committee 127 of to the European Commission of Normalization CEN, with the participation of expert technicians and laboratories who collaborated voluntarily, defined the procedures and test methods that were published completely in February of 2002. This new tests are now mandatory in Spain and represent a radical change in reference to the ancient testing procedures (M0 to M4 classification). Standardization: Standard Classification: EN 13501-1: Fire classification of construction products and building elements. Part 1: Classification using test data from reaction to fire tests. pren 13501-5: Fire classification of construction products and building elements. Part 5: Classification using test data from external fire exposure to roof tests. Standards Test: EN ISO 1182: Non Combustibility test.
EN ISO 1716: Determination of the heat of combustion. EN 13823: Building products excluding floorings exposed to the thermal attack by a single burning item. EN ISO 11925-2: Ignitability of building products subjected to direct impingement of flame. Part 2: Single-flame source test.
EN ISO 9239-1: Reaction to fire tests for floorings. Part 1: Determination of the burning behaviour using a radiant heat source. ENV-1187: Test methods for external fire exposure to roofs. These test are acreditated by the National Acreditation Body (ENAC) with the number 897. Complementary standard: EN 13238: Conditioning procedures and general rules for selection of substrates. Classification system: Products: According to this new classification system, building products are divided in two groups. GROUP 1 Building product excluding floorings: This refers the follow products: Wall and roof products, including top covering. Building elements. Products incorporated into building elements. Pipe and conduction components. Facades products / external walls.
GROUP 2 Floorings products: This refers to all materials used in flooring. The new classification: GROUP 1: Classifications: A1 - A2 - B - C - D - E - F Additional expressions: For smoke emission: s1 - s2 - s3 For droplets: d0 - d1 - d2 GROUP 2: Classification: A1 FL - A2 FL - B FL - C FL - D FL - E FL - F FL Additional expressions: For smoke emission: s1 - s2 Definitions: Class A: Without contribution to fire. Non combustibility product. Class A1: No flaming, no mass loss mass and no increase in temperature during the test. Class A2: Allowed flaming for 20 s, and no mass loss and no increase in temperature during the test. Class B: Very limited contribution to fire. Combustible. Class C: Limited contribution to fire. Combustible. Class D: Mean contribution to fire. Combustible. Class E: High contribution to fire. Combustible. Class F: No specific behaviour. Without class.
Classification and Tests and equipments: GROUP 1: Determination of class A1: Is mandatory to perform two tests: Determination of the heat of combustion in Calorimeter Bomb (UNE-EN-ISO 1716) and the Non Combustibility Furnace test (UNE-EN-ISO 1182). Determination of class A2: Is mandatory to perform three tests: Determination of the heat of combustion in Calorimeter Bomb (UNE-EN-ISO 1716, the Non Combustibility Furnace test (UNE-EN-ISO 1182) and the Single Burner Item test (SBI) (UNE-EN 13823). Determination of class B or C or D: Is mandatory to perform two tests: The Small flame test (UNE-EN-ISO 11925-2),with a time flame application of 30 seconds and the Single Burner Item (SBI) test (UNE-EN 13823). Determination of class E: Small flame test (UNE-EN-ISO 11925-2) a time flame application of 15 seconds is required. Class F: The product is classified as class F when class E criteria not reach or when no specific behaviour is required. GROUP 2: Determination of class A1 FL : Is mandatory to perform two tests: Determination of heat of combustion in the Calorimeter Bomb (UNE-EN-ISO 1716) and the Non Combustibility test (UNE-EN-ISO 1182). Determination of class A2 FL : Is mandatory to perform three tests: Determination of heat of combustion in the Calorimeter Bomb (UNE-EN-ISO 1716), the Non Combustibility test (UNE-EN-ISO 1182) and the Flooring Radiant Panel test (UNE-EN-ISO-9239-1). Determination of class B FL or C FL or D FL : Is mandatory to perform two tests: The Small Flame test (UNE-EN- ISO 11925-2),with a time flame application of 15 seconds and the Flooring radiant panel test (UNE-EN-ISO 9239-1). Determination of class E FL : Small Flame test (UNE-EN-ISO 11925-2), a time flame application of 15 seconds is required. Class F FL : The product is classified as class F when class E criteria is not reach or when no specific behaviour is required.
2. FIRE RESISTANCE Between the Fire Resistance Laboratory Equipment we could remark : TWO 3X3 M WALL FURNACES ONE 1.5X1.5X1.5 M INDICATIVE FURNACE TWO 3X4 M FLOOR FURNACES Test are carried out according to European, ASTM, IMO, etc., standards, for example: EN 1363 parts 1 and 2 (general standard for FIRE resistance), EN 1364 parts 1, 2, 3 and 4, (for non load bearing elements) EN 1365 parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, (for load bearing elements), EN 1366 parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, (for service installations) EN 1634 parts 1 and 3 (for doors), EN 14470 and EN 15659 (cabinets), EN 81-58 (lift landing doors), ENV 13381 parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 (fire protection), EN 12101-1 and 3 (smoke extraction), EN 14135 (covers), Also IMO Res. A754 (18) and the US Standards, ASTM, E 119-09a, ASTM E2226-08, ASTM 814-09, UL 10b Tests accredited by the National Accreditation Body (ENAC) with the number 897.
FIRE RESISTANCE - New classification - EUROCLASSE Introduction: As before, the appearance of this new classification system, comes by the interest from the European Union in unifying classification criteria for the Fire Security of building products, in all of the countries. With the new norms, the product classification will be valid in every countries of the EU. Approximately about 15 years ago the Technical Committee 127 of to the European Commission of Normalization CEN, with the participation of expert technicians and laboratories who collaborated voluntarily, defined the first procedures and test methods, but new methods and revisions of the old ones are continuously published. This new tests are now mandatory in Spain and represent a radical change in reference to the ancient testing procedures (RF, PF classification). The new classification is referred in standards: EN 13501-2: Fire classification of construction products and building elements - Classification using data from fire resistance tests, excluding ventilation services. EN 13501-3: Fire classification of construction products and building elements - Classification using data from fire resistance tests on products and elements used in building service installations: fire resisting ducts and fire dampers. EN 13501-4: Fire classification of construction products and building elements - Classification using data from fire resistance tests on components of smoke control systems. The new classification uses the letters: E for Integrity, I for Insulation, W for Radiation, R for load bearing, etc., associated with a number that refers to the corresponding resistance time in minutes. 3. FIRE DETECTION Referring to Fire detection systems, we carry out tests according to EN 54-5 for head detectors, EN 54-7 for smoke detectors and EN 14604 for autonomous alarms.
The Fire Detection section as been carrying out test from 1992, according to Spanish and European standards. Our measurement are referred to DELTA Institute (initially Electronik Centralen), in Denmark, because our equipment is calibrated by them. Tests accredited by the National Accreditation Body (ENAC) with the number 895. 4. THERMOTECHNICS Introduction: In this section we perform tests on tree different areas: - radiators/convectors - Thermal conductivity of Insulating materials - Insulating Glass Units - Inset appliances including open fires fired by solid fuels. Requirements and test methods All the tests are according European standards. Areas Radiators/convectors: UNE-EN 442: Radiators and convectors. Heat emitters for central heating systems to be supplied with hot water and steam below 120 C from a remote heat source (boiler or similar). LGAI is one of the 5 reference laboratories, as described on the EN 442-2/A2. In this test, is determinated the heat output, the pressure tests and the dimensional control. In a short time, we ll give the CE Marking on those radiators that satisfy the requirements of the EN 442-1, because we are Notified Body for the CE marking of this product. This test is acreditated by the National Acreditation Body (ENAC) with the number 898.
Thermal conductivity of Insulating materials UNE-EN 12667: Thermal performance of building materials and products- Determination of thermal resistance by means of guarded hot plate and heat flow meter methods - Products of high and medium thermal resistance This tests are made on materials such as EPS (expanded polystyrene), XPS (extruded polystyrene), MW (mineral wool), PUR (polyurethane), and other insulating materials. As a Notified Body, we perform tests under the systems 1 and 3 of the family of products EN 13162-13171. Insulating Glass Units UNE-EN 1279-2: Glass in building. Insulating Glass Units. Part 2: Long term test method and requirements for moisture penetration. UNE-EN 1279-6: Glass in building. Insulating Glass Units. Part 6: Factory Production Control and periodic tests. Those tests are made under the particular System of Certification (SPC-021) of An Applus A+ Quality Mark.
5. Fire Laboratory Staff Jordi Mirabent: Technical Director, Industrial Products & Fire Labs jmirabent@appluscorp.com F. Xavier Escriche: Fire Consultancy Engineer fxescriche@appluscorp.com Albert Ger: Department Manager and responsible for Fire Resistance ager@appluscorp.com Salvador Suñol: Technician responsible for Thermotechnics and Reaction to Fire ssunol@appluscorp.com 6. Some International Recognitions