Atlas pioneered the laboratory lightfastness testing of dyed textiles with the introduction of the carbon arc based Solar Determinator in 1915, renamed the Color Fade-Ometer® in 1919. Since that time, Atlas instruments have improved on the light sources and weathering capabilities introduced in 1927, however Atlas Ci Series Fade-Ometer & Weather-Ometer,
Xenotest and
SUNTEST lightfastness/weathering instruments are the most widely recognized and used brands in the global textile industry.
Lightfastness and weathering tests are typically performed to industry wide international test standards, such as those by the International Standards Organization (ISO), the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) and ASTM International (ASTM). Automotive textile standards are typically established by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization (JASO) or automotive OEM manufacturers. Additionally, other proprietary textile standards are established by trade organizations, governments and companies.
“Lightfastness” refers to the resistance to color fade or mechanical property loss upon exposure to direct sunlight or window or automotive glass filtered daylight. “Weathering” refers to the full direct exposure to the outdoor or laboratory simulated elements of various climates, including liquid water.
Atlas offers a variety of textile lightfastness and weathering solutions:
- Static direct and under-glass outdoor exposures at benchmark climate test locations such as Atlas’ outdoor weathering sites in South Florida, the Arizona Sonoran Desert, Chennai (India) and Bandol (France) as well as at over twenty locations in our Worldwide Exposure Network
- Direct and under-glass solar tracking and concentrating exposures using EMMA/EMMAQUA solar tracking concentrators
- Atlas xenon arc based lightfastness/instruments. Rotating specimen rack instruments are preferred for textile testing with their superior uniformity of the specimen exposure to heat, light and moisture. Xenotest models are standards in the textile industry due to the typically small test specimen size and short exposure durations of many tests. Ci Series instruments suit the demands of higher test volume and duration applications and customers. Both series meet major international textile test standards. The SUNTEST XXL+ meets many textile standards not requiring rotating racks.
- Benchtop SUNTEST CPS+ and XLS+ models feature xenon arc sources but have more limited temperature control and no humidity control. The SUNTEST XXL+ model features full parameter control and meets many textile standards in a flatbed exposure area design.
- Fluorescent-Condensation exposures using fluorescent sunlamps are performed in the UVTest instrument.
- Testing services for all major textile tests at our USA and Germany based laboratories
- Outdoor static direct or under-glass exposures. South Florida is a benchmark textile test location due to the aggressive, moisture and sunlight. Our Arizona site is also a prime test site due to the higher summer temperatures and solar radiation, and our Worldwide Exposure Network provides over 20 other sites for testing.
- Outdoor accelerated tests using the solar tracking and concentrating EMMA/EMMAQUA suite of exposure products are effective for testing durable technical textiles such as tensioned fabrics for roofs.
- Atlas Custom Systems solar simulation lighting system, frequently used in environmental chambers, can provide exposures of larger products such as backpacks, tents, etc.
- Automotive cabin textile flammability is tested with the model HMV Horizontal Motor Vehicles flammability test cabinet, and standards based on FMVSS 302.
- Aircraft cabin textile flammability is tested with the model HVFAA Horizontal Vertical FAA test chamber