The Hong Kong fire once again rings the alarm: How can laboratories build a safety defense line for building materials through combustion tests?

The recent serious fire accident in Hong Kong has shaken the entire society. This disaster not only caused significant property losses, but also made us deeply reflect: Have we achieved absolute safety in the field of building safety? As a supplier of laboratory equipment, Sky Industrial believes that scientific and rigorous building material combustion tests are the first line of defense to prevent such tragedies.

The Harsh Reality of Building Fires and Scientific Responses

According to statistics, approximately 70% of deaths in building fires are caused by toxic smoke and gases produced by the burning of building materials, rather than the flames themselves. This data highlights the significance of testing the combustion characteristics of materials. Modern building material combustion tests not only focus on the flammability of materials but also emphasize the assessment of key parameters such as combustion rate, heat release, smoke density, and toxicity.

International mainstream combustion testing standards system

(1) American and North American standards system

• UL 94: Flammability test standard for plastic materials

UL 94 V-0/V-1/V-2: Vertical burning test

UL 94 HB: Horizontal burning test

UL 94-5V: 5V grade vertical burning test

• ASTM D3801: Vertical burning characteristics test for solid plastics

• ASTM D635: Burning rate test for plastics in horizontal position

• NFPA 285: Fire characteristics test for exterior wall assemblies

• FM 4880: Fire resistance rating test for roof coverings

• ASTM E84: Surface burning characteristics test, measuring flame spread and smoke production index

• ASTM E662: Smoke density test, evaluating the degree of visual obstruction caused by material combustion

• ASTM E1354: Cone calorimeter test, measuring key parameters such as heat release rate and ignition time

(II) European and International Standards System

- EN 13501-1: Classification of the Fire Performance of Construction Products

  A1, A2: Non-combustible materials

  B, C, D: Classification of combustible materials

  E, F: Highly flammable materials

- EN 13823: Single Burning Item (SBI) Test for Construction Products

- EN ISO 11925-2: Test for Burning Behaviour of Building Materials (Small Scale Burning Behaviour)

- EN 4102: Fire Retardant Test Standard for Aerospace Materials

- ISO 5660-1: Test for Fire Performance by Cone Calorimeter

- ISO 9705: Room Fire Tests for Fire Protection Products, simulating real fire scenarios

(III) Chinese National Standard System (Extended)

- GB/T 5454: Textiles - Determination of burning behaviour - Oxygen index method

- GB/T 5455: Textiles - Burning behaviour - Vertical test

- GB/T 8333: Test methods for burning behaviour of rigid cellular plastics

- GB 20286: Fire performance requirements for flame-retardant products and components in public places

- GB/T 16172: Test method for heat release rate of building materials

- GB/T 2406.2: Plastics - Determination of burning behaviour by oxygen index - Part 2: Test at elevated temperature

- GB 8624: Classification for fire performance of building materials and products

- GB/T 20284: Single-chamber fire test for building materials and products

- GB/T 20285: Classification of the fire hazard of smoke from materials

(4) Special Application Field Standards

- IMO FTP Code: International Maritime Organization Fire Test Procedures

Part 5: Flammability Test of Surface Materials

Part 8: Fire Test of Soft Furniture

- FAA 14 CFR Part 25: Aviation Materials Combustion Test Standards

- NFPA 701: Flame Propagation Test of Textiles and Films

SKYLINE recommended professional combustion testing solutions

(1) Basic screening-level testing equipment

l Vertical/Horizontal Flammability Tester

Applicable standards: UL 94, ASTM D3801, GB/T 2408

Functional features: Equipped with a precise flame height adjustment system and an automatic timing device, capable of testing parameters such as self-extinguishing time of the sample and ignition of dripping substances.

l Limiting Oxygen Index Tester

Applicable standards: ASTM D2863, ISO 4589, GB/T 2406.2

Functional features: Equipped with a mass flow controller, oxygen concentration control accuracy ±0.1%, automatic oxygen concentration adjustment function

Accurately determines the minimum oxygen concentration required for a material to sustain combustion in a nitrogen-oxygen mixed gas. This parameter is an important indicator for evaluating the relative flammability of materials, and is particularly suitable for assessing the flame retardancy of polymer materials.

l Building materials flammability tester

Applicable standards: EN ISO 11925-2, GB/T 8626

Functional features: Simulate the scenario of a small flame directly impacting, and evaluate the flame spread characteristics on the material surface.

(II) Medium-scale performance testing equipment

l Single Burning Item (SBI) test apparatus

Applicable standards: EN 13823, GB/T 20284

Functional features: Comprehensive assessment of the combustion performance of building products, including heat release, smoke production, and dripping behavior, etc.

- Fire growth rate index (FIGRA)

- Smoke generation rate index (SMOGRA)

- Flame spread index (LFS)

Our equipment adopts a modular design, equipped with high-precision heat flux meters, smoke analysis systems, and real-time monitoring cameras, ensuring the traceability of the testing process and the reliability of the results.

l Cone Calorimeter Upgrade Series

Applicable Standards: ISO 5660, ASTM E1354, GB/T 16172

New Features: Multi-gas analysis module (CO, CO₂, SO₂, NOx, etc.), high-precision smoke density measurement system

- Heat Release Rate (HRR) and its peak (pHRR)

- Total Heat Release (THR)

- Effective Heat of Combustion (EHC)

- Mass Loss Rate (MLR)

- Time to Ignition (TTI)

- CO and CO₂ yield

- Smoke concentration analysis

This equipment adopts the advanced oxygen consumption principle, with a measurement accuracy of up to ±2%. It is equipped with a fully automatic data acquisition system and intelligent control software, and is suitable for the combustion performance evaluation of various solid materials, liquids, and composite materials.

(3) Special Application Testing Equipment

l Building Materials Smoke Density Testing System

Applicable Standards: ASTM E662, GB/T 8627

Functional Features: Equipped with a laser light transmittance measurement system, it can simultaneously measure smoke density in both flaming and non-flaming states.

l Floor covering material critical radiant flux tester

Applicable standards: ASTM E648, ISO 9239-1

Functional features: Simulate the combustion performance of floor materials under radiant heat sources, especially suitable for assessment in public places.

l Wall material flame spread tester

Applicable standards: ASTM E84, UL 723

Functional features: 25-foot tunnel furnace design, accurately measures flame spread index and smoke density index

4) Full-scale validation-level test equipment

Room corner fire test apparatus

Applicable standards: ISO 9705, GB/T 25207

Functional features: Full-scale room fire simulation, assessment of the real fire behavior of wall and ceiling systems

Furniture Composite Material Combustion Tester

Applicable Standards: BS 5852, CA TB 117

Functional Features: Simulate the combustion situation of furniture in actual use, including composite materials such as soft padding and fabrics.

Comprehensive Testing Solution Design Services of SKYLINE Industrial

As a professional supplier in the field of laboratory testing equipment, SKYLINE Instruments not only provides advanced testing equipment that meets international standards, but also offers multi-level and systematic testing solution design for customers:

Level 1: Material Screening Tests

Oxygen Index Test → Vertical/Horizontal Burning Test → Smoke Density Test

Level 2: Performance Evaluation Tests

Cone Calorimeter Test → SBI Test → Special Application Tests (such as flooring materials, wall materials)

Level 3: System Verification Tests

Full-scale Fire Test → Real-life Application Scenario Simulation Test

The lessons from the Hong Kong fire remind us that there is no such thing as a minor issue when it comes to building safety. Every rigorous combustion test is a respect for life; every precise test data is a responsibility to society. Sky Industrial is willing to join hands with laboratories, building material manufacturers and research institutions to build a safer building environment through scientific and accurate combustion performance assessment, so that fire tragedies will no longer be repeated.

Safety is not a cost, but an investment - every penny invested in the field of building material combustion testing will be transformed into immeasurable life protection.

Dongguan Skyline Industrial Co., Ltd. offers comprehensive solutions ranging from individual equipment to complete laboratory construction. Our technical team can customize testing plans based on your specific requirements. Pay attention to fire safety, starting from scientific detection.