Lucideon invests in new freeze-thaw test rig

In late 2013, a revision to BS EN 1304 “Clay roofing tiles for discontinuous laying” was published incorporating reference to the revised BS EN 539-2 “Test for frost resistance, test methods”. Until then, frost resistance testing for clay roofing tiles in Europe was based on four different test methods, each test method being related to a specific geographical region of Europe. In the UK, test Method D was used to assess the frost resistance of clay roofing tiles for the climatic conditions of the UK and Ireland.

It has taken over ten years to develop a single frost resistance test method. Instead of different test methods, the frost resistance is now based on the number of damage-free cycles the products achieve during the assessment. European geographical regions now have a defined number of cycles that act as a “threshold” for compliance with frost resistance in their specific climatic zones (see »Table).

Lucideon collaborated with Butler Refrigeration to design and commission the construction of a new freeze-thaw test rig. The new rig is capable of testing 16 sets of standard clay roofing tiles, simultaneously. The new rig will not only provide a significant increase in testing capacity but also make Lucideon more flexible.