Fire and Flammability Tester for Automotive Hanging Interior Materials
QualiFlame™ VFT is a precision vertical flame tester designed to evaluate the flammability and fire resistance of curtains, sunshades, and other vertically hung interior materials used in Class M passenger vehicles carrying more than 22 occupants. Designed specifically for automotive interior material flammability testing, the QualiFlame™ VFT provides repeatable, standard-compliant measurements of vertical burning rate in a compact, laboratory-ready system.
During testing, the prepared specimen is secured vertically in a stainless steel specimen holder and exposed to a calibrated brass burner flame for a controlled 5-second period. The system automatically measures flame-extinguishing time, burned distance, and vertical burning rate. With PLC and touchscreen control, the complete testing process—including ignition, timing, flame detection, and data calculation—is automated to reduce operator-dependent timing errors and improve test consistency.
The QualiFlame™ VFT automotive flammability tester is suitable for automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, material testing laboratories, and regulatory compliance facilities throughout the United States and Canada. It supports automotive fire testing for demonstrating conformance with ECE Regulation No. 118, Annex 8, along with equivalent international requirements. Stainless steel construction, high-voltage pulse auto-ignition, and sensor-based flame detection provide dependable operation for production quality control, research, development, and material evaluation applications.
Vertical Flame Tester — QualiFlame™ VFT Applications
The QualiFlame™ VFT vertical flame tester is designed for accurate and repeatable automotive flammability testing, material evaluation, and regulatory compliance testing. Key applications include:
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Automotive interior vertical flame testing: Evaluate curtains, privacy screens, sunshades, and other vertically hung materials used in buses and coaches according to ECE Regulation No. 118, Annex 8.
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Class M vehicle flammability testing: Assess fire performance of interior materials used in buses, motor coaches, and large passenger vehicles carrying more than 22 passengers.
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Material qualification and incoming inspection: Verify the flammability characteristics of fabrics, textiles, polymers, and interior components supplied to automotive manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers.
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Automotive material fire testing: Conduct validation studies on new textile, fabric, polymer, and composite materials intended for vehicle interior applications.
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Automotive R&D material screening: Compare candidate interior materials and evaluate their vertical burning behavior during product development and material selection.
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Third-party laboratory testing: Provide standards-based vertical flame testing for client samples, material certification, quality verification, and compliance documentation.
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Regulatory pre-submission testing: Assess automotive interior materials before regulatory submissions requiring ECE R118, FMVSS, or equivalent fire performance documentation.
Vertical Flame Tester — QualiFlame™ VFT Key Features
The QualiFlame™ VFT vertical flame tester combines automated ignition, flame detection, timing, data calculation, and specimen positioning for repeatable automotive interior flammability testing. Its design supports testing of vertically hung fabrics, textiles, polymers, curtains, sunshades, and other interior materials according to applicable fire performance requirements.
Specimen Holder & Clamping System
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Stainless steel specimen fixing frame: 560 mm high × 170 mm wide, providing adequate space for full-size hanging material specimens tested according to ECE R118 Annex 8.
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Precision specimen positioning: 2 mm diameter fixing pins and 20 mm high × 2 mm diameter positioning pins help maintain consistent specimen alignment during every test.
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U-shaped stainless steel clamping plate: 1.0 mm thick construction securely holds specimens with different thicknesses while minimizing distortion and slippage.
Burner System
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ECE R118-compliant brass burner: Burner construction and dimensions conform to applicable ECE R118 requirements for automotive vertical flame testing.
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Adjustable burner orientation: The burner can be positioned vertically or at a 30° angle relative to the specimen plane for the required ignition configuration.
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Controlled ignition distance: A fixed 20 mm distance between the burner top and specimen bottom provides consistent flame exposure conditions.
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Precision burner positioning: The burner moves perpendicular to the specimen along a precision track, allowing adjustment for different specimen thicknesses without manual shimming.
Ignition & Flame Control
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Automatic high-voltage pulse ignition: Provides consistent spark ignition at the beginning of each test while reducing variation associated with manual flame application.
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Automatic 5-second flame exposure: PLC-controlled gas shutoff ends the flame exposure at the prescribed 5-second interval for consistent test conditions.
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Repeatable ignition control: Automated flame application helps maintain consistent ignition conditions across multiple automotive material flammability tests.
Flame Detection & Timing System
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Sensor-based flame-front detection: An adjustable marking line with a weight and proximity sensor detects flame-front arrival at the specified measurement reference point for consistent timing.
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Adjustable marking line: The marking-line position can be changed to accommodate specimens with different thicknesses.
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Fully automatic timing: The system records test timing electronically without requiring a manual stopwatch, reducing operator-related timing variation.
Control, Data & Reporting
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PLC and full-color touchscreen: Controls the complete vertical flame testing sequence, including ignition, timing, flame extinction, and result calculation through a single interface.
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Automatic burning-rate calculation: Calculates the vertical burn rate in mm/min using the measured burn distance and elapsed time.
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Automatic test data storage: Stores test results in onboard memory for quality control records, test traceability, and reporting.
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Real-time test information: Displays relevant test parameters, timing data, and calculated results clearly on the touchscreen.
Construction & Installation
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Compact laboratory design: Measuring 900 × 600 × 1040 mm, the QualiFlame™ VFT can fit on suitable laboratory benches and within compatible fume extraction enclosures.
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Lightweight construction: With a weight of approximately 40 kg, the tester can be relocated between laboratory workstations when required.
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Propane gas operation: Designed for use with standard industrial propane, supporting convenient gas supply for laboratories across the United States and Canada.
Theory and Method
The QualiFlame™ VFT vertical flame tester evaluates the vertical burning behavior of automotive interior materials by applying a controlled ignition source to a vertically positioned specimen. The system measures flame travel distance and burning time before the flame self-extinguishes, providing quantitative data for automotive flammability and fire performance evaluation.
Specimen Preparation and Mounting
A specimen prepared to the specified dimensions is mounted vertically inside the stainless steel specimen holder. 2 mm diameter fixing pins help maintain accurate positioning, while a U-shaped stainless steel clamping plate holds the specimen securely during testing.
The specimen holder positions the material in a vertical orientation that represents the installed position of vehicle interior curtains, sunshades, privacy screens, and similar hanging components. This setup provides controlled and repeatable conditions for vertical flame testing.
Controlled Flame Application
A brass propane burner is positioned 20 mm below the bottom of the specimen and can be adjusted to a 30° angle relative to the specimen plane. The calibrated flame provides the defined ignition source required for the test.
The high-voltage pulse automatic ignition system starts the flame precisely at the beginning of the test. The burner exposes the specimen to the flame for exactly 5 seconds. After the specified exposure period, the automated flame-control system shuts off the ignition gas and ends the flame application.
Flame-Front Detection and Measurement
A marking line equipped with a weight and proximity sensor detects when the flame front reaches the defined measurement point on the specimen. Sensor-based detection reduces reliance on visual observation and provides more consistent measurement of flame travel time.
The PLC records the burn distance in millimeters and burn time in seconds, then automatically calculates the vertical burning rate in mm/min. This automated measurement process helps improve repeatability and reduces operator-related timing variation.
Data Processing and Reporting
The PLC and touchscreen control system manages ignition, flame timing, flame detection, measurement, and result calculation. Test results are displayed on the touchscreen and stored in onboard memory for later review and documentation.
Stored test data supports automotive quality control, material qualification, R&D testing, compliance verification, and supply chain documentation, making the QualiFlame™ VFT a practical solution for ECE R118 Annex 8 vertical flammability testing and related automotive interior material evaluations.
Vertical Flame Tester — QualiFlame™ VFT Technical Specifications
| Parameter |
Specification |
| Model |
QualiFlame™ VFT (Vertical Flame Tester) |
| Applicable Standard |
ECE R118 Annex 8 — Vertical Burning Rate Test for Automotive Hanging Interior Materials |
| Test Material Types |
Curtains, sunshades, and other vertically hung interior materials for Class M vehicles (>22 passengers) |
| Specimen Holder Material |
Stainless steel |
| Specimen Frame Height |
560 mm |
| Specimen Frame Width |
170 mm |
| Fixing Pins |
Diameter: 2 mm |
| Positioning Pins |
Height: 20 mm; Diameter: 2 mm |
| U-Shaped Clamping Plate |
Stainless steel; Thickness: 1.0 mm |
| Burner Material |
Brass — conforming to standard structural requirements |
| Burner Adjustment |
Vertical or 30° angle to specimen plane |
| Burner-to-Specimen Distance |
20 mm (top of burner to bottom of specimen) |
| Burner Positioning |
Perpendicular to specimen; adjustable for specimen thickness |
| Ignition System |
High-voltage pulse automatic ignition |
| Flame Exposure Duration |
5 seconds (fully automatic, PLC-controlled) |
| Flame Extinction |
Automatic after prescribed exposure time |
| Flame Detection / Timing |
Weight + proximity sensor on adjustable marking line |
| Timing |
Fully automatic — no manual stopwatch |
| Measurements Recorded |
Burn distance (mm), burn time (s), burning rate (mm/min) |
| Data Calculation |
Automatic combustion rate calculation and data storage |
| Control System |
PLC + color touchscreen |
| Overall Dimensions (W × D × H) |
900 × 600 × 1040 mm |
| Net Weight |
40 kg |
| Votlage |
AC 220 V, 2 A (110V is also available) |
| Gas Supply |
Industrial Propane |
