Wouldn’t it be great to know your IG window units will pass the IGCC/IGMAC certification process before the audit – at no cost to you? Is the proper adhesion to your substrates important to you? If you’re having failures, do you want to know the root cause?

If you’re an H.B. Fuller customer, you have access to a full range of technical field service support and laboratory testing – including the H.B. Fuller’s Accelerated Weathering Test/Durability Test. The test is one of several that H.B. Fuller offers; other offerings include adhesion compatibility, and root cause. All field and lab services are free to H.B. Fuller customers – which differentiates them from their competitors.

“The conversations usually begin when a customer talks to one of our sales reps,” says Brandon Rhoades, Laboratory Technical Services Manager – Building Adhesives Solutions. “Customers may have an audit coming up and want to ensure their IG units will pass E2190/CGSB 12.8 testing on the first go.

“Or, they might not be preparing for certification testing but want periodic verification their IG units perform in accelerated weathering. Or, they may want to find the root cause for unexpected performance. We can help with all scenarios. The sales rep contacts either our Field Tech Service team or Laboratory Tech Service team with the inquiry . . . and we take it from there.”

Officially known as the H. B. Fuller Window and Insulating Glass Technical Center of Excellence, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, the facility combines testing and application services to its customers. The application lab houses a Glaston 4SG line, an Intercept line, fixed head HM extruder, XY glazing table, and several drum/pail unloaders.

The test lab offers visual and dimension inspections, adhesion testing (peels, shears, cleavage), compatibility testing (glazing sealants, glazing tapes, and setting blocks), and accelerated weathering tests – HBF Durability, P1, and RAC.

A $3 billion company, H.B. Fuller’s state-of-the-art Technical Center of Excellence is part of the company’s commitment to manufacturing sealants in the United States for the IG industry. By providing testing services, at no charge to customers, H.B. Fuller ensures manufacturers have the right products for their applications – and produced to rigorous U.S. standards.

Accelerated Weathering Test – How it works

“We don’t provide industry certifications; instead, we validate our products exceed them,” says Rhoades. “Our Accelerated Weathering Test, for example, is a great proxy for screening prior to submitting your IG units for third-party certification testing.”

Rhoades recommends that customers work with their ISC sales rep and schedule the test at least three months prior to their audit. The Accelerated Weathering Test evaluates the durability and performance of the IG unit sealants under simulated environmental conditions.

“The test is five weeks of exposure: two weeks of high temperature/high humidity, one week of temperature cycling, one week of UV exposure, and one week of pressure cycling in high temperature / high humidity,” says Rhoades.

“We recommend to customers that they supply us with seven 14” x 20” IG units per IG sealant configuration. The frost point and argon concentration is monitored in-between the individual chamber exposures. After the units go through this accelerated weathering, a report is made to provide feedback and recommendations based on our findings.”

It’s a great way to see if your units will pass, but the pre-screening provides an additional benefit as well: benchmarking.

Rhoades and his team provide information on what can be improved. ISC then works with the customer and the Field Service team to correct any defects due to the manufacturing process.

“Once you run the pre-screen, or have us perform any test, you now have a benchmark,” he says. “Based on the data, Field Services and ISC can then recommend step-wise process improvements.”

The ISC sales team also does annual audits of customers’ manufacturing facilities to ensure they’re following the processes H.B. Fuller recommends for IG units that incorporate their adhesive materials and components.

If you’re interested in having your products tested, contact your ISC rep.

A global company, H.B. Fuller provides cutting-edge adhesives and sealants for the residential and commercial window and insulating glass market. To learn more, visit https://www.hbfuller.com/en/markets/glass