Climatic Chamber Configurator
Discover the Climatic Chamber Configurator
Our guide to choosing the climate chamber best suited to your needs.
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Climatic chamber tests are used to test the resistance and durability of different materials and products to a wide variety of atmospheric factors.
And what is one of the materials most exposed to the atmospheric factors that we use every day in our daily lives?
Glass, whether it be the windows of buildings and our homes or the windows of cars, is our most fragile and important defense from the elements of the outside world.
In this article, we will analyze in detail what tests they must pass to demonstrate the reliability we require of them.
The Climatic Test on Glass: General Features
As we've mentioned, glass is directly exposed to all the weather conditions that occur outdoors. Climatic testing of glass in a climate chamber must therefore ensure resistance to a wide range of conditions, including:
- Sudden or cyclical temperature changes
- Sudden or cyclical changes in humidity
- Sudden or cyclical changes in pressure
- Rain and other precipitation
- Thermal insulation factor
- Freezing and thawing
The parameters and tests that glass must meet vary depending on the climate zone and the use of the glass itself. For this reason, while they share some general procedures, building windows and vehicle windows meet different requirements with specific tests that are best addressed separately.
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Climatic Testing of Windows, French Windows, and Skylights
Climatic testing of windows, French windows, and skylights can be carried out during production or “in the field,” that is, once the glass has already been installed in the building.
This last case follows the ASTM E1105-00.
However, as we are interested in climatic chambers, and therefore laboratory testing, the main standards to follow are ASTM E547-00(2016) and ASTM E331-00(2016); the first regulates the procedures for carrying out variable cycles of static air pressure, the second tests the materials with auniform static air pressure.
Also very important is ANSI/NFRC 100 , which outlines the procedures to follow to calculate the thermal insulation factor of glass, which will impact the value of the entire apartment or building, especially with regards to its energy class.
Climate Testing of Vehicle Windshields and Windows
Vehicle climate testing is generally performed on the fully assembled vehicle, and window and windshield testing is no exception.
Windows and windshields are then put to the test in their final context and are subjected to the classic automotive sector climatic tests about which you can read this article of ours.
In particular, however, windows and windshields must pass a specific test that separates them from most other glass used in buildings: the defrosting and defrosting test.
The test is regulated by ISO 3468:2014 and verifies the efficiency of the windshield defrosting and defrosting systems of the vehicle in question, reproducing the typical situations it will face during the winter months.
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The FDM Chamber for Climatic Testing on Glass
The FDM Environmental Chamber is the ideal instrument for performing all extreme climate tests, including those on glass, windows and windows.
Its technical characteristics allow it to reproduce all the climatic conditions that the glass of buildings or vehicles will have to face during their life cycle, and it can be built in different sizes to accommodate all types of materials and products.
For special needs, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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Reference Standards
- EN 1279 (series) — Insulating glass units: assessment of quality and durability of seal
- EN 12150 — Thermally toughened safety glass
- EN ISO 12543 — Laminated safety glass
- ASTM E2190 — Insulating Glass Unit Performance evaluation
- EN 14179 — Heat soak test for tempered glass
- ECE R43 — EU regulation for vehicle safety glazing
Authoritative Sources
- CEN — European Committee for Standardization — EN glazing standards.
- ASTM Committee C14 — Glass.
- Glass for Europe — Association of flat glass manufacturers in Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Glass Climatic Testing
What climate tests are mandatory for insulating glass?
For CE marking EN 1279: (1) Fog test (EN 1279-2) thermal cycles -18/+53°C + UV to evaluate humidity intrusion; (2) Humidity penetration test (EN 1279-3) calculation of performance index I; (3) Gas leakage test (EN 1279-3) for argon-filled glass. Typical duration: 224+224 standard climatic cycles, total duration 12 weeks. Typical thresholds: dew point increase
What does the tempered glass heat soak test test?
EN 14179 defines the heat soak test (HST): tempered glass is held at 290°C ±10°C for 2 hours to force the spontaneous breakage of panes containing nickel sulfide (NiS) inclusions, the main cause of unpredictable breakage. The test eliminates approximately 98% of defective panes. It is mandatory for high-rise facade glazing (>7m), critical safety glazing, and some automotive applications.
What climate tests are done for automotive windows?
Vehicle glazing follows ECE R43 + additional OEM tests: thermal cycles (ISO 16750-4), humidity cycling for deadhesion sealant, UV + spray (SAE J2527 for 2000h equivalent to 5 years of exposure), anti-fog test for integrated demisting system, thermal shock for heated windows. Windows with PDLC or electrochromic films require switching cycles in a climatic environment (≥10,000 switches in damp heat).
How is the thermal insulation of a window tested?
Thermal performance (Uw value W/m²K) is measured in a calorimetric hotbox (EN ISO 12567) with a double climate chamber: one side at -10°C and one at +20°C, measuring the steady-state heat flow through the frame. Complete validation also requires condensation resistance tests (EN 13788) and airtightness tests (EN 12207 class 1-4). Certified thermally insulated frames achieve Uw < 1.0 W/m²K.
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