SEFA 12 – 2014

PRODUCT CERTIFICATION

For Laboratory Grade Casework

Becoming “SEFA Certified®”

- Rick Johnson – Product Director, Hamilton Scientific

- Mario DiFonte – Vice President of Sales & Marketing,

Mott Manufacturing Ltd.

You can download a copy of this presentation from the link on the homepage at www.sefalabs.com

What is tested?

• Cabinet

- Total load test

- Concentrated load

- Torsion

- Submersion test

• Drawer

- Static test

- Impact test

- Internal rolling test

- Slide cycle test

What else is tested?

• Door

- Impact Test

- Cycle Test

• Table

- Static Load

- Racking Test

• Wall Cabinet Load

• Shelf Load Test

• Chemical Spot Test

Why the need for testing?

Kitchen cabinets, office furniture and millwork

are tested, but don’t have to meet the rigorous

demands of the laboratory environment:

• Chemical abuse

• Physical abuse

• Wet conditions

• Lack of maintenance

A higher standard is required to meet and

exceed end-user expectations.

What is SEFA 8?

• Performance based tool for evaluating

Laboratory Casework for safety, durability,

and structural integrity

• Five types of casework : Wood, Metal, Plastic

Laminate, Polypropylene, and Phenolic Resin

• Developments of Recommended Practices is

a perpetual process

What is the Scientific Equipment

and Furniture Association?

• Voluntary International Trade Association of 125

member companies

• Members include: Manufacturers, Fabricators,

Planners, Architects, Designers, Engineers, General

Contractors, Dealers and Installers

• Performance based Recommended Practices

1.0 Scope:

SEFA Product Certification is a

voluntary process by which SEFA

grants recognition to a SEFA member

company’s product which has met

the qualifications set forth below.

The scope of SEFA 12- 2014 applies to

the Recommended Practices for

Laboratory Grade Casework:

• SEFA 8 –M (Metal)

• SEFA 8-PH (Phenolic)

• SEFA 8-PL (Plastic Laminate)

• SEFA 8-P (Polypropylene)

• SEFA 8-W (Wood)

SEFA’s approved third – party

testing company:

Intertek 4700 Broadmoor SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49512

www.intertek.com

Toll Free: 1 -800-888-3787

Tel: 616.656.1166

Sefa.certification@Intertek.com

(Contact: Brian Kneibel)

The company must be a SEFA Member in

good standing since the SEFA member

must sign an annual certification agreeing

to be bound by SEFA’s Code of Ethics

and its enforcement mechanism which

can result in suspension or revocation of

SEFA membership and termination from

the program.

2.0 Purpose:

The manufacturer must submit its

products to Intertek for testing and

agree to periodic factory inspections.

Intertek shall transmit the test results

and factory site visit reports to SEFA

headquarters.

Cabinet Load Test

4.2.1 Purpose of Test Challenges the structural integrity and the load bearing capability of the cabinet construction. Demonstrates the ability of the cabinet to support heavy loads, but is not intended to test the functional characteristics of the cabinet under heavy loads. 4.2.2 Test Procedure The cabinet top was loaded using 2,000 pounds (907.2 Kg) of solid steel bars (Square solid steel bar, 2-1/2" X 2-1/2" X 28-1/4“ (63.5 mm X 63.5 mm x 717.55 mm) weighing 50 lbs (22.68 Kg). stacked five high, in eight equally spaced rows After 10 minutes, the bars were removed from the cabinet. 4.2.3 Acceptance Level There are no signs of permanent damage.

Door Hinge Test

5.1.1 Purpose of Test Demonstrates the durability of the door and its hardware (hinge leaf, screws, etc.) to an applied load of 200 pounds (90.72 Kg). 5.1.2 Test Procedure The shelf was removed and weight was placed on top of the cabinet to prevent it from overturning. A cabinet door was opened 90o and a sling with four 50 pound (22.68 Kg) weights (200 pounds, 90.72 Kg total) was hung over the top of the door, at a point 12" (394.8 mm) out from the hinge centerline. The door was then slowly moved through the full cycle of the hinge (up to a 160o arc). The weight was then removed, the door was swung through its full intended range of motion, and closed. 5.1.3 Acceptance Level There was no significant permanent distortion and the door operated normally after the weight was removed.

Door Cycle Test

5.3.1 Purpose of Test Demonstrates the ability of the door hinge hardware to withstand 100,000 cycles as a reliable measure of longevity. 5.3.2 Test Procedure A cycling mechanism (The test was performed in conformance with ANSI test procedure A156.9, Grade 1, requirements for cycle testing of doors.), that swings a door through an arc of 90°, was operated for 100,000 cycles (at a speed of less than 15 cycles per minute). 5.3.3 Acceptance Level The door operated for the full 100,000 cycles without deterioration that significantly affected the function of the door. After completion of the test, the door operates freely and without binding.

Drawer Static Load Test

6.1.1 Purpose of Test Demonstrates the ability to support a point load given to the front of the drawer and will challenge the attachment of the drawer head to the drawer. 6.1.2 Test Procedure Eight, 50 pound (22.68 Kg) solid steel bars (400 Pounds, 181.6 Kg total) were placed on top of the cabinet (to prevent over-turning). A drawer was opened to 13" (330.2 mm) of travel and 150 pounds (68.04 Kg) was hung from the drawer head, at the centerline of the drawer, for 5 minutes. The weight was then removed and the drawer was operated through the full cycle. 6.1.3 Acceptance Level There was no interference with the normal operation of the drawer.

Drawer Cycle Test

6.5.1 Purpose of Test Intended to replicate years of operation of a drawer under full load. 6.5.2 Test Procedure Laboratory Load (100 pounds, 45.36Kg) A static load of 100 pounds (45.6 Kg) (using ten 10 pound (4.54 Kg) sand bags) was uniformly distributed in a drawer and the force required to activate the drawer was measured (see Table next slide). The drawer was then opened from a closed position to a position within 1/4" (6.35 mm) of full extension and then closed. The procedure was repeated 50,000 times at a rate that did not exceed 10 cycles per minute.

Wall Cabinet Shelving

7.1.1 Purpose of Test Demonstrates the ability of a shelf and mounting hardware to support normal laboratory loads. 7.1.2 Test Procedure A shelf was mounted in the manner in which it was designed and a dial indicator was positioned under the center of the shelf and adjusted to zero. Sixteen, 10 pound (4.54 Kg) sand bags (160 pounds, 72.58 Kg total) were uniformly distributed on the shelf to obtain a loading of 40 pounds (18.41 Kg) per square foot of shelf area, and the deflection was recorded. The weight was then removed from the shelf. 7.1.3 Acceptance Level Deflection under load = 0.143” (3.63 mm) which is less than the allowable maximum of 0.25” (6.35 mm).

Certification Costs

• Initial Certification Testing:

- $2,850.00 (USD) plus $150.00 (USD) administrative fee.

(Can be done at SEFA member factory).

• Factory Audit:

- $750.00 (USD) plus lodging and per diem costs for local

Intertek representative.

• SEFA Annual Administrative Fee:

- $100.00 (USD)

• Critical Part Change Testing Costs:

- Per part change between $80.00 - $350.00 (USD)

5.0 Approval Process and Duration:

Test results evidencing that all product

submittals have passed the SEFA 8

testing requirements will be submitted

to the SEFA offices for review along

with Intertek’s factory inspection report.

The SEFA and Intertek websites shall

contain a section listing the products

which are SEFA Certified ®

The manufacturer may now display

the certification logo on printed and

electronic communications in

accordance with § 9.0 herein.

SEFA Certification will become effective

at the time SEFA receives the product

test results and factory site visit reports

from Intertek and the other requirements

set forth in § 8.0 herein are fulfilled. The

Certification will remain in place for

seven (7) years as long as the other

requirements of § 8.0 continue to be

satisfied.

All questions concerning the SEFA

Product Certification process

should be directed to the SEFA

offices.

6.0 Change in Critical Parts:

Any substitution or change of critical

parts will require the product to be

retested.

In the event any one or more of the

critical parts have been substituted

(See § 6.0) then such authorization

shall be deemed revoked pending

re-certification. This re-certification

does not extend the expiration date

of the original seven (7) year period

referred to in Section 5.0 herein.

7.0 Deviations:

Since many project specifications are

prescriptive, the product specified for a given

project may vary from the manufacturer’s test

units. As such, the units required by the

project specification may deviate from the

manufacturer’s tested and certified units.

Prior to, or as part of, the bidding or

purchasing process, the manufacturer will

inform the design professional and the

purchaser of any such deviations in writing

utilizing the SEFA Form 12-D.

SEFA FORM 12 - D

9.0 Guidelines and Rules for use of

SEFA Certified ® mark and labels:

References to SEFA Certified® can

be made only once you are

authorized by SEFA to use the SEFA

mark on your product.

SEFA FORM 12 - C

SEFA FORM 12 – L

You can download a copy of this presentation from the link on the homepage at www.sefalabs.com