ECE R118 Annex 6 Burning of bus interior (accredited)

ECE R118 Annex 6 – Burning Behaviour of Materials Used in Vehicle Interiors

Our laboratory performs testing in accordance with ECE R118 Annex 6 (“Uniform technical prescriptions concerning the burning behaviour of materials used in certain categories of motor vehicles – Test to determine the horizontal burning rate of materials”) under an accredited testing procedure. The test is used to evaluate the fire behaviour of non-metallic materials and components applied in the interior compartments of buses, commercial vehicles, and other vehicle categories.

The regulation is particularly relevant for non-metallic materials and components used in passenger compartments, such as seat upholstery materials, leather, artificial leather, textile surfaces, foams, lining and insulation materials, wall and ceiling panels, seating systems, as well as composite structures used in the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors. ECE R118 is an essential part of international vehicle approval and type certification, especially for buses of categories M2 and M3.

The accredited FILK testing laboratory is designated as a Category A Technical Service by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA). Our services are recognized by leading manufacturers such as Daimler Buses & Trucks and MAN.

Test Principle and Procedure

In the ECE R118 Annex 6 test, a horizontally mounted test specimen is fixed in a defined test apparatus and exposed to a standardized test flame for a specified period of time. The burning behaviour of the material is then evaluated, particularly with regard to:

• horizontal burning rate,

• self-extinguishing behaviour,

• flame propagation over a defined measuring distance,

• post-flame behaviour of the material.

The burning rate is determined in mm/min. For many applications, the maximum permissible limit is 100 mm/min, or alternatively the material must exhibit self-extinguishing behaviour before the measuring marks are reached.