Flammability of interior materials
Material
Publisher
Our testing laboratory performs testing in accordance with the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 302 – Flammability of Interior Materials using an accredited procedure. This standard describes a standardized test method for determining the flammability behavior of non-metallic materials used in vehicle interiors. The aim of the test is to limit the propagation of fire in materials and thereby reduce the risk of injuries or damage caused by vehicle fires, particularly those initiated by ignition sources such as matches or cigarettes.
The standard is applied to materials that are used in the passenger compartment of motor vehicles or are located in close proximity to the interior air volume. These include, for example, plastics, coated textiles, leather, foams, films, and other non-metallic materials used in seat systems, interior trim, or other interior components. The test determines the horizontal burn rate of the material and serves as a basis for evaluating its flammability and flame propagation behavior.
During the test procedure, a rectangular specimen is conditioned under defined climatic conditions and then mounted horizontally in a U-shaped holder within a test chamber. The specimen is exposed at its free end to a defined gas flame for a specified period. After removal of the flame, the spread of the flame along the specimen is measured over a defined distance and time, from which the linear burn rate in mm/min is calculated. A material is considered compliant with the standard if the burn rate does not exceed a specified limit or if the material self-extinguishes before a defined burn distance is reached.
The results obtained in our test laboratory provide important parameters for evaluating the fire behavior of interior materials in the automotive sector and support material development, quality assurance, and compliance with international vehicle requirements. The test is therefore frequently used in the context of material approvals, development testing, and regulatory verification for automotive components.