Ensure your hardware meets global quality and safety standards with Element’s comprehensive hardware testing services. From architectural hardware like doors, windows, and ironmongery to fasteners and construction materials, we provide precise testing and certification to achieve CE marking, ICC approval, and regulatory compliance, ensuring product reliability and market success.
What Does Testing for Architectural Hardware Involve?
Hardware testing is the process of evaluating the performance, durability, and safety of hardware components to ensure they meet industry standards and regulatory requirements. This includes testing a wide range of products such as architectural hardware (e.g., doors, windows, and ironmongery) and construction fasteners (e.g., nails, staples, and bolts).
The purpose of hardware testing is to identify potential weaknesses, improve product reliability, and certify compliance with local and international standards like CE marking in Europe or ICC approval in the US. Tests can include mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, operational durability, and chemical analysis to ensure products perform safely and effectively in real-world applications.
Key Benefits of Element’s Hardware Testing Services
- Simplified Compliance with Global Standards: Element’s hardware testing services help you meet critical global standards, including CE marking and ICC approval. Our services ensure your products comply with European, American, and international regulatory requirements, so you can focus on production and growth.
- Enhanced Product Durability and Reliability: Element’s in-depth hardware testing simulates real-world conditions to measure durability, corrosion resistance, and stress performance. Our proactive testing approach ensures your hardware, such as doors, windows, locks, and fasteners, meets the highest standards of reliability and safety, preventing costly replacements and downtime.
- Specialized Expertise in Hardware Testing: Element provides specialized hardware testing for a wide range of products, including locks, door closers, fasteners, and more. With in-depth knowledge of each hardware type, we conduct the most relevant tests, ensuring your products undergo a thorough, tailored evaluation that meets their specific performance and safety needs.
- Driving Innovation: Element’s testing services enables you to test new designs, prototypes, and materials quickly, helping you push the boundaries of hardware performance and security.
Our comprehensive hardware testing supports your innovation journey by offering reliable feedback and certification.
- Staying Ahead with the Industry: Element is an active contributor to leading hardware industry groups within the UK and Europe. Our participation in trade associations, such as the Door and Hardware Federation and the Council for Aluminium in Buildings, keeps us at the forefront of regulatory changes.
- Enhanced Security Confidence with CERTISECURE: Recognized by the Official Police Security Initiative “Secured by Design,” our CERTISECURE certification scheme gives you and your customers confidence that your products meet all performance requirements and offer an enhanced level of security. This third-party certification is continually updated to combat the latest security threats.
Streamline Your Hardware Testing to Meet EU and US Regulatory Requirements
Manufacturers often struggle to navigate the complex landscape of certification and regulatory compliance, particularly when selling hardware products across multiple markets. Whether it's adhering to European standards like CE marking or obtaining ICC approval in the U.S., meeting these regulatory requirements can be time-consuming and challenging.
Element simplifies the certification process by offering expert guidance through the intricacies of both European and U.S. standards, including ICC approval. Our services support compliance with a wide range of regulatory requirements, ensuring that your hardware products meet the necessary benchmarks in key markets.
- For European markets, we assist with CE marking and Attestation of Conformity (Level 1) for a wide variety of products, including controlled door closers and electromechanically operated locks.
- For the U.S. market, we support obtaining ICC approval, which is crucial for construction fasteners and hardware like nails, staples, and other critical components, ensuring your products comply with industry standards and are ready for regulatory approval.
Ensuring Long-Term Durability with Comprehensive Hardware Testing
Product failure due to insufficient durability can be costly, both financially and in terms of brand reputation. Hardware used in critical infrastructure, such as doors, locks, and emergency devices, needs to withstand prolonged use, wear, and environmental conditions.
Element’s durability and corrosion resistance testing simulates real-world conditions to ensure that your products perform reliably over time. Our team utilizes advanced testing methods, such as pull-out resistance testing, bending yield testing, and corrosion resistance testing to EN1670, to thoroughly evaluate how your hardware holds up under stress, environmental exposure, and repeated use. By proactively identifying potential weaknesses, we ensure that your hardware has the strength to perform in challenging conditions, reducing the likelihood of failure and increasing the lifespan of your products.
Elements Hardware Testing Services Capabilities
- Door hardware and operational testing
- Quality control
- Durability testing
- Corrosion resistance testing
- U-value calculations
- UV and vibration testing
- Testing to harmonized EU standards for CE marking
- Failure analysis
- ICC approval and testing to American governing body standards
- Pull-out Resistance Testing
- Bending Yield Testing
- Hardness Testing
- Tensile Testing
- Shear Testing
- Coating Weight
- Chemical Analysis
Why Choose Element?
Element’s global network and wide range of hardware testing services set us apart, streamlining your journey from R&D to certification and market access. Our highly specialized teams in specific hardware testing areas make us the ideal partner. As industry thought leaders, we actively contribute to key hardware groups, including the Door and Hardware Federation, the Council for Aluminium in Buildings, the Architectural Specialist Door Manufacturers Association, and hold the Chairmanship of European Group CEN/TC33/WG4 and the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers. This unique involvement allows us to provide first-hand insights and drive innovation in hardware testing.
Choose Element to simplify the complexities of hardware material compatibility and certification. For more details, visit our About Us page or Contact Us to discuss your project today.
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