UV Accelerated Weathering Tester

1. Product Overview

The UV Accelerated Weathering Tester simulates the damaging effects of sunlight, rain, and dew on materials. Fluorescent UV lamps mimic sunlight, while condensation cycles simulate moisture. Test specimens rotate under controlled temperature in alternating UV exposure and condensation cycles, allowing several days or weeks of testing to reproduce months or years of outdoor aging.

The tester evaluates fading, discoloration, gloss loss, chalking, cracking, clouding, blistering, brittleness, strength degradation, and oxidation. UV test data help select new materials, improve existing ones, and assess how formulation changes affect product durability.

2. Technical Specifications

3. Structure and Materials

Chamber Dimensions: 450 × 1165 × 500 mm (D×W×H)

External Dimensions: 600 × 1325 × 1480 mm (D×W×H)

Chamber Material: SUS304 stainless steel (inner and outer)

UV Lamps: UVA-340 fluorescent, 2 rows × 8 lamps, 40W per lamp (total 12 lamps)

Water Source & Consumption: 8 L/day of clean or distilled water (user-supplied)

Control System: Touchscreen intelligent controller

Test Setup

Corrosion-resistant metal structure, 8 UV lamps, water pan, sample rack, and temperature/time control system.

Working area: 900 × 210 mm, lamp length 1200 mm, 2 rows of 4 lamps, lamp center distance 70 mm.

Specimens fixed at 50 mm from lamp surface; condensation occurs naturally due to temperature difference between specimen and ambient air.

Water vapor generated from heated pan (≤25 mm depth), with automatic water supply. Pan should be cleaned regularly to prevent scaling.

Temperature measured on a 75 × 100 × 2.5 mm black aluminum plate placed in the center of the exposure area; range 30–80°C, tolerance ±1°C.

4. Test Conditions

Specimens placed on the rack; gaps filled with blackboard to seal chamber walls if rack is not full.

Exposure temperature: 50°C, 60°C, or 70°C (recommended 60°C). Condensation stage temperature: 50°C, tolerance ±2°C.

Cycle options: 4h UV / 4h condensation or 8h UV / 4h condensation.

After first 400–450h of exposure, one lamp per row should be replaced; lamp replacement schedule maintains lamp lifespan of 1600–1800 h.

Water pan cleaned when replacing lamps to avoid scaling.

5. Specimen Evaluation

Appearance: Evaluate coatings, plastics, or rubber for gloss, color change, chalking, spotting, blistering, cracking, and dimensional stability. Use instruments for quantitative measurement where possible (gloss meter, colorimeter).

Mechanical & Other Properties: For rubber, measure tensile strength, elongation, and hardness; for plastics, measure impact strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, and flexural strength. Additional tests may be required per standards.

6. Operating Environment

Voltage: AC 220V ±10%, 50 Hz

Ambient Temperature: 5–35°C

Relative Humidity: <85% RH (25°C)

Atmospheric Pressure: 86–106 kPa

Conditions: Free from vibration, electromagnetic interference, dust, corrosive substances, direct sunlight, and heat sources

Equipment should be level and placed in a well-ventilated laboratory with sufficient surrounding space for operation and maintenance