Lafarge and Weiss Gallenkamp

The Lafarge Roofing Technical Centre in Crawley West Sussex carry out assessments of the service life of new & innovative roofing products before launch onto the market. These assessments support Lafarge's roof system guarantees for long-term performance.

Weiss Gallenkamp have installed a Test Chamber with a volume of 10m3 & the following specification:

  • Temperature Range: -20°C to +80°C. +/- 1°C.
  • Climatic Working Range: +10°C to +80°C
  • Humidity Range: 15% to 80% r.H. +/- 5%
  • Solar Simulation: 2 banks of 37 lamps in specially designed housings
  • Water Spray: To simulate rain, and also acid rain. Special design to wash down walls after each acid rain test to preserve test chamber.
  • Rack & Trolley: Specially designed specimen holder rack for roof tiles. Guidance system to ensure trolley is positioned same place for each test.
  • Control System Software: Chamber controlled via Simpati
  • Test programmes involve intensive accelerated laboratory weathering in parallel with real life natural weathering in diverse climates such as acid rain for example (using the Lafarge Roofing network of worldwide weathering sites)

Continued test development identified the need for bigger and better lab equipment with the ability to programme a range of weathering conditions, being capable of testing distinct roof elements, together with added advantages of realistic test results & value for money compared to testing in relatively expensive smaller equipment.

Installation & commissioning of the new walk-in chamber from Weiss Gallenkamp was successfully completed and constructed at the Crawley site with excellent collaboration between Weiss Gallenkamp & Lafarge The chamber is in routine operation and has operated reliably without interruption ever since.

Test cycles are chosen to reflect all of the elements of outdoor weathering in a controlled climate chamber. The aim of the accelerated testing is to closely reproduce the effects of real life weathering on building products in as short a timescale as is practically possible under repeatable laboratory conditions.

In summary what began as an ambitious development has turned out to be a successful new addition to the range of durability tests carried out by Lafarge Roofing.

Weiss Gallenkamp manufacture & design standard & bespoke Environmental Test Chambers, Temperature Test Chambers Pharmaceutical Stability Test Cabinets and Humidity Test Chambers.

In addition to this, special projects are also undertaken such as Altitude Test Chambers, Pharmaceutical Stability Test Rooms, Plant Growth Rooms and applications for Automotive & Aerospace testing.