ABNORMAL TEST MATERIALS & BALL PRESSURE TEST EQUIPMENT
ED&D supplies the ACC-01 Cheesecloth, ACG-01 Cotton Gauze, and ACP-01 Cotton Pad for abnormal-operation, fault-condition, and fire-hazard test setups. The BPT-01 Ball Pressure Tester and BPA-01 Ball Pressure Test Stand support ball pressure testing of polymeric and insulating materials under load at elevated temperature.
Abnormal-Operation Test Materials and Ball Pressure Equipment
Product safety standards may specify indicator materials, absorbent cotton media, or dedicated equipment for fault-condition, abnormal-operation, fire-hazard, and abnormal-heat evaluations. The materials on this page are used in setups involving component fault conditions, locked-rotor tests, fan-failure tests, and other abnormal-operation methods where ignition or fire hazard must be observed.
ED&D’s abnormal test material family includes untreated cheesecloth used as an indicator material, cotton gauze, and cotton pad. The page also includes ball pressure testing equipment used to evaluate the resistance of polymeric and insulating materials to deformation under load at elevated temperature.
Important standards note: abnormal testing supplies and support fixtures should match the exact material type, weight, weave, thickness, treatment condition, force, temperature, and placement required by the governing method. Substituting shop materials or improvised fixtures may produce a setup that does not conform to the governing method.
Cheesecloth for Abnormal-Operation and Fire-Hazard Testing
ACC-01 Cheesecloth
ACC-01 Cheesecloth is used as an ignition and fire-hazard indicator during abnormal tests such as component fault conditions, locked-rotor tests, and fan-failure tests.
Material details include untreated cotton construction, thread count of 32 x 28 threads per inch (12.6 x 11.0 threads per cm), weight between 35.7 and 38.5 g/m², minimum width of 0.914 m (36 in. / 1 yard), and minimum length of 4.572 m (5 yards).
Product information references IEC 60601, IEC 60950, IEC 61010, EN 61010, and EN 60950.
Indicator-material note: the cheesecloth specification, placement, layering, and arrangement must follow the governing method.
Cotton Gauze and Cotton Pads for Product Safety Testing
ACG-01 Cotton Gauze
ACG-01 Cotton Gauze is a dry, absorbent, white, untreated, surgical-grade 100% cotton gauze used in test setups that require a loose-weave cotton medium.
Material size is 4.5 in. x 10 ft. with thickness of approximately 1/32 in. The loose weave allows air to pass freely through the material.
ACP-01 Cotton Pad
ACP-01 Cotton Pad is a dry, absorbent, white, untreated, 100% cotton pad used when a thicker absorbent cotton medium is required by the test setup.
Material size is 6.0 in. x 16 in.. It is surgical grade and approximately 1 inch thick. The pad is less permeable to airflow than the loose-weave gauze.
Media note: cotton gauze and cotton pad are not interchangeable. Their thickness, weave, airflow behavior, and absorbency are different and should be matched to the exact test requirement.
Ball Pressure Test Equipment for Abnormal Heat Testing
Ball pressure testing evaluates the resistance of polymeric materials and parts of end products to softening and accelerated material flow under load at elevated temperature. The method is used for solid electrical insulating materials and polymeric parts subject to the requirements of the governing product-safety standard.
BPT-01 Ball Pressure Tester
The BPT-01 Ball Pressure Tester applies a defined 20 N force to polymeric or insulating test specimens during ball pressure testing at the temperature specified by the governing method. The stainless-steel assembly is used to evaluate resistance to deformation under load, including applications involving terminal backs, transformer bobbins, and similar insulating supports.
Ball pressure testing is conducted in an oven at the elevated temperature specified by the governing method. Temperature control and specimen conditioning are part of the test procedure.
Ball pressure test references include IEC 60695-10-2. Product information also references IEC 60335, IEC 60601, IEC 61010, and the legacy IEC 60950 and EN 60950 standards.
BPA-01 Ball Pressure Test Stand
BPA-01 Ball Pressure Test Stand is a balancing stand designed for use with the BPT-01 Ball Pressure Tester. It supports positioning of the BPT-01 test assembly during ball pressure testing.
Product information references IEC 60601 and the legacy IEC 60950 and EN 60950 standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are abnormal test materials used for?
They are used in abnormal-operation and fault-condition tests where the method requires specific indicator materials or absorbent cotton media to assess ignition, burning behavior, or fire hazard.
What is ball pressure testing used for?
Ball pressure testing is used to evaluate the resistance of polymeric materials and parts of end products to softening and accelerated material flow under load at elevated temperature.
Why must the ball pressure test be conducted in an oven?
Because the method evaluates how the insulating material behaves under a defined load at the temperature specified by the governing method. The specified temperature is part of the governing method.
What is the difference between cotton gauze and cotton pad?
Cotton gauze has a loose weave that allows air to pass through it more easily, while cotton pad is thicker, denser, and less permeable to airflow.
Can common laboratory or medical materials be substituted?
A substitute should not be used unless it meets the material specification in the governing standard. Similar-looking materials may differ in weave, weight, thickness, treatment, absorbency, or thermal behavior.
Provide the applicable standard, clause, and required material or fixture specification when available.