Q-Lab is pleased to announce that the International Standards Organization (ISO) has recently published the brand-new standard ISO 23741 - Plastics — Determination of spray water delivery during spray cycles when using a xenon arc weathering test apparatus. This standard offers users of xenon arc weathering testers a standardized method for quantifying the amount of water spray delivered to specimens during testing. This standard procedure can be used in any xenon arc tester – rotating rack or flat array.

Although irradiance and temperature are typically specified in detail in weathering test standards, the amount of water spray is rarely quantified, even though water is a major factor in weathering degradation of materials. ASTM D7869 - Standard Practice for Xenon Arc Exposure Test with Enhanced Light and Water Exposure for Transportation Coatings includes a mandatory method to ensure that at least a minimum amount of water reaches specimens, but Q-Lab believed that ISO should also publish guidelines for quantifying water delivery. Proposed by Chief Operating Officer Brad Reis and with Global Standards and Calibration Manager Gary Cornell serving as project leader, ISO 23741 takes an important step in ensuring proper water delivery in xenon are weathering testing.