What does the ansi & euro testing certs. mean?

[frans]

I understand that if I buy a piece of hardware and it has a 'load rating' mark on it. That means that the item has been proof tested to withstand a certain amount of force- as long as the actual load I put on it is less but no more the same load, applied in EXACTLY the same way as the testers who put the load rating mark on the item.
O.K,
but how about this business of 'drop testing' ?
What does that really entail?

My friends at New Tribe, make climbing saddles, treeboats, and various bits of webbing and stuff.
For some time the New Tribe saddles were not Ansi rated so companies could not buy them for use by their employees.
While talking to Sophi & Viola at a trade show, I learned that the 'drop test' is simply hanging a weight on the saddle, attaching a line, and then dropping the whole kit 'n kabooble so it lands at the end of the rope (shock loads).
The testing is done in controlled conditions by folks who have a lic. to do it. And my information is that the drop testing folks have exclusive lic. to do this. So pay up the price or you dont get the cert.

So chuck your saddle out of a tree while it is connected to a short rope and a bunch of weights, watch it hit and bounce at the end of the line, and then get out a magnafiying glass and look for blown out stitches? Maybe x-ray the saddle and or hardware?

What I dont understand is, is the testing done from every conceivable attachment point?

Do the drop test people use an antomoniclly correct dummy for the test? Or do they just tie on a bunch of lead weights?

Is the drop testing only done using the attachment points which you would attach your climbing rope to?

Does the drop test, test each attachment point singly? For example hanging the saddle from just one 'D' ring?

How far does the 'drop test' drop?

Is the drop testing done to the lanyard attachment points?

Is a static line used in the drop test?

Does the 'drop testing' cover such things as the potential for the material to be exposed to gasoline? And if the material is not resistant to gasoline or oil does it not pass the 'drop test'?

Thanks I am very interested in what the actual drop testing does to cert a saddle

 

[Lazarus2]

I expect you suspect there is a bit more to it than chucking a few heavy weights around Frans : )

The dummies are extremely expensive and weighted a specific way (from memory). There are various rings for attachments, and the harnesses are worn as in real life.

This ensures the dummy doesn't absorb the load away from the harness, and the harness is therefore tested worst case scenario. In real life the body will absorb some load, and the rope, though I wouldn't count on much energy absorption from a Doubled low stretch rope.

In addition, for the EN 813 drop tests, a 1 metre lanyard is attached to the harness on the dummy (no significant energy absorption) and the dummy is lifted above the anchor point and dropped - factor 2 fall with negligable energy absorption.

I hope that helps.

Find the TFX drop certs attached. The drop tests are done to hip Ds, front Ds - everywhere you're supposed to attach.

 

[SRTTech]

some of the newer drop test dummies use water filled bladders, to simulate the human body and the organs. the idea being the water shifts as the dummy is shockloaded, just like your organs shift when your subjected to shockloads. Makes the drop test more lifelife and you can aquire better data.

 

[frans]

Thank you for the answers. I find this process fascinating and would like to learn more about it.

I will have to do a google search to find out more

I see in the test that the components are subjected to salt exposure. Never would have thought of that but it makes sense I suppose.

 

[Lazarus2]

Salt and Cats pee is pretty corrosive to alloy!

I live and work on the west coast, and have never noticed a problem with alloy gear, except when alloy items are left damp for few days (surrounded by damp textiles). Then corrosion can really start to eat the surface metal!

So hang up the gear to dry in an airy place, and don't store it near the cat litter

 

[Lazarus2]

Just had this confirmed.

EN 813 and EN 358 are done with anatomically correct dummies 100kg and are dropped on a 1m lanyard (EN 1891 static rope with no shock absorber in the system) raised 1m above the anchor point (2m fall factor 2 fall) this is done to all attachement points (each 'D' ring, and front connection point, individually) then they are pulled to 15kn and have to hold for 3 mins. All these tests must not damage the harness (webbing, stitching, metalwork, etc).

EN 361 is done with a 2m lanyard again raised above the anchor point (4m fall factor 2 fall) This is done twice, first with the dummy upright, second a face forward drop. Allong with no destruction of the harness, the dummy must not fall out.

TreeFlex has passed all the above without a blemish, plus corrsion tests.

Hopefully that helps further.

 

[frans]

Hey, great info. Thanks.

Recently I have bought some mesh rope bags. They work really good for letting the rope dry out.
Often I will leave the machard and biners attached to the rope while storeing the rope.