During the product development process, fire performance is often identified as a barrier to launching a product to market. Traditionally, product developers have had no option but to perform full-scale fire tests to achieve information about how their product behaves in a fire situation. These tests are costly, time-consuming, and can be prohibitive to an agile development process.
To addressthis, DBI has developed an apparatus – the Mini-SBI – that can support producers in the product development process by reducing both costs and time-to-market while gaining a deeper knowledge about the fire-technical performance of the product.
Watch our video and see the Mini-SBI in action
The Mini-SBI measures Heat Release Rate (HRR) via oxygen
consumption calorimetry, the same as in the SBI. By using
the results, we can produce the below outputs:
Download folder and learn more about the Mini-SBI
In this printable PDF folder, you can find more information and visual presentation of the Mini-SBI. If you need more specific information, please contact our fire testing experts (contact info below)
It is not possible to make a 1:1 comparison between a downscaled test and a full-scale test, but we can use statistics and data modelling to understand the correlation between small-scale and full-scale testing. This provides a better indication of the expected outcome.
If a product performs poorly in the small-scale test, the customer can adjust the design or choice of materials until the product performs as intended, before moving on to full-scale testing and classification.
Small-scale testing is fast and cost-effective, allowing for the evaluation of multiple materials.
For example, if an adhesive is required for a product, 10 different types with the right strength can be selected and quickly tested, evaluated, and ranked based on their fire performance.
On that basis, a manufacturer can then select three materials and develop different prototypes of the product.
Our 3,000 square meter headquarters near Copenhagen houses a modern fire laboratory with various furnaces for almost all types of fire tests.
This makes it possible for us to conduct almost all types of fire tests, from small-scale to full-scale, with items as high as 4.48 meters.
Watch the video of some of our fire testing facilities.
The Mini-SBI and other small-scale equipment that we use in our fire laboratory can also be supplied to customers who wish to carry out their own small-scale fire tests during product development.
Each solution is tailored to the customer’s specific needs, and DBI continues to provide support and guidance to ensure safe and reliable testing.
Read the story about one of our customers who requested equipment for in-house testing.
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Our headquarters and test facilities are centrally located in Copenhagen, Denmark – close to the motorway and only a 15-minute drive from Copenhagen Airport.
