Credibility Is Key: Third Party Product Testing

By:  Mary Shafer
    

 When municipal and utility engineers authorize a materials or equipment purchase, they’re putting their professional reputations on the line. When spending taxpayer money, the pressure is on to make decisions that result in high value-to-cost ratios. It just makes sense that, before cutting a check, these decision-makers should do their homework in vetting the claims of product manufacturers.

Such due diligence is greatly enhanced by the work of third party testing labs, whose job it is to put manufacturer claims through rigorous performance trials and analyze resulting data. Only such testing performed by an objective, qualified entity can assure buyers they’re getting what they think they’re paying for.

There are literally thousands of testing companies. For purchasers, it’s important to know the manufacturer uses an industry accredited testing lab to ensure credible results. Look for a relationship with a testing lab that’s a member of a trade group such as ASTM International.

Internal and External Rigor

It’s also a good idea for manufacturers not to get too comfortable with a single testing provider. “Over the 20 years we’ve been in business, we’ve probably dealt with six to seven different firms,” says Jerry Gordon, president of SprayRoq, Inc., which manufactures spray-applied protective linings. “The reason we work with different firms is to verify that the information provided by one company is in line with other findings. That gives our products more credibility from the end user’s perspective. They know what they’ve requested in a product and its performance is going to be delivered.”


This cross-testing isn’t done only for the end user’s peace of mind. Manufacturers themselves should be interested in holding their products up to the most intense scrutiny. Gordon continues, “We do this from time to time just to do a gut check. We also want to make sure that if the product does migrate to other (testing) offices, we’re going to come up with comparable results. It’s worth the investment to double-check test findings.”
Reports from ASTM-approved testing firms provide buyers with assurance that the item tested has met the minimum criterion for each standard, based on established industry parameters. By comparing performance levels to ASTM standards, end users can make a credible judgment about whether the tested product meets not just industry standards, but also their own unique requirements and expectations for their particular application.

Numbers Can’t Stand Alone

As important as standards testing results are, other logical parameters must be applied when evaluating possible product solutions for any specific application.

“For example, if the product has a slow cure time incompatible with project requirements because there is a need for a quick-curing product,” Gordon posits, “although the ASTM performance may be acceptable for the long-term, the short-term need in putting a project back into service may need a different type of product altogether. You have to look at the overall performance characteristics of that particular product and measure it against actual project requirements.”

Then there’s the question of properly employing the product to achieve optimal results. Regardless of how well the product scores on standards testing, its performance is only as sound as its installation. Due diligence must be performed on candidate contractors about their experience, manufacturer support, and training.
Gordon’s expertise is in spray polyurethane, cured-in-place pipe lining and cementitious products. Having worked with an extensive network of certified installers, he recommends project managers look for several things in those who will apply these materials.

“One of the most critical things is their certification by the product manufacturer. Does that particular contractor have the necessary training and industry experience to understand how the product should be installed in a particular environment?

“What about references? Are these solid and intact, or is the potential installer just a fly-by-night? It boils down quite often to the combined technical know-how of the contractor and the manufacturer to put together a good project.”

Building Success Into Your Bids

Since testing is so critical to the long-term success of a project, RFQ preparers should take steps to require its use in project bids. Engineers and infrastructure owners should educate themselves on the capabilities of products that may be used. Side-by-side product comparisons can be helpful in this effort, as are evaluations of products being applied in onsite demonstrations.

Research other projects that have used the products under consideration and contact the end users for comments. Applying ASTM benchmark standards to see how potential candidate products measure up adds another level of performance assurance.

Visit manufacturers’ Web sites to see if they’re proactively offering their testing results, rather than waiting to be asked for them. This indicates overall confidence in their products’ performance. Conversely, if companies hesitate or provide excuses instead of testing documentation, it’s not unreasonable to conclude that their product performance claims may be inflated.

One last item to consider is a product’s environmental friendliness. Requirements for “green” products in both new construction and rehabilitation projects are becoming more stringent, so it’s a good idea for RFQ preparers to acquaint themselves with the green factor of product solutions they’re considering.

Conventional petroleum-based materials set the standard in terms of tensile strength, elongation, tear strength, and other key performance factors. More and more products are being offered with renewable source material formulations. That’s great for the environment, but are they comparable to traditional performance?

“With bio-based materials,” says Gordon, “even though it may have green content to it, if it doesn’t have the performance characteristics and the ability to provide good corrosion protection over a period of time, then it’s not going to be a good solution.”

It’s All About Education

A successful project will depend on the preparation put into it at the front end. Engineers and end users must take time to weed through all the product claims made in the marketplace. Require ASTM testing to substantiate claims. Use care in how you evaluate a product for a particular project, and make sure your engineers are on board with your overall objective. Perform due diligence on contractors under consideration and have a solid handle on what fits in your budget.

Doing your homework will ensure a solid project with tight control from beginning to end, and will pay dividends with project performance that meets your needs far into the future.


Mary Shafer is free-lance technical staff writer for Creative Raven, a marketing communications and production firm specializing in the water, wastewater and municipal infrastructure sectors.
 

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