The Glow-Wire Test is strictly mandatory for industrial electrical panels when it is necessary to certify the resistance to abnormal heat of insulating materials that hold active parts in position. Compliance with safety requirements for CE marking requires irrefutable technical evidence. According to the provisions of the general standard IEC/EN 61439-1, plastic supports in direct contact with current-carrying components must pass the glow-wire test at the severe temperature of 960 °C, while for enclosures and remaining insulating barriers, the thermal limit for passing the test is set at 650 °C.
The execution of this specific thermal measurement is conducted within the INTEK laboratory using metrological instrumentation calibrated in strict accordance with the IEC/EN 60695-2-11 standard. Our technicians simulate the effects produced by heat sources, such as loose connections or overloaded resistors, by applying a glowing filament to the plastic sample for a duration of 30 seconds. During the provision of the testing service, the absence of persistent flames or their immediate extinction is certified, while simultaneously verifying that any dripping of molten material does not ignite an underlying layer of tissue paper, thus validating the absence of fire propagation.
Entrusting flammability assessments to an independent testing facility guarantees panel builders and industrial automation manufacturers total product compliance and the elimination of regulatory risks. Obtaining an official test report prevents the structural failure of live equipment, minimizing the probability of short circuits during operation and protecting the manufacturer from technical disputes during commercialization.
