Top 10 Reasons to Choose Advanced Furniture Testing
Want to know why Advanced Furniture Testing is the top choice of the major furniture manufacturers? Not only are we furniture testing experts, we offer direct industry experience, affordable prices, fast services, accredited testing and environmental responsibility. These are just a few of the reasons, read more to get the details!
1. Direct Industry Experience
The principals of Advanced Furniture Testing have 30 years of combined experience in various roles related to furniture testing. During our experience we’ve served as employees and now as suppliers to Fortune 500 companies as well as other industry leaders. Our unique experience gives us an inside track in the furniture industry and gives us better insight when interpreting test standards and test results.
This experience sets us apart from our competitors who do not have the direct experience working in the furniture industry.
2. Most Accurate Test Machines
We go to great lengths to make sure that each test is performed to the highest level of accuracy and repeatability. Most of our machines use load cells to “close the loop” between the machine and the product under test. This means that we do not just trust a theoretical load applied with an air cylinder to a preset air pressure, or apply a cyclic dead weight load that may oscillate wildly and apply more loading cycles. Our machines use electric servo systems, similar to those used on industrial robots. The servo systems accurately apply a load within 2% accuracy. BIFMA requires 5% accuracy, and most of our competitors struggle to meet this criterion.
Be cautious of an independent laboratory that does not supply pictures of their machines on their website or in their literature. We’re proud to display our test machines. Our machines are very similar to machines used by industry leaders. That’s because we build their machines too!
3. Affordable Prices
We will meet or beat our competitors’ prices. Yes, we can even beat their prices with our superior equipment. That’s because we spend less time setting up and are considerably more efficient. We pass the savings on to you. Because we have automated equipment, a high level of experience, and less bureaucracy, we run much more efficiently than our competition. This translates into higher value for our customers.
4. Fast Quotation/Testing/Report Turnaround
We will turn a quotation around in 24 hours. Once you decide to send some testing our way, we will begin testing within 24 hours of receiving your product. Once testing is completed, we will have the electronic version of the report to you within 24 hours.
5. BIFMA Experience through BIFMA Participation
The President of Advanced Furniture Testing has served on BIFMA working groups for the last 12 years. These are the groups that make changes to each BIFMA standard every 10 years or so. Some companies pay to become members of BIFMA but never take the opportunity to show up. Even though Advanced Furniture Testing is a relatively new company, we have attended many BIFMA meetings and work groups already. We plan to continue active participation.
Some labs misuse their BIFMA membership and claim that being listed on the BIFMA website implies an endorsement. Unfortunately, unsuspecting customers are fooled by this tactic. BIFMA does not endorse, accredit, or otherwise certify labs or products.
We have a high sense of responsibility when it comes to our BIFMA membership. We are committed to sharing information about new and changing standards with all of our customers.
6. Broad Scope of Experience within the Furniture Industry
Our direct experience with industry test labs has allowed us to observe, perform, and experiment on almost every type of furniture. We have direct experience with multiple versions of all of the BIFMA standards as well as GSA, UL, CGSB, ISO, European standards, and many proprietary test methods.
We have direct experience with all styles of typical office furnishings, lounge furniture, wood furniture, fast food/restaurant booths, panel systems from many different manufacturers, bunk-beds, theatre seating, mobile carts, folding chairs, etc. We would be surprised if you offer a piece of furniture that we have not had direct experience testing.
7. A2LA Accredited
Our A2LA accreditation is the cornerstone of our internal quality system. It is very important that an independent laboratory have a quality system to insure accurate, repeatable results. Our quality system complies with the ISO 17025 requirements and is a step above ISO 9000. A2LA inspects our quality system, checks the calibration of our test devices and fixtures, and requires proficiency within our scope of accreditation. We are A2LA accredited for BIFMA testing.
The major furniture manufacturers like Steelcase, Herman Miller,
Beware of test labs that only have ISO 9000 registration, or have no quality guidelines at all. These test labs are not being held accountable for their testing activities. They can interpret the BIFMA standards however they like and may perform your testing improperly.
8. We Focus on our Strength - Mechanical Furniture Testing
We have many years of experience with mechanical furniture testing of many forms, and with many types of furniture. There are, however, other tests that some furniture must be subjected to for most markets. Because of this, we have partnered with Touchstone Systems and Services for performing environmental and flammability testing.
Touchstone is the expert in environmental and fire testing. Hence, they are the most logical choice and we’re confident that our customers will appreciate this as well.
No one can be good at everything. So, why would you send something as crucial as testing to an independent laboratory that claims to be good at everything? Most of our competitors claim to be good at environmental testing, automotive testing, vibration testing, furniture testing, and much more. The reality is that furniture testing is a sideline for them. We believe that it is better to send testing to the experts than to send testing to a lab that tries to be everything to everyone.
9. Environmentally Friendly Company
We believe that the Earth is our most precious resource, so we do as much as we possibly can to have the smallest footprint possible. Our highly accurate servo powered test machines have an important added benefit, they are extremely energy efficient.
Our competitors use air cylinders to apply loads and to cycle test product. Air cylinders have their own issues with accuracy, and reliability, but one of their largest drawbacks is energy usage. An air cylinder runs off of compressed air, which needs to be made by an air compressor. Air compressors operate like internal combustion engines, and thus are not very efficient. Now add the fact that air leaks are a fact of life in any compressed air piping system, and the efficiency looks even worse. Well, we also have another thing to consider. An air cylinder uses the same amount of air and the same amount of pressure in each direction, extending and contracting the cylinder rod.
Here is where servos really shine! When an electric servo applies a load or makes a movement, it only uses the energy it needs to apply the load or make the movement. Also, if an electric servo “pushes” on something it uses energy while the “push” is occurring, but actually generates energy when moving back. This is because the product “pushes back” when the load is released. The electric servo actuator helps us maintain low energy consumption which translates into a smaller carbon footprint.
In addition to our efficient use of energy, we also recycle as much as possible. We recycle cardboard, plastic, steel, aluminum, styro-foam, wood, and paper. Since our beginning, we send less than one full garbage can of refuse to the landfill each week.
10. We are proud to be Americans and a Veteran Owned Company
The President of Advanced Furniture Testing is a Persian Gulf War Veteran (1991-1993). We support our troops at home and abroad, and support veteran fundraising activities.
Advanced Furniture Testing is a U.S. veteran owned company.