What is Needle Flame Tester?

In the fields of electronics and electrical appliances, automotive interiors, and even aerospace, fire safety performance of materials is a strict threshold that must be met in product design and procurement. How can the flame-retardant properties of solid combustible materials be evaluated in a scientific and objective way? This is not only a compliance requirement, but also a core issue related to product safety and brand reputation.Faced with a wide variety of testing equipment, procurement decision-makers need a clear technical perspective. This article will analyze the working principle and core value of the needle flame tester, providing insight into the technical logic behind this key test and the essential factors to consider when selecting the equipment.The needle flame test uses a needle-shaped burner of a specified size (0.9 mm), supplied with a specific gas (butane or propane), to apply a flame to the test specimen at a 45° angle for a set duration.  The flammability risk of small flames caused by fault conditions within the equipment is assessed based on whether the specimen and the ignition support layer ignite, the duration of combustion, and the length of the flame.

Applications of needle flame tester

The needle flame tester is widely used in various fields, including but not limited to the following applications:

Electrical and electronic equipment: Used to evaluate the flame retardant performance of electrical and electronic products, ensuring the safety of equipment under abnormal conditions.

Household appliances: Used to test the flame retardant performance of materials inside household appliances, ensuring home safety.

Building materials: Used to evaluate the flame retardant performance of building materials, ensuring the safety of building structures.

Automotive interior parts: Used to evaluate the flame retardant performance of automotive interior parts, ensuring safety inside the vehicle.

Aerospace materials: Used to evaluate the flame retardant performance of aerospace materials, ensuring flight safety.

The needle flame tester assesses the flammability risk of materials by simulating small flames under fault conditions.  It complies with international and domestic standards and is an important tool for improving product fire safety performance and ensuring personal and property safety.

Applicable standards for needle flame testers

GB/T 5169.5: Electrical & Electronic Equipment – Needle Flame Test Method

IEC 60695-11-5/IEC 60695-2-2: Fire Hazard Testing – Needle Flame Test Apparatus

IEC 60745-1/IEC 60335-1: Safety of Handheld Motor-Operated Tools & Household Appliances

IEC 60950-1/IEC 60598-1/IEC 60065: IT Equipment, Luminaires, & Audio/Video Safety

Features of the Needle Flame Tester

Needle Burner Design: Φ0.5mm inner hole, 45° tilt angle for precise flame application.

Smart Touch Interface: Programmable control of combustion time (0–999.9s), flame height (12±1mm), and gas flow.

Flame Calibration: Auto-measures temperature rise (100°C→700°C in 23.5±1.0s) with K-type thermocouple.

Sample Bed: White pine board (10mm) + silk paper layer for realistic ignition testing.

Large Chamber: >0.5 m³ (customizable to 0.75/1 m³) with black background (<20 Lux).

Exhaust System: 100mm diameter pipe with silent anti-backflow design.

Technical parameters of needle flame tester

Needle flame tester testing procedure

The operating procedure for the needle flame tester includes the following key steps:

Preparation: Ensure the instrument is in good condition, all components are present, and the power cord and connecting cables are intact.

Setting test parameters: Turn on the instrument's power, enter the main menu, and set test parameters such as temperature, time, and oxygen concentration.

Sample preparation: Place the sample on the test platform, ensuring the sample is flat and undamaged.

Starting the test: Press the "Start" button to begin the test. Observe the test process to ensure it proceeds smoothly.

Test completion: Press the "Stop" button to end the test. Adjust the angle of the needle flame gun so that the flame is applied vertically to the tested material.

During operation, operators should be familiar with the structure, principle, and operating method of the needle flame tester, ensure that the distance between the sample and the needle flame nozzle meets the requirements, and pay attention to safety to avoid accidents.

Advantages of the Needle Flame Tester

1. Advanced IoT and intelligent functions:

PLC control program:

The equipment adopts an advanced PLC control system, enabling a high level of automation and intelligence in operation.

Data storage and access:

Test data is automatically stored in the device system. It supports automatic statistical conversion of test data, and up to 20 reports can be accessed at any time, facilitating data management and analysis.

Automatic test report printing:

The device can automatically print test reports, reducing manual operations and significantly improving work efficiency.

Automatic pass/fail judgment:

Based on preset standards, the equipment can automatically determine whether test results meet requirements, reducing subjective human judgment errors.

Software upgrade:

Lifetime free software upgrade service is provided, ensuring that the equipment always maintains the latest functions and performance.

2. Convenient control system:

True-color LCD display:

Equipped with a standard 7-inch Weilun 16:9 touch screen, offering clear display and intuitive operation.

PLC intelligent touch interface:

Combined with dust-proof metal buttons, the system ensures more convenient and reliable operation, improving user experience.

3. High-quality chamber craftsmanship:

Advanced baking paint finish:

The chamber is made of 1.5 mm stainless steel with double-layer high-grade baking paint on both interior and exterior surfaces. It is not only aesthetically refined but also highly corrosion-resistant and durable.

Anti-corrosion treatment:

Special anti-corrosion processing effectively prevents corrosion of the chamber structure, extending the service life of the equipment.

4. Precise temperature calibration:

Built-in temperature calibration device:

The equipment is equipped with a built-in temperature calibration system, ensuring accurate and stable temperature control during testing, thereby improving test reliability and accuracy.

Future Development of the Needle Flame Tester

With the continuous advancement of technology and the increasing requirements for product safety performance, the future development of the needle flame tester will show the following trends:

1. Intelligence and automation:

Future needle flame testers will become more intelligent and automated. By introducing advanced sensors, controllers, and data processing technologies, they will achieve more precise control and measurement, thereby improving testing accuracy and efficiency.

2. Multifunctionality and integration:

To meet testing requirements in different fields, future needle flame testers will feature more testing functions and a higher level of integration. For example, multiple combustion testing methods can be integrated into a single device to achieve multi-purpose use. At the same time, they can also be linked with other testing equipment for data sharing, improving the comprehensiveness and accuracy of testing.

3. Remote monitoring and data analysis:

With the development of IoT and big data technologies, future needle flame testers will support remote monitoring and data analysis functions. Researchers will be able to remotely access the equipment via the network and obtain test data for real-time analysis and processing. In addition, big data technologies can be used to mine and analyze test data, discover potential patterns and trends, and provide more valuable references for product design and improvement.

4. Environmental protection and energy saving:

In future development, needle flame testers will place greater emphasis on environmental protection and energy efficiency. For example, more eco-friendly fuels and combustion methods can be adopted to reduce environmental pollution during testing. At the same time, energy consumption and operating costs can be reduced by optimizing equipment structure and control systems.

In conclusion, as a professional testing instrument, the needle flame tester has broad application prospects and significant value in the flammability testing of wires and cables, plastic materials, and other combustible materials. Through precise control and measurement, it can provide researchers with accurate and reliable combustion performance data, offering strong support for product safety design and improvement.In the future, with continuous advancements in technologies such as intelligence, automation, multifunction integration, remote monitoring, and data analysis, the performance and application scope of the needle flame tester will continue to expand and improve, providing more comprehensive and accurate technical support for product safety testing across a wider range of fields.