Pensher Skytech Certified to EI120

Pensher Skytech is delighted to announce that their steel fire door has been tested and is certified for EI120 after reaching the 2-hour mark. Our Technical Manager explains what this means and how it will affect the company.

What does ‘EI120’ mean?

EI120 is a fire resistance class. Fire resistant classes are used to specify the performance criteria of building components, materials, and constructions. Typically, the classification is followed by a number which is the time limit. This is measured in minutes – 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, or 360. This is the amount of time that the component can withstand a standard fire test.

The fire classification system also quantifies the functional requirements of the product or structure, which are identified below:

Requirements for the classes

R                   Load bearing capacity

E                   Integrity

I                    Insulation

W                  Radiation

M                  Mechanical resistance

C                   Self closure

S                   Smoke leakage

K                   Fire protection (coverings)

So, for example, if a product meets the fire-resistant class of REI 60, that means that the structural element can resist fire for one hour with respect to load bearing capacity, integrity and insulation. It also means that Pensher Skytech’s fire rated windows has a threshold of 120 minutes for a fire with respect to integrity and insulation.

What does integrity and insulation mean?

Testing the integrity of a product determines the length of time that the exposed side of the test subject can retain its structure or integrity in the event of a fire, and how long it can prevent the passage of flames or hot gases to the unexposed side. Whilst the testing of insulation aims to determine the time it takes for the temperature to rise on the unexposed face to specified levels, usually 140°C.

How was the testing done?

Accurately assessing the performance of a fire-resistant structure can be quite difficult. The data obtained from the product’s performance must be truly representative of a real-life scenario.

Typically, fire testing is done using a full-scale furnace, using a standard fire curve for temperature / chronological development. The test results are then obtained with a timer, which shows how many minutes the structure can resist the fire. Some products depending on their type and application would require specialist testing to obtain an accurate result.

Where can EI120 doors be used?

EI120 products can be used in any environment, whether it is for public, commercial, residential, or business. However, because they can last for such a long amount of time, they will be ideally suited for high profile areas such as petrochemical sites, defence and military sites, and airports and train stations. It would also be ideal for areas where it might take people longer to evacuate the building, such as hospitals, or high-rise buildings.

What will this mean for Pensher Skytech?

This is a significant achievement for Pensher Skytech, as it is a challenging fire test, and only a few companies in Europe have this certification. We’re already proud to be able to offer a range of high-performance products for blast and ballistics, so to improve our fire product range is just brilliant. We hope we can be of more value to people and offer more to projects.

For more information on our EI120 Fire Door, please contact us, where we will be happy to answer your queries.

If you want to find out more about our fire-rated products, you can do so here.