To ensure that cars in South Africa are safe, several tests are offered by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) in support of regulatory requirements, thereby addressing a variety of customer needs, says SABS automotive GM Gerrie Kriek.
Testing is done in terms of product conformance testing and research and development, with technologically advanced facilities situated in Gauteng and East London, which were designed to test against local and international standards, adds Kriek.
The SABS automotive laboratory, in East London, conducts testing for the environmental sector, emissions and automotive batteries, while the Pretoria laboratories manage the SABS’s vehicle-safety testing and verification of compliance with compulsory specifications.
The SABS is also responsible for the testing of brakes, lights, mirrors, alloy rims, seat belts, seat anchorages, rear under-run protection for trucks and roll-over protection for buses and coaches, as well as tow bars, explains Kriek.
Vehicle Service
Service tests are conducted on a test track and in the laboratory, which has a chassis dynamometer and high- and low-speed roller-brake testers, says Kriek.
Activities include track or laboratory tests on brake systems and performance, audible warning-device noise levels, lighting, rear-view mirrors, centre of gravity determination and the tilt angle of the heavy vehicles and buses, he notes.
Further, the SABS offers testing services on brake-lining assemblies to establish compliance with compulsory specifications for replacement linings.
Other tests, such as shear strength tests, using a specially designed press, and wear tests, are also conducted. These tests are carried out on two inertial brake dynamometers or on a friction coefficient machine. The equipment and expertise have been developed to perform tests on brakes and friction material against national, global and customer-specific standards, explains Kriek.
He notes that the SABS also offers testing of seat and seat-belt anchorages. This resource is computerised, contains six hydraulic actuators and complies with European standards and Australian design rules.
Compulsory Specification Testing
The SABS automotive laboratory supports government and regulators in the testing of automotive products that are governed by law or relevant regulations, such as the replacement safety glass for road vehicles and primary and secondary lights, Kriek adds.
Crash-Test Facilities
The SABS test laboratories offer crash-test services, such as frontal-impact tests using a fixed barrier and rear-impact tests using a movable barrier, as well as energy-absorption capacity tests in the event of an impact on steering control and customer-specified tests.
Further, both testing facilities in Pretoria and East London offer tests performed according to SABS standards, European standards and American standards. Kriek highlights that similar tests can be conducted against a wide range of other national, international and customer-specific requirements, including the evaluation of steering behaviour, fuel integrity, airbag-sensor performance and steering energy dissipation.