For automotive laboratories in India
Weathering Chamber
Quotation ChecklistGet the right details into your enquiry.
Eight practical steps to describe your test, plan your samples and compare what each chamber quotation includes.
Discuss your requirementsA useful quote
starts with a clear brief.
A request for quotation (RFQ) tells the supplier what your laboratory needs to do. Send the same brief with each enquiry so you can compare the proposed equipment, included options and support.
Describe the part and the decision.
What are you testing, where is it used, and what change matters to your customer?
Name the material or coating and the component it belongs to. State whether it faces outdoor exposure or receives light through vehicle glazing. Then describe the property you want to assess.
Interior trim
Compare colour change in a dashboard covering under the customer's specified exposure.
Exterior coating
Check gloss retention and visible surface damage after the agreed test cycle.
Still deciding between exposure methods? Read our automotive guide to xenon and UV weathering.
Include the standard, edition and cycle.
A standard number helps identify the test. Its edition, selected cycle and the customer's material specification determine the details the chamber must deliver.
| Exposure | Examples |
|---|---|
| Xenon arc | ASTM G155 for apparatus operation; ISO 4892-2 for plastics; ISO 16474-2 for paints and varnishes. SAE J2412 addresses automotive interior trim and SAE J2527 exterior materials. |
| Fluorescent UV | ASTM G154 for apparatus operation; ISO 4892-3 for plastics; ASTM D4587 for paints and related coatings. |
Give the sample size and the total quantity.
Capacity depends on what fits in the holders. A flat test panel and a shaped automotive component can need very different loading arrangements.
Keep the lamp, filter and irradiance together.
For xenon testing, identify the required optical filter or glazing condition. For fluorescent UV, name the lamp type specified by the method. Record the irradiance setting exactly, including its unit and measurement wavelength or band.
W/m²/nm
Give the value and the wavelength in nm, such as the specified setting at 340 nm.
W/m²
Give the value and both ends of the band, such as 300–400 nm.
These are different measurement bases. A bare number or lamp wattage cannot describe the required irradiance. The control wavelength also does not describe the lamp's full spectrum.
Separate temperature, humidity and wet stages.
Write down the settings for each light and dark stage. This lets the supplier check whether the complete combination can be achieved.
| Setting | What to include |
|---|---|
| Black-panel or black-standard temperature | Specify BPT or BST as required by the method, with its temperature in °C. |
| Chamber air | A separate air-temperature setting if the method specifies one. |
| Humidity and moisture | Required relative humidity, water spray or condensation stages, and their timing. |
| Stage sequence | Light/dark sequence, stage durations and any cooling or special exposure conditions. |
BPT, BST and chamber-air temperature describe different measurements. Keep the sensor name with its value when you share the requirement.
Agree when to stop and what to measure.
State the exposure endpoint: a specified number of hours or a radiant-exposure target with its units and wavelength basis. Add any inspection intervals.
Then identify how the material will be evaluated—for example, colour change, gloss retention, cracking or a relevant mechanical property—and the customer's acceptance limit. Record the starting condition so the change can be assessed.
Make room for the complete installation.
Share the installation city and site constraints. Ask for the installation drawing and utility schedule for the actual configuration being quoted.
The quotation should identify which utility equipment is included and which must be arranged at your site.
Check what the price actually includes.
Use the same list when reviewing quotations. A clear inclusion or exclusion makes an equipment offer easier to assess.
| Item | Confirmation to request |
|---|---|
| Chamber and options | Exact model, lamp, filters, control channels, holders and usable specimen capacity. |
| Method requirements | Required options, calibration documents, customer-required qualification evidence and any deviations. |
| Installation and handover | Utility equipment, commissioning, operator training and responsibilities at your site. |
| Ongoing support | Maintenance needs, consumables, spare lamps and filters, service support and warranty terms. |
| Commercial scope | Delivery timing, freight, taxes, payment terms and exclusions. |
An editable brief for your team.
Use our two-page Word checklist to collect the test, sample and installation details before discussing your requirement.
Download the editable checklist (Word)Start with the details you have.
You do not need every answer to begin. Share your material, sample dimensions, customer standard or testing objective, and laboratory location. Mark any undecided settings as “Please advise”.
Discuss your chamber requirementsYou can also explore the Flexitest xenon and UV weathering chamber range before sending your enquiry.
Technical background for standards and units
ASTM G155 and ASTM G154 describe the operation of xenon and fluorescent UV exposure apparatus. The CIE definition of spectral irradiance explains the wavelength-based unit. Use the applicable complete standard and customer specification to define your actual test.
