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8
Fire Resistance & Flame Retardant Properties
Media for exhibition and display graphics are sometimes required to meet flammability ratings.
The main standards used are the “M” and the “B” ratings ( B1 often considered similar but not higher than M1)
and the US NFPA standards. There is no common international standard at the time of writing.
M1
A material is classified M1 if the tests with the electrical burner (NF P 92-503) results in:
• No inflammation remaining longer than 5 seconds after removing the flame
• No points of ignition with flame propagation higher then 25 cm above the lower edge of the probe
• No drops of flaming material (test for thermo fusible materials NF P 92-505 to be passed)
If the material pierces without inflammation or with inflammation which subsides within 5 seconds, the
persistency test (NF P 92-504) results in no flame persistency at all and no burning material drops.
M2
A material is classified M2 if it does not fall into category M1 because
• Inflammation persists longer than 5 seconds after removing of the flame
• Destruction of the material deeper than 35 cm from the lower edge of the probe is observed
• No drops of flaming material (test for thermo fusible materials NF P 92-505 to be passed)
If the material pierces without inflammation or with inflammation which subsides within 5 seconds, the
persistency test NF P 92-504 results in flame persisting for no longer than 5 seconds without
propogation and no burning material drops.
ASTM e84 measures the burning behaviour of a material when exposed to heat and fire by observing the
flame spread across the specimen when exposed to an ignition source face down.
NFPA 701 establishes two test procedures to assess the propagation of flame beyond the area exposed to
an ignition source for textiles and films. The tests are appropriate for testing materials that are used as
draperies, curtains or other window treatments, awnings, tents, traps and plastic films used for decorative
or other purposes.
