Optical Testing... What s involved, and how it s done. Hugh Barton, OptiConsulting

Transcription

1 Optical Testing... What s involved, and how it s done. Slide 1

2 Why do we Test? Demonstrate compliance (or otherwise) with specifications CE Marking Manage risk Develop confidence during the design / development process Inform developers during optioneering processes Manage compliance from prototype to production Simulate real world conditions in controlled conditions Inform investigators into poor performance / service failures Slide 2

3 What do we Test? TÜV SÜD Product Service OptiConsulting EN12966 Variable Message Signs (since 2008), including EN12966:2014 * EN12368 Road Traffic Signals * EN12352 Traffic control equipment, Warning and safety light devices ** EN Clause 7.4 Fixed Vertical Road Traffic Signs * EN Clause Transilluminated Traffic Bollards * EN Clause Delineator Posts & Retro-Reflectors * IMO MSC.81(70) Clauses & Life Saving Appliances * * added in 2015 / ** requested in 2015 Slide 3

4 What do we Test? Also (non-ukas)... a wide range of signals, lights (mostly in the transport sector) Slide 4

5 How do we monitor / influence Standards? Member and Former GB Representative,CIE Division 4: Lighting and Signalling for Transport Convenor, CEN TC256 WG9: Railway Applications Lighting Chair, BSI RAE/4/-7: Railway Applications Lighting Expert, CEN TC256 WG2: Railway Applications Structures Expert, BSI B/509/11: Variable Message Signs Slide 5

6 What Optical Properties do we Test? Optical tests generally involve measuring the amount / concentration of light and its spectral characteristics Slide 6

7 How do we conduct optical testing? Established techniques using high quality instruments and calibration arrangements, conducted according to best practice by experienced and skilled operators. For this we need: Suitable test environment Optical instruments Calibration arrangements Test methods Experience Slide 7

8 What instruments do we use for optical testing? Integrating sphere Slide 8

9 What instruments do we use for optical testing? Photometer Slide 9

10 What instruments do we use for optical testing? Telephotometer Slide 10

11 What instruments do we use for optical testing? Spectroradiometer Slide 11

12 What instruments do we use for optical testing? Calibration reference lamps Slide 12

13 What instruments do we use for optical testing? Reflectance Standard (white tile) Slide 13

14 What instruments do we use for optical testing? Solar simulator, with baffle Slide 14

15 What are the main challenges in optical testing? Practical matters... Ensuring the test sample fully represents the product under test Identifying / describing the optical axis to be used for alignment Handling different formats of display Instrumentation... Validity of calibration Traceability of calibrations Measurement uncertainty Consistency of method / operators Ambient conditions... Contol of stray light Temperature stability Slide 15

16 What are the main challenges in optical testing? Geometric vs- optical axis... Slide 16

17 What are the main challenges in optical testing? Handling different formats of optical dislay... Slide 17

18 What are the main challenges in optical testing? Other challenges... Measurement distance (if not defined in Standards) Dealing with pulsed LEDs Selection of sampling area for LED arrays Slide 18

19 What are the main challenges in optical testing? Photometer analysis of spectral response function (f1 = 2.5% total area error) Slide 19

20 What are the main challenges in optical testing? Photometer analysis of spectral response function Slide 20

21 Case Study testing Variable Message Signs to EN12966 BS EN12966:2014 is the UK implementation of EN 12966:2014. It supersedes BS EN :2005+A1:2009, BS EN :2005 and BSEN :2005 which will be withdrawn on 6 September EN12966 defines an optical test module, representative of the full VMS Optical testing is conducted at OptiConsulting, Buxton under TÜV s UKAS schedule Slide 21

22 Case Study testing Variable Message Signs to EN12966 EN12966 defines the test sequence: Pre-Optical Visual Performance Tests* Physical Tests (environmental, EMC, etc) conducted by TÜV SÜD Product Service Post-optical Tests* * Slide 22

23 Case Study testing Variable Message Signs to EN12966 Your TÜV SÜD Product Service test report, to support CE Marking and one step closer to selling your product! Slide 23

24 How can I learn more? Talk to your friendly service providers... TÜV SÜD Product Service and OptiConsulting Specific test requirements may be found in Standards, e.g. EN12966:2015 Guideline Documents... Slide 24

25 Thank you for your attention... Any questions? Slide 25