Notiziecatas4 2012eng

QUARTERLY NEWS EDITED BY CATAS YEAR 17 / N. 02 JUNE 2012

QUARTERLY NEWS EDITED BY CATAS YEAR 17 / N. 04 DECEMBER 2012

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Management, Editing and AdministrationCATAS spaVia Antica, 24/333048 San Giovanni al NatisoneUdine / ItalyTel. 0432 747211Fax 0432 747250www.catas.com

PresidentMichele Bressan

Managing DirectorAndrea Giavon

Coordination CATAS NewsFranco BulianFranco PreteLuca Bertossi

Design Deeper ComunicationUdine / Italy

Layout and graphics Maurizio MarussiAnnamaria Franz

Reproduction or duplication of the contents of this quarterly on any support is authorized under condition that the source - © CATAS - San Giovanni al Natisone - Udine - Italy is being cited All rights reserved

04in this issue

04 Safety of furniture. State of the art of design, functional and dimensional safety

14 Safety of furniture. State of the art of chemical safety

24 Twenty years of CATAS QUALITY AWARD25 Solidworks sustainability27 GET INSPIRED BY MATERIALS

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Franco Bulian

Il CATAS tra internazionalizzazione,innovazione e realtà quotidianaAndrea Giavon

SAFETY OF FURNITUREState of the art of design, functional and dimensional safety

ABSTRACT

Safety of furniture has always been a fundamental issue in standardisation, national and European.It is also the centre of legislation, both in Europe and USA. Even if it seems hard, a serious approach on this delicate matter starts from the records of data about incidents in which furniture is involved. European Directive 2001/95/EC – General Safety Products Directive requires that the products put on the market shall be safe. EC has also a system to monitor dangerous products among Member countries, RAPEX where all the notified cases are listed with all the relevant details.This article first describes the safety requirements taken into consideration in technical standards and then a data analysis on furniture cases reported in RAPEX website in the last two years (2010 – 2011). Besides these, the details of three fatal incidents are reported. An overview on the latest statistics in USA gives some useful data and suggestions on the main topics about mechanical safety of furniture, confirming children furniture and cabinets on the top list of products involved in the cases.A description of the safety requirements as prescribed in European standards is then given showing as the safety requirements are checked with the relative test methods. Then the article explains the relationship between GPSD and European standards and the foreseen future developments.

1 INTRODUCTION

The safety of furniture has been always an important issue for the most advanced standardization bodies. In many European countries, since mid seventies, safety has been quoted in many national standards (e.g. DIN BS, NF, UNI, etc.). To a certain extent, the same increasing focus on this matter can be found also in the USA (e.g. ASTM and ANSI) even if there were and still there are quite a few differences between the two sides of the ocean. Obviously there were many differences also among the countries in Europe, but as far as furniture is con-cerned, in 1989 with the setting up of CEN/TC207 “Furniture” the very complex and sometimes rather difficult process of drafting EN standards started. Since the very early beginning the strong recommendation from CEN was to give to safety the highest pri-ority. Very soon was realized that the task assigned was far from easy for many reasons, but certainly one of the most objective was the lack of accessibility of incidents data. There is no doubt that every kind of scientific process needs experimental data to start from and, as a consequence the lack of these, makes the job very difficult and uncertain. As it may be remembered, in the late eighties internet was not there, so case data were only limited to some paper works many times forgotten in dusty shelves or in the library of some “pioneer” consumers groups. As an example, the Italian Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) in the mid nineties published a booklet regarding the incidents in domestic environment reported in the previous decade. The analysis were full of details for those years but unfortunately it has never been updated. In those days other papers reporting incidents data could have been found in UK (e.g. glass in furniture studies) and in USA with the publications issued by CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission). Anyway the production of safety standards continued ranging from children furniture to domestic and office furniture. Then Internet started heavily to connect people and to spread the information of incidents cases throughout the world. On top of this epochal change in disseminating information, in 2001 DIRECTIVE 2001/95/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 3 December 2001 on general product safety (also known as GPSD) was published and hence the safety of all consumer products became an obligation by law. After that, in February 2004 the RAPEX web site [1] was launched and once again the scenario of consumer products, furniture included, radically changed.

Roughly, twenty years after USA, also Europe has its own organized system to monitor products and re-lated incidents. Nothing will be the same and since then things started to evolve to an unexpected rate.

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Sara ZanchielloGli appartamenti - palestra

Nowadays this “connected world” and its tools allow to know almost all of what happens relating to inci-dents as far as disclosure of information is stopped by the authorities, as in case of fatalities. Nevertheless, also in these cases, the raw data are public and more and more often this has an enormous impact on the standardisation work and legislative one as well. As said before, the complex system consisting in the multiple relationship product – consumer, producers – standards and laws is rapidly evolving and in consequence it is essential to set down some markers in order to produce and use safe products, namely furniture, which is still a well known hallmark of Europe.

2 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

When dealing with safety requirements (chemical aspects excluded) of furniture, it is a widely shared experience among all countries that have dealt with the matter, that the mandatory topics to take into consideration are the following:• general design requirements (i.e. shape of corners and edges)• holes, gaps and openings• shear and squeeze points between moving parts• stability• strength• durabilityAll types of furniture, despite their end use (i.e domestic, office, contract etc.) have a safety standard that covers the above mentioned list, even if with different “weight” of the single topic.In order to clarify the meaning and importance of the elements of the list, a table with the relative hazard is shown below:

Table 1.

N° Topic Type of hazard

1 Edges and corners Cuts

2 Holes, gaps and ope-nings

Entrapment of parts of the body (limbs, head, neck), asphyxia

3 Shear and squeeze points

Pinching of parts of the body, entrapment of limbs

4 Protruding parts Entrapment, snagging, asphyxia

5 Stability Overturning of the furniture, falls, body crush, positional asphyxia

6 Strength Sudden structural failure under foreseeable high load, falls, cuts, bruises, entrapment

7 Durability Structural failure due to normal loads applied many times, falls, cuts, bruises, entrapment

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Franco Bulian

Il CATAS tra internazionalizzazione,innovazione e realtà quotidiana

The data shown below, in all their crudeness, and the author’s experience indicate that children furniture cabinets are the types of furniture that are most frequently involved in accidents, especially in the domestic area. The main causes are related to topic n° 2 and 5, entrapment of parts of the body and stability.

3 DATA ANALYSIS

3.1 Cases year 2010

Type of furniture

N° of no-tifications

N° ofincidents

Note Measures adopted by notifying country

Changing units

4 / / Import rejected by authorities/ Voluntary stop of sales

Children cots 3 / / Withdrawal by authorities/ Voluntary stop of sales

Bumpers 1 / / Voluntary corrective actions taken

High chairs 7 / /Voluntary recall from consumers/ sales ban by autho-

rities

Playpens 1 / / Voluntary withdrawal from the market

Roller blind 1 1 Fatal case Voluntary withdrawal from the market

Upholstered furniture

1 / / Voluntary withdrawal from the market

Seating 6 10 Finger fracture Withdrawal by authorities and voluntary withdrawal

Ladder 1 / / Voluntary recall from consumers

Table 1 1 / Voluntary withdrawal from the market

Safety barrier

2 1 / Voluntary recall from consumers

Chest of drawers

1 / / Sales ban ordered by the authorities

Bunk bed 1 1 Fatal case Voluntary corrective actions taken by the producer

Playground equipment

1 / / Voluntary recall from consumers by the manufacturer.

Total 31 14

Table 2: data year 2010

The table above reports the notification cases of furniture and the like considered dangerous, the number of incidents when known, some notes where relevant and the measures adopted.

Unfortunately we note in year 2010 that two fatalities occurred. One involved a bunk bed and the other a internal roller blind. On this subject, both Europe and the U.S. have devoted themselves with great inten-sity during 2010 with joint regulations sessions; this demonstrate how delicate and urgent this topic is.

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From unofficial data it seems that, at least, one accident per month happens involving entrapment with blind cords. In December 2010 the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO) reported six [2]fatalities (happened during the whole year) due to this product that involved children between 1 and 3 years. CPSC (USA), DG Sanco (Europe), Health Canada, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission are working together on this topic (International Pilot Alignment Initiative). The case of the bunk bed seems to be due to suffocation caused by improper opening of the upper bed.

High chair is the product that is under control by the authorities and similar bodies. Seven out of the thirty cases involved in fact this product, with six cases in which it was attributed to a non conformity to EN 14988 (Safety requirements and test methods for high chairs). In one case, the padded part of the chair was found to contain phthalates in parts that potentially may come in contact with the children mouth. In these cases REACH Directive does not allow the presence of these compounds.

Similar reason were the basis of notifications for the four cases on changing units or on mats used for this purpose. Children’ cots are present with three cases of non-compliance with safety requirements and / or safety distances required by EN 716. It is significant the impact of the chairs both for the total number (six) and for the number of reported ac-cidents (8 at least, according to what is reported in the web site). Presence of squeeze points, instability, breakage in use, are the causes mentioned in the notifications. Unfortunately it is not explained in depth the cases of incidents, except in one case where a fractured finger is quoted. It is generally alleged the non compliance with EN 581 (safety requirements for outdoor furniture) and EN 1022 (stability of chairs).

An incident, probably due to similar reasons (squeeze points) involved a table, product very rare to find in these pages (RAPEX). Again the non-compliance with the relevant safety standard caused accidents with a ladder (EN 131) and safety barriers (EN 1930). It is worthwhile to emphasize and pay attention to the case of a chest of drawers of which was alleged non-compliance with the stability requirements of EN 14749.

The writer will never get tired to reiterate the importance of this requirement, the lack of which can lead sometimes to fatal consequences. It should be stressed also the fact of how complex and difficult is the definition of the test method and its requirements when it comes to the stability of a cabinet. The revision of this standard will start soon within CEN, also with regard to this issue, starting unfortunately, as often happens, from the data of a fatal case.

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Franco Bulian


3.2 Cases year 2011

Table 3: data year 2011

This tool has now become an integral part of the “European System” and it is a landmark and a point of observations for all those working in the field of consumer products. It should be noted that the number of notifications related to year 2011 (1568) has decreased significantly compared to 2010 (1984), about 21% less, and returning to the values of 2008 (1557).

For the moment it is rather difficult to give a clear interpretation of this numerical data, whether they can be attributed to improved products or to the market suffering from a sensible drop of production volumes. The number of cases reported by RAPEX were 27 in 2011, 31 recorded in 2010. This is in itself a significant fact, if the attention of member countries has remained the same, it might be to indicate at least a non decrease in the safety of the furniture. Except in the fatal case occurred in Italy at the beginning of last year [3] but not reported on the RAPEX website, there are no notifications of fatal cases related to furniture.

The number of incidents Is high (26) although limited to two furniture types such as folding chairs and storage furniture (wardrobe). In the first case entrapment of the fingers was recorded, while in the second case there is an event with severe cuts due to falling off the door mirrors. In both cases the measures were

Andrea Giavon


Type of furniture

N° of notifica-

tions

N° of in-cidents

Note Measures adopted by notifying country

Children’ seat

4 / Voluntary withdrawal from consumers /withdrawal ordered by

the authorities

Cots and cradle

3 / Import rejected/Sales ban ordered by the authorities

High chairs 3 / Voluntary withdrawal from /sales ban ordered by the authorities

Playpens 1 / withdrawal ordered by the authorities

Roller blind 1 / Voluntary corrective action taken by the importer

Upholste-red furni-

ture1 / Voluntary withdrawal

Chairs 2 11finger en-trapment/stability

Voluntary withdrawal from consumers

Step stool 3 / Voluntary withdrawal from consumers

Ladder 2 / Voluntary withdrawal /sales ban ordered by the authorities

Safety barrier

1 / Withdrawal ordered by the authorities

Cabinets 3 15mirror

detachingVoluntary withdrawal from consumers

Playground equipment

1 / Voluntary corrective actions taken by the producer

Total 25 26

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the voluntary withdrawal from the market and consumers. Once again, children furniture is the type that is present most frequently, with cots and high chairs always on top. Also playpen has one case. In all of these products the danger was due to aspects covered by the relevant safety standards and in all cases a non conformity to these standards was claimed (EN 716, EN 14988 and EN 12227 respectively). Within this category there are four cases this year, new entry products, reporting of children seating. It is worth to pay special attention on these cases because of the various sources of risk, including severe finger pinch points, detachable parts, high content of DEHP (a type of phthalate) and lead in the covering.

In these cases the measures were among the most diverse, from the voluntary withdrawal, withdrawal ordered by the authorities, to sales ban, and imported rejected. The examination of these cases will certainly help in the preparation of future standard on children seating, on which of CEN/TC207 / WG2 “Requirements for Children’s & Nursery Furniture” is currently working on. One single case of indoor blinds on which so much has been talked about during 2010 and 2011.

The usual non-compliance to the standard was claimed (EN 13120), but in this case the measure was a corrective action by the importer. Once again, the safety barriers are the subject of particular attention by the authorities that in 2011 in one case have ordered the withdrawal from the market and consumers. Even in this case the non conformity to the standard (EN 1930) is the motivation of the notification. It is important to remember that this article in the recent past has been the cause of very serious incidents. Two notifications for ladders due to the lack of conformity to the standard (EN 131), in one case there was the voluntary withdrawal while in the second the sales were banned by the authorities.

3.3 Other casesThe following fatal cases, of which news and information were shared within the CEN/TC207, are not re-ported in the Rapex database ,

Incident happened in Denmark (year 2010) [CEN/TC 207/WG 1 N 10]The empty cabinet was standing on a low pile carpet, with the back parallel to the wall. When the 3 year old girl pulled the door handle, the cabinet turned over and killed her.The cabinet, a solid oak cabinet with glass doors, had two drawers at the bottom and two glass doors with wooden frames. The dimensions of the cabinet were:

Height: 190 cm Width: 99 cm Depth: 36 cm Weight: 62 kg

Height from the floor to the middle of the handle: 114 cm; to the lower edge of the handle: 108 cm. The handle was mounted vertically and was similar to this. The front of the feet were flush with the front of the cabinet.

Incident happened in Italy (year 2011) [3]A 3 years old child, which weight was 15 kg, was in the bathroom with his mother and sister He climbed up a cabinet column, which under the child weight overturns forward, going to slam his head against the edge of the WC. The small cabinet in column had three drawers and a single door. The dimensions of the cabinet were:

Height: 180 cm Width: 30 cm Depth: Not reported Weight: Not reported

Incident happened in Italy (year 2012) [4]The child, two years in August, pushed the chair on which he had been placed, falling back on a glass cabinet breaking trough. A shard of glass cut him the carotid artery. No data available on the cabinet or on the exact dynamics.

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3.4 Incidents in USA

It is absolutely interesting to have a look at the statistics reported by CPSC [5] in December 2010 when the new legislation about cribs (cots) was published. The collected data is very impressive for quantity and quality of the figures, the detailed information and confirms once again how critical is this type of furniture.

Cribs (in Europe called cots)This section discusses incident data in the 3,520 reports from EWS (Early Warning System). Of these 3,520 incident reports, there were 147 fatalities, 1,675 non-fatal injuries, and 1,698 non-injury incidents.

FatalitiesBetween, November 2007 and, April 2010, a total of 147 fatalities associated with full-size cribs were re-ported to the Commission. A majority of the deaths (107 out of 147, or almost 73 percent) were not related to any structural failure or defects in the design of the crib.Structural problems were the causes of 35 fatalities. Again the entrapment (head/neck/ body) was the ma-jor cause of the cases (34 of the 35). Over half of these (18 out of 35) were related to drop-side failures. It is worth to note that all the failures created entrapment gaps. One entrapment death resulted from a child becoming trapped between a wall and a crib while trying to climb out of the crib; there was a crib assembly problem that prevented the mattress support from being lowered sufficiently. The not-entrapment death resulted from a loose screw becoming lodged in the decedent’s throat. No information available for five cases.

Non-Fatal Injuries1,675 incidents reported a crib-related injury. In 97 percent of these injuries no hospitalization was needed. Half of those that did require hospitalization limb or skull fractures and other head injuries resulting from falls from cribs were recorded. The remaining cases resulted from children’s limbs caught between crib slats, falls inside the crib and hits the crib structure, or again entrapment in gaps created by structural failures.Similar document [6] has been issued last year by the same organisation about the stability of cabinets and TV falls. The data reported covers years from 2000 to 2008. The document is full of statistics and details and its analysis is beyond the scope of this article, but the following few figures may give an idea about the problem of stability of cabinets at home.In the period 2006–2008 38,900 emergency department-treated injuries has been recorded in the States. 56% involved children, under the age of 18 years, 37% involved adults, ages 18 through 59 years and 7% involved seniors, ages 60 years and older. Looking at the causes, 42% involved televisions (or TV + furniture) falling, 53% were falls of furniture only and 4% were due to appliances falling.In the period 2000 – 2008 the study reported 242 fatalities. 82% involved children ages 1 month to 8 years, 5% involved adults with ages from 31 to 59 years, 12% involved elderly from 61 to 96 years. As far as the causes are concerned, 35% were TV, 22% TV + furniture, 34% furniture only and 9 % ap-pliances.

4. European Safety Standards All types of furniture have now their own safety requirements and the relative test methods within Europe-an standards . Seating, tables, cabinets (named storage units) and children furniture are fully covered by EN standards. A complete list can be found at the CEN website [7] or via the National Standards Bodies databases under the key code “furniture”.

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Fig. 1

It is useful to give some examples on how these documents work in order to better understand their use-fulness and how they can be an invaluable support to produce a mechanically safe furniture.In all the safety standards one of the first sentences sound like this: “Edges and protruding parts ac-cessible during normal use shall be rounded or chamfered and free of burrs and sharp edges.” This is a subjective evaluation that many times in the past was very controversial, figure 1 shows two edges, one sharp and the other rounded. The statement may seem obvious, but every furniture manufacturer knows the consequences of process and costs in moving from one to another. It is everyday experience of the author of the endless discussions with producers about this topic.

Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4

As described above, another crucial safety requirement, is the one concerning gaps and openings. From the data described in the previous clause, it is evident that serious incidents involving children relate to suffocation/strangulation or limb entrapment. The work carried out on this aspect of furniture (for children and for adults) is one of the long term issue and it is still in constant improving and evolution, in Europe and also in USA. Various measuring probes, simulating parts of the body like fingers, arms, head, torso etc., are used (with or without force) in order to verify, according to a pass/fail criteria, the gaps in furniture. Figure 2, 3 and 4 clearly explain the measurement action. It is absolutely necessary and advisable to con-sider these dimensional requirements at the design stage of the furniture; changing a situation that does not meet these requirements on an existing production without any doubt leads to modifications that can be very complicated and sometimes almost impossible.

It is quite clear that stability is maybe the main issue for the safety of cabinets, especially in the domestic environment. This matter has a long story inside the standardization area (Europe and outside Europe as well). Seating and tables are provided with well-established test methods for sta

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Fig. 5 Fig. 6

bility, instead in the case of cabinets the work is constantly evolving and improving. The incidents happened in Denmark and Italy, reported above, clearly show that the job is not completed yet. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate how this requirement is verified in a lab.

Strength and durability are usually ruled together even if, as shown in table 1, they cover two quite different interactions with furniture. The European approach is to apply a certain sequence made of static and fatigue test on the very same furniture sample. This requirement (and the relative test methods) is the oldest inside standardization and due to that is the one which is best consolidated. Figure 7 shows a fatigue test for chairs.

Fig. 7

Instructions for use, including the necessary warnings, have become a fundamental requirement of which is still necessary: a critical analysis by the standardization, by furniture manufacturers and ultimately by consumers as well. As described below, the relevant legislation has placed particular emphasis on this point.

The content of the instruction for use has been debated for quite a long time inside the CEN wor-king groups, and enormous progress has been made. How to make this clear to the consumer, is still a topic of discussion.

5. EUROPEAN LEGISLATION AND STANDARDS

As mentioned earlier in this article, furniture (with very few exceptions) is not ruled by any “vertical” European Directive but as a consumer product is regulated by the General Product Safety Direc-tive [8]. Article 3 clearly explains the relationship between law and standard, either in the case of

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this published in OJEU (paragraph 2) or in the case of standards not in that list. Art. 4 (1)(a) of the Directive [8] as amended by:• M1 Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008• M2 Regulation (EC) No 596/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009states the following:“(a) the requirements intended to ensure that products which conform to those standards satisfy the general safety requirement shall be determined by the Commission. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accor-dance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 15(4)”. This means that it is up to the Commission to decide (publishing Decisions in the OJEU) which products shall have a mandate to the relevant TC in order to draft the standard quoted in article 3. This is a relative new attitude from the Commission, started, for our products after the results of the study on child related products in 2006. Following a priority list in 2010 the Commission Decision (2010/376/EU) on the safety requirements for products in the children sleep environment was published e conse-quently in 2011 a mandate on mattress were given to CEN/TC207. For this year a similar mandate about children seating and tables is expected. Anyway the work has started already inside WG2 and a draft mandate has been circulated inside CEN.

6 CONSIDERATIONS

From all the matter experimented and described above, it should be evident that there will be no final conclusions and/or definitive situations about the mechanical safety of furniture. The work is continuously in progress and the improvements are constantly increasing also via all the informa-tion that today is much easier to share and spread than in the past.RAPEX has become, in just over five years, an important tool for the UE countries to monitor con-sumer products and overseeing the safety of consumers. Furniture is definitely not so critic as toys or appliances but also within its areas shows situations be regarded with very high consideration.Children furniture is always in the spotlight of all and it is therefore quite understandable that it is the object that appears most frequently. Storage units in homes follow en route. A positive element that has to be emphasized and underlined is the fact that more and more often there are measu-res adopted as a voluntary act by the manufacturer or the importer, representing a sign of a fast growing civic consciousness, so we should be fairly positive about our future. The fact remains unequivocal the centrality of European standard as criterion for judging of furniture (and not only). This objective data does not discriminate on the basis of “fads” or attitudes due to the “heat of the moment” but based on objective criteria (always under improvement) measure performance of furniture in relation the safety of the user.

REFERENCES

[1] http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/rapex/rapex_archives_en.cfm[2] EUROPEAN COMMISSION HEALTH AND CONSUMERS DIRECTORATE-GENERAL Consumer Affairs Product and service safety Cords and Chains in window coverings - a Hidden Home Hazard Information event[3] http://gazzettadimantova.gelocal.it/cronaca/2011/03/22/news/travolto-in-casa-da-un-mobile-muore-un-bim bo-di-tre-anni-3747413. [4] http://milano.corriere.it/milano/notizie/cronaca/12_gennaio_23/como,[5] CPSC, 16 CFR Parts 1219-1220-1500,et al. Full-Size Baby Cribs and Non-Full-Size Baby Cribs: Safety Stan dards; Revocation of Requirements; Third Party Testing for Certain Children’s Products; Final Rules) [6] Consumer Product Safety Commission Study on Instability and Tipover of Appliances, Furniture and TVs (2010-03) (http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia11/os/tipover.pdf)[7] http://esearch.cen.eu/esearch/extendedsearch.aspx[8] DIRECTIVE 2001/95/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 3 December 2001 on general product safety.

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Abstract

The furniture industry has presently to face a new challenge being represented by the increasing sensitivity of the market toward safe materials and products.This paper presents a brief overview of the possible presence and release of dangerous chemicals from the final products deriving from the various materials used by this sector.The outcome of this short analysis is the evidence of the complexity of the problem being extensively related to the majority of the products and involving several potentially dangerous substances.The knowledge on such subject and on its evolution is going to represent an important element also for the future marketing strategies of the companies operating in this sector.

1 INTRODUCTION

The furniture sector is often defined as “buy-driven” sector because, basically, are the buyers that require changes in materials or construction techniques. A significant example in this respect, directly linked to the current situation of market globalization, derives from the remarkable development of some international retail chains. These realities need to pay particular attention to laws and regulations in various countries where they operate. These requirements consequently fall on their local suppliers, which have to reorganize their productions in order to comply with several technical and documental specifications. Globalization has therefore a strong impact on the performance of the materials especially regarding the safety aspects. Like many other sectors also the furniture industry is therefore strongly evolving with the need of optimizing all the production activities requiring performance based on international standards and regulations especially related to environmental impact and safety for the final user.The chemical composition of the raw materials is consequently becoming one of the most important parameters to consider for each production with specific reference to possible limitations due to safety requirements established by the legislations of some countries, defined by the specification of international retailers or derived from certain voluntary certification schemes.

2 MATERIALS USED BY THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY

A wide range of materials and technologies are used by the furniture industry. Wood, wood based panels, covering materials, adhesives, coating materials, metals and plastics are the most used but, inside each single category, a large variety of products exists with different composition and properties. Standardisation and legislation on safety aspects related to the possible chemical risk are continuously evolving all over the world. Many examples are already well known having also become an important reference for the purcha-sing and selling departments of every furniture manufacturer: REACH, VOC directive, Decorative paint directive, CARB (formaldehyde), Consumer Product Safety Act (USA), IKEA IOS-MAT, Toys regulations (involving also children furniture), are only some examples of the wide range of existing references to be considered.

3 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Wood

The furniture sector is closely related to wood products and, although the modern industrial production has intro-duced also other materials, this sector remains traditionally characterized by the typical activities of carpenters. The success of wood comes primarily from its high availability, workability and by the good properties granted to the finished products such as mechanical strength and lightness. Being a natural material wood is very often considered an “organic” material, safe for workers and end users. This assumption is, however, not always accurate as there are objective and substantial evidences that also solid wood needs some precautions. It is well known that certain extractives, present in some specific wood species may be

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SAFETY OF FURNITUREState of the art of chemical safety

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the cause of irritant dermatitis and respiratory problems of various types [1] during the processing phases. In par-ticular, it shall be considered that wood dust of certain hardwoods has been classified as carcinogen (Class 1) by IARC the International Agency for Research on Cancer [2]. Biodeterioration is one its major weaknesses of this natural material being frequently counteracted by the use of treatments with different chemicals exhibiting a preservative function. Very often such substances, especially those used in past years, can be dangerous also for humans.The safety of wood for the end users shall then consider the possible content of substances like Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and other chemicals of various natures.PCP, first produced in the 1930s, is an organochlorine compound very effective for wood preservation but which use has recently declined due to its high toxicity and slow biodegradation. Contact with PCP can irritate skin, eyes, and mouth affecting also liver, kidneys, blood, and nervous system in the case of prolonged exposures [3]. IARC, the international agency for research on cancer, classified PCP as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B) [4].This substance is considered in the CE marking of building products like wood floorings and panels [5] with a limit of 5 mg/kg above which the presence of PCP shall be declared.Restrictions for PCP and other preservatives in wood used for furniture production are included in the specifications of some international retailers [6] and in furniture certification schemes [7].

RadioactivityRadioactive decay is the process by which an atomic nucleus of an unstable atom loses energy by emitting ionizing particles and radiation. There are different types of radioactive decay depending on the specific emission produ-ced: alpha (helium nucleus), beta (electrons or positrons) and gamma (high energy photons). The Becquerel (Bq) is the unit of radioactivity. One Bq is defined as the activity of a quantity of radioactive material in which one nucleus decays per second.Such emissions are called “ionizing radiations” as they carry enough energy to alter atoms and molecules producing highly reactive chemical species like radicals and ions.Such interactions can be particularly harmful in the case of living organisms as, in particular, they can interact with the DNA altering its complex chemical structure. In consequence of such mechanisms, the most common impact for humans, when exposed to high radiation levels, is the possible of cancer induction with a latent period of years or decades after exposure.The consequences of nuclear accidents (e.g. Chernobyl) led to the highly dangerous contamination of air, water and soil by different radioactive isotopes and consequently among the negative effects, also forests were strongly affected due to the absorption and persistence of such dangerous isotopes inside trees.Timber and derived products from such areas can consequently contain high amounts of radioactive isotopes, which shall be carefully considered.Activity concentration levels in materials below 1 Bq/g are usually consider unnecessary to regulate even if specific limits for the different isotopes have been considered [8]. Precautionary limit values and procedure for wood and related materials deriving from certain areas, particularly affected by nuclear disasters, are published by some inter-

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national furniture retailers [6].

3.2 Wood based panelsWood based panels are the main substrates used for the production of the majority of furniture elements.They can be considered as the backbone of tables, cabinets and other finished products made by this industrial sector.

The annual consumption of panels in Europe, which also focuses much of the world production, is estimated at 50 million cubic meters [9] of which about 70 % is made up of particle boards followed by fibreboards and by the other types such as plywood, OSB, etc.Most of these panels are intended for the production of furniture while the remaining is mainly used in the building sector.The use of panels is an effective way of exploitation of wood resources as it allows the use of materials not directly suitable for other purposes such as sawdust, twigs and in particular cases also recycled wood. The resin use to bind the different type of unitary elements (particles, fibres, veneers, etc.) and “recycle wood” are the main sources of concern in terms of chemical safety for such fundamental raw materials.

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Formaldehyde emissionThe problem of formaldehyde emission from wood based panels is affecting the world furniture market since many years. Almost all wood based panels are made with urea-formaldehyde or similar thermosetting adhesives. Formal-dehyde, in consequence of complex chemical mechanisms (hydrolysis), may be released for long periods in the environments where wood based panels are placed. This substance is considered dangerous to human health for its possible effects on respiratory tract in the short and long-term. Formaldehyde is an extremely volatile substance, being small enough to easily penetrate the human body through the respiratory tract. Its first effect is eyes irritation at very low concentrations in air, although individual susceptibility is very broad. Because of the high solubility in water the irritant effect of formaldehyde primarily affects the upper respiratory tract being felt especially in the nose and throat. In sensitive or particularly exposed people the effects can become chronic.In 2006 IARC, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has published a monograph [10], which states that formaldehyde is classified carcinogen for humans. This evidence explains why many Countries have imposed legal restrictions on the emissions of this substance also directly considering wood-based panels as structural elements of building materials and furniture.In many European Countries only panels classified as E1 are allowed. This class means that formaldehyde emission does not exceed the limit of 0.124 mg/m3 (0.1 ppm) recommended in 1996 by the World health Organisation for living environments. The compliance with such limit shall be verified by a test method called the chamber method (EN 717-1) simulating a real indoor environment.Other Countries (Japan, California, China, etc.) have established similar or in some cases lower limits but the present scenario is strongly affected by the advice of IARC mentioned above and possible further limitations are expected soon all over the world.

Contaminants from “recycled wood”Particleboards are usually produced with raw material directly derived from logs, twigs and sawdust. However, in addition to “virgin” wood, is even possible to use recycled wood arising from the disposal of furniture, building ele-ments or packaging.The consumption of recycled wood is growing especially in Italy where in 2007 has exceeded 1.800.000 tons [9].The use of recycled wood can be considered as a sustainable process as it follows the principle of ISO guide 82 “the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.In any case the recycled material can contain harmful substances, derived from the possible treatments suffered by the original wood with various type of preservatives: heavy metals, halogenated organic compounds or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (creosote) which are known for their toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogen proper-ties.

Table 1. EPF specification for recycled wood

Element/Compound Limit values (mg/kg recycled wood)

Arsenic 25Cadmium 50Chromium 25

Copper 40Lead 90

Mercury 25Fluorine 100Chlorine 1000

Pentachlorophenol 5Creosote 0,5

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In 2002 EPF, the European federation of panel producers published an industrial standard [11] to be followed by its members in order to establish methods and limits for such harmful substances as reported in the following table 1.In addition to the list presented above, the specifications of international retailers and the certification schemes previously mentioned include also other preservatives like for example organotin compounds [6, 7]. It shall be men-tioned here that limitations for organotin compounds can be referred also to other materials used by the furniture sector (e.g. polymeric materials like plastics or coatings) due to their possible use as catalysts in their production processes.

3.3 Covering materialsThe furniture industry uses almost exclusively wood-based panels as support materials for the construction of all types of products typical of this sector such as: table tops, cabinets, doors, shelves, etc.Different types of covering materials, veneers, impregnated papers, laminates and polymeric foils, are then used to enhance both the appearance and the performance of the finished products.Also for such materials some possible dangerous substances can be present as ingredient or by-products.

Formaldehyde emissionVeneers derived from multilaminar wood are a sort of reconstructed (or reassembled) wood. It is produced in a simi-lar way to plywood but in this case the veneers are superimposed and glued together with parallel grain. Such wood blocks are then sawn or sliced again to produce new veneers.The success of these materials primarily derives from the ability to colour in mass the wood sheets and consequen-tly to produce a large variety of patterns depending on the manufacturing method adopted. Some of these techni-ques, which may include multiple steps, allow the reproduction of any kind of wood species also rare and valuable, starting from cheap and highly available trees.The adhesive used for the bonding of veneers is normally a thermosetting urea-formaldehyde product. Formal-dehyde emission from the finished multilaminar veneer is consequently an important parameter to take into account.Formaldehyde can also be released by impregnated papers being a covering material frequently used in the furnitu-re sector as cheap substitute of wood veneers. They consist of a base of natural cellulose (paper) impregnated with thermosetting resins. The surface of the paper is also coated with of a protective layer.Impregnated papers are normally printed with the pattern and the colour of the wood species required. They are also produced as monochrome paper even with the required decorative effect.The appearance of impregnated papers have been progressively improved modifying the production process, ha-ving presently achieved an extremely high level in the reproduction of the complex figure and structure of various wood species, including the effects of three-dimensionality typical of the porosity of the material reproduced. The resins used for the impregnation of papers are normally urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde frequently in combination with other resins (e. g. acrylics) to confer flexibility to the sheet. The possible presence of UF resins can determine high levels of formaldehyde emissions especially in the case of large surfaces.Official limits for formaldehyde emission from covering materials are not yet defined, but references based on expe-

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rimental studies can be found in the specification of some furniture retailers [6].

Heavy metalsLead and cadmium stabilizers have been common additives used in the formulation of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other polymeric materials especially in the past. This plastic is broadly used as covering and edging material in the furniture sector especially in the case of the 3D process for kitchen doors carried out with membrane presses. These metals act as stabilizers protecting PVC from chemical degradation due to heat or ultraviolet radiation. Mo-reover, lead pigments such as lead chromate are also used to impart the desired colour to the plastic.Both metals are harmful to many organs and tissues. In particular lead interferes with the development of the ner-vous system and is therefore particularly toxic to children, causing potentially permanent learning and behaviour disorders [12]. Many young children typically try to eat small things that are not food (this attitude is called “pica”), but eating chips of lead containing material represents a particular hazard to children.Moreover, inorganic lead compounds are classified by IARC as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A) [13].Limitations for Pb in plastics are established in many countries especially for materials in contact with food but also for toys and other articles. According to EU rules (Reach) Lead chromates have a latest date for application for an authorisation in November 2013 and a sunset date, when they can no longer be used or placed on the market, in 2015 [14].Also in this case examples of limitations for furniture are present in some standards, legal documents and specifica-tion of international retailers [15, 6, 7].

PhthalatesPhthalates, esters of phtalic acid, have been the most common plasticizers used for plastics since many years, but recently their used has been strongly restricted due to safety reasons connected with REACH.REACH (Registration, Evaluation, and Authorisation of Chemicals) is the main general European chemicals regula-tion. Chemical producers and importers shall provide data to the European Chemicals Agency on the substances they produce or import to establish the possible risk derived by their production and use. The legislation includes also the restriction to the use of certain chemicals due to safety reasons.Some low molecular weight phthalates, including di-butyl phthalate (DBP), bis 2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di isobutyl phthalate (DIBP) have been considered by the European Agency for their reproduc-tive and developmental toxicity. These low phthalates were consequently included on the REACH Candidate list of Substances for Authorisation due to their EU hazardous classification [17]. The inclusion of phthalates on the “candidate list” means that any EU manufacturer or importer of an article con-taining more than 0.1% of these phthalates must notify the European Chemical Agency. In addition the article ma-nufacturer or importer must provide information to all the supply chain about the content of such substances in the article.Possible further limitations for phthalates are already published [14] or expected for the future.REACH is consequently strongly affecting the use of phthalates in plastics involving also the furniture sector with a particular attention especially for raw materials, semi-finished or finished products coming from extra-EU countries.

3.5 Coating materials

The coating process is the operation carried out to confer the required protection and appearance to furniture sur-faces. Appearance and the ability to resist various interactions, deriving from the normal daily use, are two crucial factors for the success of a piece of furniture. Therefore a considerable attention is paid to the coating selection together with the evaluation of the most appropriate systems for their application and drying.The technologies currently used for the furniture coating reflect the situation described above with a great diversifi-cation and specialization in both formulations and plants.This wide versatility makes coatings highly appreciated for the furniture finishing with extreme specializations of individual companies and in particular in the production of high quality furniture.The European market for wood coatings is estimated in the neighbourhood of 400.000 tons per year of which over 50 % is used for furniture finishing [18]. The industrial furniture coating has been dominated for decades by different solvent-based products such as polyurethane and nitrocellulose with some differences depending on the specific country considered on the basis of available technologies, traditions and local preferences. However, in recent years,

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this sector has been strongly influenced by environmental issues and in particular by the need to reduce volatile organic compounds emissions into the atmosphere during application and drying. This requirement is consequently leading to a progressive technological change, which involves the decline of traditional products with high solvent content and the increase of those with lower environmental impact, first of all water borne coatings.

Coating materials are a broadly diversified category of different products formulated with a large variety of ingre-dients, which shall be consequently considered also for their potential impact on the safety of the final users.

Heavy metalsThe term heavy metal, which has not a real scientific basis, is commonly used to identify some toxic metals and semi-metals.

In the furniture sector the heavy metals of particular concern are those defined by European standard EN 71 which specifies safety requirements for toys but which field of application has been extended also to children furniture. The presence of such elements can primarily derive from pigments but also from some additives used in the formulation of coating materials.In particular part 3 of EN 71 (migration of certain elements) defines a test method simulating the ingestion of coating particles by children verifying the possible dissolution of such toxic elements in the gastric fluids. Such 8 metals, reported in table 2, can affect among others, the central nervous system the kidneys, the liver, the heart and other organs.

Moreover the USA Consumer Product Safety Commission declares that paint and similar surface-coating materials for consumer use, including furniture, in which the lead content is in excess of 0.06 % of the weight of the dried paint film are banned hazardous products [16].

Emissions of volatile organic compounds from finished productsAll coating materials including: solvent based, water-borne and photocuring products always contain volatile sub-stances as ingredients in their formulations. These compounds do not completely evaporate during the drying pro-cess and consequently a certain amount remains trapped within the dry film. This means that all coated products slowly release volatile organic compounds into the indoor environments where they are placed (homes, offices, schools, etc.).

Table 2. Heavy metals specified in EN 71-3

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Sara Zanchiello (AREA SCIENCE PARK)

Several factors influence the amount of solvents and other volatile substances present inside a coated surface as for example:• the amount and type of solvents present in the coating materials used for the specific coating system;• the application rate;• the drying method and process;• the maintenance of the plant.Considering the variables mentioned above, the VOC emission of a certain coated element could be high even in the case of coating systems based on products with a reduced amount of solvents, such as high solids or water borne coatings.In some specific cases certain substances, characterized by strong odours such as benzaldehyde, are formed as a result of the complex chemical reactions taking place during the drying phase of photocuring products.It should however be noted that solvent emissions tend to gradually but continuously decline over time.

The alarm toward such emissions, frequently referred as “indoor pollution”, is particularly increased in recent years. The presence of volatile organic substances in the air of living spaces is often associated with some diseases (e.g. allergies) or at least to a reduction in the quality of life in consequence of discomfort feelings, touching also psycho-logical aspects of human life. This subject is becoming particularly relevant for different national bodies responsible for the protection of human health.Presently, there are no legislative or regulatory documents on VOC emissions from furniture surfaces. Limits for VOC emissions can be found only for building materials in consequence to two different laws recently approved in France [19] and Germany [20]. Voluntary certifications such as the German RAL UZ 38 [7] are the only examples of limit values for finished furniture. They usually separately consider highly dangerous substances (carcinogenic, teratogen and mutagenic) and the overall emission of the other organic compounds.At EU level a technical committee of CEN, the TC351, is responsible for establishing test methods and limits for harmful substances potentially released from building materials.

OdourAn odour is caused by one or more volatilized substance, generally at a very low concentration, that humans per-ceive by the sense of olfaction. The emission of volatile organic compounds from finished products like: solvents, coalescents (water borne coatings), monomers and by products typical of radiation curing (e.g. benzaldehyde) mainly derived from coating operations may be consequently perceived by the final user. The ability to perceive and identify odours varies among people and generally decreases with age. The detection thresholds for the various substances are experimentally assessed by statistical evaluations of direct experiments on the population.The odour thresholds for the typical substances released by furniture surfaces are in any case usually much lower than the safety limits but the human sense of smell are a primary factor in the comfort sensation.

Element/Compound Limit values (mg/kg)

Antimony 60

Arsenic 25

Barium 1000

Cadmium 75

Chromium 60

Lead 90

Mercury 60

Selenium 500

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Some certification schemes and the prescription of international retailers [6, 7] consider also the furniture odour among the list of parameters to be assessed. Specific test methods, based on direct odour assessment under laboratory-controlled conditions have been consequently defined.

3.6 Other materials

Fabric and other flexible materials used for upholstery furniture shall not contain azo-dyes as some of them can release aromatic amines, which are particularly toxic for humans. EU banned such substance in 2003 [14].Also foams used for upholstery furniture are considered for their possible content of dangerous monomers (isocya-nates) and expanding agents (e.g. CFC). There are also limitations for other materials (e.g. nickel in metals, chromium VI in leather and so on) specified by international retailers or voluntary certification schemes [6, 7], but it shall be carefully considered that the list of che-micals here considered is in constant evolution with the inclusions of new substances and with the revision of the present limit values.

4. CONCLUSIONS

The outcome of this short analysis is the evidence that the chemical safety of furniture is a broad and complex subject being extensively related to the majority of the raw materials used by this sector and involving several po-tentially dangerous substances.Furniture manufacturers have then to consider such limitations in their daily activity especially considering the pre-sent globalization of the market.The ability to follow the continuous evolution of such complex matter and the possible marketing strategies based on such subject can be consequently considered as key strengths for the future development of the furniture sector.

REFERENCES

[1] HSE (2012) Toxic woods, Woodworking Sheet No 30, Health and Safety Executive.[2] IARC (1995) Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans – Wood dust and formaldehyde, Volume 62, WHO.[3] Fisher B. (1991), Pentachlorophenol: toxicology and environmental fate, Journal of Pesticides Reform Vol. 11, n°1, NCAP. [4] IARC (1991) Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans - Occupational Exposures in Insecticide Application, and Some Pesticides Volume 53, WHO.[5] EN 13986 (2004) Wood-based panels for use in construction. Characteristics, evaluation of conformity and marking, CEN [6] Ikea Specification, (2011) Chemical compounds and substances - IOS MAT 10, IKEA[7] RAL (2011), RAL-UZ 38 Low emission Wood products and wood-Base products, RAL gGmbH.[8] Euratom Council Directive 96/29 (1996), The Council of EU: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/nuclear/radiopro- tection/doc/legislation/9629_en.pdf.[9] European Panel Federetion (2009), Annual Report, EPF.[10] IARC (2006) Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans Volume 88, WHO.[11] European Panel Federetion (2002), EPF standard for delivery conditions of recycled wood, EPF.[12] Advisory Committee On Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention (2012) (http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/AC CLPP/acclpp_main.htm), CDC. [13] IARC (2006) Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans - Inorganic and Organic Lead Compounds, Volume 87, WHO[14] COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 125/2012 of 14 February 2012, amending Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (‘REACH’)[15] EN 71-3,(1994) Safety of toys. Part 3: Migration of certain elements, CEN.[16] Consumer Product Safety Commssion (2008), Part 1303 - Ban of lead containing paint and certain

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consumer products bearing lead-containing paint Federal Register - Volume 73, n° 245, CPSC.[17] ECHA (2009): Dibutyl phthalate. Priorisation and Annex XIV background information. 14 January 2009. http://echa.europa.eu/doc/consultations/recommendations/prioritisations/priori tisation_dbp.pdf [18] Bulian F., Graystone J. (2009), Wood Coatings, Theory and Practice, Elsevier.[19] Health-related Evaluation Procedure for Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions (2008) from Building Products, www.umweltbundesamt.de[20] Journal Official de la République Francaise, Arrêté du 19 avril 2011 relatif à l’étiquetage des produits de construction ou de revêtement de mur ou de sol et des peintures et vernis sur leurs émissions de polluants volatils.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Bulian F. (2012), Materials and Technologies of the Furniture Industry, Edizioni Goliardiche.

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Lorena Riul

Twenty years of CATAS QUALITY AWARD

Catas provides product certification service since 1993 with the Catas Quality Award (CQA) label, proving the con-formity of products to the relevant standards and/or technical specifications.It was the 25th of May 1993 when the first product certification CQA Formaldehyde was released. Since then, the CQA has grown in number and type of certification. CATAS certifies raw materials (raw panels, wood based panels, coating systems), semi-finished products (coated panels, glulam beams), components (domestic furniture surfaces, kitchen doors,) and furniture (beds and mattresses, office chairs).

The CQA Formaldehyde, that was the first certification, certifies wood based panels (raw and coated) with low for-maldehyde emission. Other certifications were added to the first one in the course of time:- CQA CSEW that marks the coating systems for wood for exterior use which comply with the requirements of outdoors durability and protection of wood from climatic agents; - CQA PL that verifies the conformity of glulam beams for scantlings to requirements of wood quality and perfor-mance of the glue lines and joints; - CQA B&M BED and MATTRESSES that defines procedures to control beds and mattresses production, with reference to product safety and performance; - CQA SMD (SURFACES FOR DOMESTIC FURNITURE) that marks the conformity of domestic furniture surfaces related to performance of the finishing and composition of the applied coating system; - CQA CVMD (COATING SYSTEMS FOR DOMESTIC FURNITURE) that assess the performance of coating sy-stems used for the finishing of furniture for domestic use. - CQA KITCHEN DOORS that marks doors used for domestic furniture;- CQA SU (OFFICE CHAIRS) that marks chairs used in office.In 20 years certified products number is increased up to 100 now motivated by the wiliness of companies to offer their customers a higher added value.To celebrate its twentieth anniversary, the Catas Quality Award logo comes with a new design reflecting the will to innovate and improve its reliability.Ad evidence of this goal is represented by the efforts of CATAS, already accredited as a testing laboratory since 1991, to be granted with the accreditation as a product certification body in 2013. The policy of CATAS is then ad-dressed towards the improving of the offer to the certified companies, increasing the quality and the reliability of our brand CQA.

More than 100 certified products: after 20 years the CQA change the layout and tip accreditation.

CSEW CSEWPLUS

FORFOR

FORUSA

CVMD

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Marco RighiniSOLIDWORKS SUSTAINABILITY

On Thursday, 11 October 2012 CATAS organized a seminar about the use of SolidWorks. CATAS is studying the use of dedicated software, such as SolidWorks and Nei Nastran, which make possible the realization of three-dimensional drawings of the object to be produced, with the complementary analysis of its physical-mechanical performance and environmental sustainability.

Phases of the life cycle of the products involved in the sustainability evaluation

With reference to sustainability, SolidWorks allows to consider also the environmental aspects of the life cycle of the products during their design phase. The environmental performance of the product are then evaluated and docu-mented by the Environmental Sustainability Report that accompanies the product. This is a practical application of the concept of Ecodesign.

Sustainability is aimed at evaluating the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of a product already in the de-sign phase. This allows identifying the best solutions without compromising the overall performance of the product.

This is another great advantage of the environmental sustainability program present in SolidWorks, which allows performing complete analysis of the life cycle LCA of the parts and of the finish product in a simple and rapid way, already during the design phase.

An increased added value of the product derives from this approach because it estimates and highlights the “envi-ronmental performance”, being a parameter which is increasingly evaluated as a positive data also in green procu-rement of public administration.

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For more information please contact:Marco Righini Tel: 0432.747258 Mail: [email protected]

REPORTINGThe evaluation of the environmental sustainability performed with Solidworks provides an easily understandable report even by end users. At the end of the process, the “Sustainability Report” can be easily printed, together with a “calculator of the environmental performance” making immediately clear the environmental performance achieved with the sustainable design.

HOW IT WORKSTo do this, SolidWorks Sustainability uses the database Ga.Bi of PE which is the international leader in the field of LCA, the methodology evaluates a set of interactions with the environment of a product or service. The GaBi database, that contains algorithms universally recognized, is constantly updated, allowing us to carry out a LCA screening of the product.

With this software it is possible to achieve very useful data, however, acting on multiple parameters such as material, manufacturing process, routing, utilization period and also the shape.

IMPACTSThe impacts are assessed by SolidWorks Sustainability in all phases of the product life: raw material extraction, material processing, manufacturing of parts, assembly, product use, end of life and transportation.The environmental impacts considered by SolidWorks Sustainability

For the calculation of the final data, four envi-ronmental indicators are used:

- Carbon: impact on climate in terms of GWP global warming

- Energy consumption: Resource Exhaustion non-renewable natural resources

- Emissions to air: air acidification due to sulphur dioxide

- Emissions to water: water eutrophication by phosphorus and nitrogen compounds

Marco RighiniSOLIDWORKS SUSTAINABILITY GET INSPIRED BY MATERIALS

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Staff Material ConneXion ItaliaGET INSPIRED BY MATERIALS

GET INSPIRED BY MATERIALS is the section dedicated to innovative materials and devoted to all the companies and professionals looking for new material solutions and inspiration for their projects. This section, as well as the Material Point FVG, an information point where materials are exposed to be seen and touched by the visitor, is the new service born from the cooperation between CATAS and Material ConneXion Italia, the most important national research and consultancy centre on materials.

MC Index Number: 6773-06

Flame-retardant polymer sheets

Durable, flame-retardant polymer sheets developed to withstand harsh chemical, thermal and ultraviolet environments. These PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) sheets are resistant to most acids, bases, and organic solvents, and also have good mechanical strength, stiffness and electrical-resistance. They are FM 4910 listed materials (measuring Fire Propagation Index (FPI) and the Smoke Development Index (SDI)) and are capable of resisting fire and emitting little, if any, smoke. They are also abrasion-resistant, FDA compliant, and have an HDT (Heat Deflection Temperature) of 284° F (140° C). They have a smooth finish and are available in a natural, opaque color. Standard sheet size is 4 x 8 ft (1.2 x 2.4 m) with thicknesses ranging from 0.125 to 1 in (3.2 to 25.4 mm) but custom sizes are available upon request. They are used in the semiconductor, petrochemical, and nuclear industries as wet process tools, plenum tanks, and chemical tanks. They also find application in the pulp and paper, metallurgical, and pharmaceutical industries.

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Franco Bulian

Il CATAS tra internazionalizzazione,innovazione e realtà quotidianaStaff Material ConneXion Italia

GET INSPIRED BY MATERIALS


Handcrafted leather hides

100% handcrafted artistic leathers. These leather textiles employ traditional artistic leather-making to create both aged and contemporary surfaces.

There are 21 standard colours and 8 processing techniques – ‘silver’, ‘flou’, ‘ancient impressed’, ‘vintage impressed’, ‘impressed’, Venetian leather, embossed and ‘sixties’. These techniques represent two toned textured impressions on suede and leathers.

They are supplied in panels of 72 x 64 in (180 x 160 cm). Custom made leather sizes are available upon request and no minimum order is required for custom or standard colours. Applications are for upholstery, luxury leather goods, book binding, furniture, and automotive interiors.

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Staff Material ConneXion Italia


Translucent wooden panel

Light transmitting wood. This wood composite panel is comprised of thin wooden layers that are firmly glued together with optic fiber textile that is embedded between the individual wooden layers. Standard sizes are 9.8 x 3.3 ft (3000 x 1000 mm) and 9.8 x 1.6 ft (3000 x 500 mm) and available in thicknesses from 0.4 to 2 in (10 to 50 mm).

The thickness of the individual optical fibers can vary from 0.008 to 0.031 in (0.2 to 0.8 mm) where the distance between the fibers can also vary from 0.2 to 1 in (5 to 25 mm).

These panels are produced from very common wood species: Black walnut, Black cherry, Oak, Mahogany, Teak, Wenge, Maple and others. Applications include interior walls, ceilings, floors, furniture, automotive interiors, and interior aircraft fittings.

For further information you can contact: a Material ConneXion Italia: [email protected]

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Title GLUING WOOD Purchase CATAS ([email protected])Author Alberto Bandel CATAS Subscriber € 35,00 + IVAEditor CATAS SpA Non CATAS Subscriber € 45,00 + IVA

Gluing Wood was written by dr. Alberto Bandel, one of the greatest European experts in the field of wood adhesives thecnology. Since the first edition (1994), the book has represented a good theoretical basis but, moreover, a signifi-cant working tool for all the manufacturers.The book is written in a simple style, with many practical examples, pictures and tables. The collaboration with CA-TAS (and in particular with ing. Speranza, dr. Giavon and dr. Bulian), especially for the normative parts, has completed the book also with some useful references to test methods and standards.The book is divided into three chapters: Adhesives in the wood Industry- Materials in the Wood Industry and Gluing Technologies) which contain different pharagraphs about subjects related both to the raw materials and the working processes.

Title THREE DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF WOOD. A scanning Electron Microscope StudyAuthors B.A. Meylan and B.G. Butterfield Purchase CATAS ([email protected])(Italian translation by Angelo Speranza) CATAS Subscriber € 25,00 + IVAEditor CATAS SpA Non CATAS Subscriber € 45,00 + IVA

This book is a collection of scanning electron microscope photographs selected to illustrate various features of the structure of wood. Althought is intended to supplement general plant anatomy texts for Botany and Foresty students at the upergraduate level, it should also be useful work for anyone interested in wood science.The lists of further reading included in each section contain only general texts and revelant paper on each topic.

Title WOOD COATINGS. THEORY AND PRACTICE Authors Franco Bulian and Jon Graystone Purchase Specialised bookstores - Language English Internet web sites: www.elsevier.com,Editor Elsevier www.amazon.com

Wood Coatings, written by Franco Bulian (CATAS) and Jon Graystone (Paint Research Association) addresses the factors responsible for the performance of wood coatings in both domestic and industrial situations. The term ‘wood coatings’ covers a broad range of products including stains, varnishes, paints and supporting ancillary products that may be used indoors or outdoors. Techniques for coating wood go back many centuries but in recent decades there has been a move towards more environmentally-friendly materials, for example, the use of water-borne rather than solvent-borne chemicals. A major objective of Wood Coatings is to explain the underlying factors that influence selection, application and general operational issues. Basic information on the chemistry and technology of coatings is included for the benefit of students and laboratory technicians. Additionally, the book includes individual chapters of interest to architects, specifiers, and industrial users.

Title MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES OF THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY Author Franco Bulian Purchase Specialised bookstores - Language English Internet web site www.edizionigoliardiche.it

Editor Editrice Goliardica Cover price € 22,00 This book, written by the vice-director of CATAS, dr. Franco Bulian, presents an overview on the key materials and technologies used for the furniture production. It is therefore a basic text describing the features and processes associated with: wood, wood based panels, covering materials, edges, adhesives and coatings. Each material is initially presented considering its composition, properties and classification. Then, in succession, the main industrial processes and specific utilizations within the furniture sector are analysed. Finally, also the problems or defects that may arise by the improper use or wrong processing are shortly presented.One of the fundamental pillars for the future development of the furniture industry is surely that of “knowledge”. This book is therefore intended to represent one of the possible reference points for all those who already work in this field both in technical and commercial areas.Nevertheless the book is mainly addressed to those approaching for the first time this complex but also fascina-ting industrial world, being specifically designed as a basic text for the students of Universities and Secondary Schools.factors that influence selection, application and general operational issues. Basic information on the chemistry and technology of coatings is included for the benefit of students and laboratory technicians. Additionally, the book includes individual chapters of interest to architects, specifiers, and industrial users.

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