Whether or not a digital print media should be fire rated is an important consideration when choosing a material for a given job. You would be surprised by the number of times we have been asked about the fire-retardant properties of a product after the job has been printed, often at the point of install. Whilst a banner by the side of a road may pose no significant risk in the event of a fire, graphics being installed at an exhibition centre will almost certainly need to be fire rated.
If the application is for a fixed installation in a confined space that will be inhabited by many people, it’s a safe bet that some degree of fire- retardant treatment is going to be a good idea.
There are many types of fire classification linked to different applications, material types and regulations. Direct comparison between them is often difficult due to differences in the testing methodology. Below is a brief overview of three of the most common tests found in flexible digital print media.
B1 (DIN 4102)
A German fire test which means the unprinted material is tested for surface spread of flame. For a B1 one classification the material will not support a flame but will retreat from the flame and extinguish.
M1 (NFP 92501‐1)
A French fire test which means the unprinted material is tested for surface spread of flame. For an M1 classification the material will not support a flame but will retreat from the flame and extinguish. There will also be limited smoke development or dripping during the test process.
Class B‐S1, d0 (EN13501-1)
We are often asked what is the difference between the new (B‐S1, d0) EN‐13501‐1 which is a scalable standard (unprinted material) and B1 or M1
The EN‐standard is based on a test for the material’s response to fire, smoke development and droplets while burning.
The EN‐classification has the following scalable standards for flammability, smoke development and burning droplets
Fire behaviour: Class A1 (highest level)
Class A2 (no flammability materials)
Class B (low flammability materials)
Class C (normal flammability materials)
Class D (normal flammability materials)
Class E (normal flammability materials)
Class F (high flammability materials)
Smoke development: Class S1 (Very limited smoke development)
Class S2 (Limited smoke development)
Class S3 (no demands on smoke development)
Burning droplets: Class d0 (No burning droplets or particles)
Class d1 (limited burning droplets)
Class d2 (no demands on burning droplets)
The most common textile fire classification for digitally printed textiles (un printed) is EN 13501‐1 Class B‐S1, d0.
The fire-retardant chemicals are applied during the manufacturing process and if the base material becomes wet it may alter the effectiveness of the fire rating for a textile. In a PVC banner material, the fire-retardant chemicals are encapsulated into the coating of the material and are therefore permanently fixed.
This information is intended as a guide only. The purchaser should independently determine, prior to use, the suitability of materials for their specific purpose.