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Quality issues
Product testing
| Materials | Quality in manufacturing begins with materials. At Aspiring Enterprises we put a lot of effort into finding and using the right materials for the job. We have a huge range of webbings and other materials to choose from to ensure that we get the appropriate item. |
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| Construction | Rather than fix on a single construction technique and follow it slavishly for every product as many manufacturers do, we use the most appropriate method of construction to suit the style of the product. This results in a highly diverse range with no two products alike. |
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| Inspection | All our harnesses go through a careful two-stage inspection process to ensure that the product is 100% and the finish is perfect. Faults such as loose stitching and webbing flaws are excluded by our quality control system from reaching customers. |
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| Standards | Since 1994 we have represented New Zealand on the committee which formulates height safety standards for Australia and New Zealand. Our climbing harnesses are designed to exceed the requirements of the European climbing harness standard, EN 12277. |
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All our life-safety products go through destructive strength testing, and we now have our own test rig, capable of 8 tons load. Harnesses require extensive design testing prior to their release to the market, and later undergo periodic testing to ensure that no problems have crept into the manufacturing process. Any changes in design, materials, or procedures are tested before being introduced into production.
Test results can be requested for any product and we will send a copy of the latest results.
Destructive testing does not always yield the result expected. While testing Aztec harness prototypes in 1996, we broke a steel karabiner being used in the rig to anchor the harness, at a load of 27 kN (the European standard requires a strength of 15 kN). At this point we decided that further testing was not necessary. Our testing programme started back in the early 80s with the DSIR Materials Testing Laboratory in Christchurch, using a DSIR concrete dummy. In these days most testing was done by drop tests from a height of about 1.5 metres. This was spectacular to watch, but gave only a pass/fail result, and so was not all that satisfactory as the load applied could not be controlled. Later DSIR was transformed into Industrial Research Ltd (IRL), and we used a large steel test bed, on which the dummy was laid and harness tests were carried out horizontally.
With the closure of the IRL Materials Testing Lab in 1994, we developed our own test facility for static testing of harnesses on our own premises, using an 8-ton hydraulic ram to supply the load.
For other testing we use Imtest Laboratory's Christchurch lab, using a Shimadzu test machine capable of 100 tons load, which is ideal for pulling quickdraws and the like to pieces.
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Copyright Aspiring Enterprises, revised 12 July 2002.
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