Worst Case Scenarios Come Alive With Thermo-Man®
To test products made of Nomex®, we regularly engulf a 1.85m mannequin in flames.
DuPont™ Thermo-Man® enables us to help manufacturers offer better, safer products.
Fires are unpredictable. So to test fabrics and garments under the most extreme conditions, DuPont turns to independently certified Thermo-Man® for help. This life-sized, instrumented mannequin system is one of the most advanced thermal burn injury evaluation devices in the world. Covered with 122 heat sensors and dressed in test garments, Thermo-Man® helps manufacturers ensure optimal product performance. Thermo-Man® is a test mannequin – the first of its kind developed in conjunction with the US Government to help protect combat personnel from burns.
With this type of testing, DuPont works closely together with spinners, weavers and garment makers, to help them supply safe personal protective clothing, and improve the personal protective equipment available today. Since the 1970s, Thermo-Man® tests have been conducted for a broad range of fields, including the petroleum, petrochemical, and chemical industries, electric and gas utilities and fire services.
As different as these industries may be, they all have one common goal: protecting people from fires. And we’re happy to help these industries with their hazard assessments so they have the protection they need for their specific hazard.
Thermo-Man® tests are conducted at the leading edge technical center in Meyrin, Switzerland and throughout Europe. Thermo-Man® is the only mobile test mannequin that measures the protective performance of a variety of garments and clothing systems for firefighters, industrial workers, military and police under simulated flash fire conditions that can reach temperatures as high as those of molten lava rock. Since the first European fire exposure test in Meyrin, Switzerland in 1989, more than 8,000 tests have been carried out on Thermo-Man® – the equivalent of more than one test per day.
A second Thermo-Man® unit is in preparation for the Middle East region and will be inaugurated in September 2012. The unit will be based in Dubai but will also travel around the region.
DuPont™ Nomex® partners can have privileged access to DuPont technical expertise and the leading edge product testing facilities, including Thermo-Man® and DuPont™ Arc-Man® rigs that help enable the quality and performance of their finished garments to be precisely monitored.
INFORMATION & IDEAS
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CNN profiles Nomex® and a Formula I racing suit
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Nomex® & the Thermo-Man® Test
DuPont™ Thermo-Man® is a life-size mannequin equipped with 122 heat sensors dressed in test garments and exposed to a flash fire with temperatures rising up to 1,000°C.
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Time is of the Essence
Time plays a crucial role in the protection cycle of PPE and so it is important that firefighters consider how their garments behave and interact with the wearer during and after these events to ensure they take the correct course of action and are properly protected.
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Nomex® for Performance Durability
Garments made of Nomex® fibre have helped protect firefighters for decades. Continuous exhaustive testing proves that they excel in the long-term retention of their heat and flame protective qualities.
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Nomex® for Lower Wear-Life Cost
Today’s firefighters need to be able to optimise budget vs. performance, without compromising on safety. For decades DuPont™ Nomex® fibre has demonstrated lasting protective performance, while helping to minimise repair and maintenance costs.
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Nomex® for Heat Stress Protection
Heat stress is a dangerous condition in any situation, but for firefighters it can be especially life threatening. In fact, heat stress is the number-one cause of casualties among firefighters. Nomex® fibre helps reduce heat stress due to its higher air permeability.
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Nomex® for Extra Seconds of Safety
Extensive testing shows that Nomex® fibre has remarkably low heat transfer. Under flash fire conditions, it helps provide firefighters valuable extra seconds of safety when they’re needed most.
USES AND APPLICATIONS
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Industrial Protective Clothing
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Oil and Gas Personal Protective Equipment
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Turnout Gear – The First Line of Defence
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Industrial Safety
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Nomex® for Utilities
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Personal Protection in the Petrochemical and Chemical Industry
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Nomex® for Metal Work and Foundries
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Nuclear Protective Clothing
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Military Clothing
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Nomex® With High-Visibility Properties
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Fire Protection
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Firefighter Gear & Turnout Gear
RELATED DUPONT PRODUCTS & SERVICES
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Arc-Man® Test
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Arc Flash Protection Solutions
The DuPont™ Arc-Guide helps companies understand and manage an electrical hazard that is deadly, yet gets frequently overlooked.
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Molten Metal Man Test
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Nomex® Thermal Protection for Industrial Workers