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Laboratory Testing Services

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Vipac Engineers & Scientists Ltd is an engineering research, development and consultancy company with offices located throughout Australia and South-East Asia.

With over 28 years experience, Vipac applies advanced mechanical engineering skills of fluid mechanics, gas and thermo dynamics, acoustics, noise and vibration as well as energy conservation to a wide range of projects in different industries, including the airconditioning and whitegoods area. All testing is supported by extensive field instrumentation and test laboratories, such as air distribution and reverberation laboratories, various climatic chambers and solar simulators, a low speed boundary layer wind tunnel, as well as electrodynamic and hydraulic vibration shakers. Vipac is NATA registered and fully independent and as such is used by many companies to provide services on products which require confidentiality or impartial results. Vipac's engineers offer cost-effective and innovative solutions to complex problems posed by manufacturers, importers and component suppliers. Vipac is also involved with R&D, currently researching for ASHRAE the development of a new noise measure for the assessment of rumble noise due to HVAC systems.

Vipac's Air Distribution and Acoustics Testing Laboratory provides a highly- specialised facility for design, development and performance testing of air distribution systems and components. It is the largest independent NATA certified testing laboratory of its type in the Asian-Pacific region. The facility can be used for full scale mock-ups to investigate the effectiveness of specific air distribution systems. In the air diffusion and reverberation laboratory airflow patterns are modelled in three dimensional space. Flow visualisation and video recording of smoke patterns can be readily undertaken. Supplied with a 'quiet air supply', it can produce measured flow rates from 10L/s to 3,500L/s at static pressures up to 1kPa. Air can be supplied at temperatures between 2 - 50C for non- isothermal testing. This laboratory, conforming to ISO3741, is connected to a second reverberation chamber for the testing of insertion loss. Testing can be undertaken in accordance with ASHRAE, ARI, ADC, AMCA, ISO, BSI and Australian Standards. Silencers and attenuators are tested for insertion loss (diffuse field method), pressure drop and regenerated noise in accordance with AS1277 and BS4817 and evaporative air conditioners are tested for discharge and radiated noise in accordance with AS2913.
Air flow is measured in accordance with BS848. Twin Reverberation Chambers, 21m in length, allow the simultaneous measurement of radiated and discharge sound power levels whilst the availability of AMCA nozzles, BS orifice plates or pitot traverse enable any flow rate to be measured at any static duty point. The availability of almost limitless power (up to 400kW) and test laboratories up to 60m in length enable almost any fan in commercial production to be tested. Optimisation of fan performance for both airflow and noise is a major activity of Vipac's Laboratory. Vipac maintains several Fan Test Rigs which comply with the requirements of AMCA, ASHRAE, ARI, BS and AS Standards for centrifugal, axial, propeller and ceiling fans. This Fan Development Laboratory is the only independent NATA registered fan facility in the Asian-Pacific area. Fan design for minimum noise is a major thrust in the laboratory and analytical methods such as CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and axial fan design using the R.A. Wallis methodology are widely adopted. Workshop facilities for prototyping and a hot test environment at 0 250 C complete a comprehensive support facility. Projects have been undertaken for many of the regions fan manufacturers in a wide range of applications - from forward curved impellors in fan coil units to large jet fans and smoke exhaust fans in vehicular tunnels and mineshafts.

Energy Labelling and Electrical Safety Testing of appliances and electrical goods are important issues for consumers and manufacturers as well as authorities. Vipac carries out Energy Labelling tests for air-conditioners, clothes washers, dryers, dishwashers as well as refrigerators and freezers. Testing facilities include Environmental Chambers and Twin Balanced Ambient Calorimeters. In these laboratories, temperature and humidity can be controlled to tight tolerances, within the requirements of the relevant Australian and International Standards. Thermal and airflow testing of evaporative air conditioners is also conducted.

Electrical Safety Testing helps to ensure public safety by only allowing electrical appliances and equipment to be sold that comply with the Australian and IEC Electrical Standards. Testing of all household and similar electrical appliances to Australian and IEC Standards include ageing test on motors, testing of glow-wire, burning tests, needle-flame testing, proof tracking tests, insulation resistance, high voltage, moisture resistance, leakage current & electrical strength, overload protection of transformers & associated circuits, mechanical strength, resistance to heat, fire & tracking.

Vipac also provides extensive design and R&D support to manufacturers to optimise efficiency and tune products to the market's requirements. Services cover the whole cycle of product development, including noise control design for new appliances, conceptual studies of new models and products (using Computer Aided Engineering, ie. CFD for flow studies, AutoSEA for noise and vibration) and optimising energy efficiency through "system tuning" whilst responding to the product development realities of price, short development time and consumer perceptions.


Testing Facilities
Air Distribution Laboratory for Grilles and Diffusers
Acoustic Reverberation Chambers
Refrigerator Testing Chambers (Energy Labelling)
Solar Simulator
Large Environmental Chamber (-10o C- +75o C)
Environmental Chamber (-10o C - +150o C, triple cascade unit)
High Temperature Chamber (up to 350o C)
Anechoic Chamber
Balanced Ambient Calorimeter (Air Conditioner Energy Labelling)
Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel
Appliance Laboratory (Whitegoods Energy Labelling)
Electrodynamic and Hydraulic Vibration Shaker

Testing Services
Fan Curve Testing (up to 500kW)
Air Diffusion Testing ( flow, pressure drop and throw) for Louvres, Diffusers,
Grilles, Jet Diffusers, Dampers, Light/Air Boots, VAV / Mixing Boxes and ADPI
Leakage Testing of Dampers
Air-Flow Visualisation
Sound Power Determination for VAV boxes (radiated/discharge), Fans and
Evaporative Air Conditioners
Thermal and Air Performance Testing of Evaporative Air Conditioners
Insertion Loss - Static and Dynamic Testing for Silencer and Flexible Ducts
Erosion Testing and Acoustic Performance of Fibrous Insulation
Water Penetration Testing (O/A Louvers)
Energy Labelling of Whitegoods, Refrigerators/Freezers and Air Conditioners
Electrical Safety Testing
Research & Development Services
Gas Appliance Testing
Appliance Plumbing Type Testing Certification
Water Conservation Rating Certification
Appliance Compliance Services

NATA Accreditations

NATA Accreditation No.1163

  • 9.01 Acoustic Measuring and Calibration Equipment
  • 9.05 Field Measurement of Sound
  • 9.06 Sound Power
  • 9.07 Acoustic Performance
  • 9.10 Vibration Measuring and Calibrating Equipment
  • 9.15 Mechanical Vibration
  • 9.16 Vibration Performance

NATA Accreditation No.1506

  • 5.54 Performance Tests on Electrical Appliances and Components
  • 13.47 Plumbing and drainage fittings Tests on baths, cast iron non-return valves, kitchen sinks, laundry troughs,metal bodied taps, shower bases, solvent cements, tempering valves and wash basins
  • 13.65 Pipes, hoses, valves and fittings
  • 13.69 Controlled Environments
  • 13.75 Fans and Blowers

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