Keeping With the Times

Documents Ensure Relevancy for Industry Stakeholders

By Steven Saffell

Fenestration changes constantly. For this reason, a key mission of AAMA’s committees and task groups includes ensuring that its nearly 200 standards, specifications and guidelines are keeping up. In 2018, that process led to the development and/or update of 11 documents, ensuring that the latest versions reflect industry and technical developments. If you missed those changes, here’s a look at some of the most important.

AAMA 303-18, Voluntary Specification for Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Exterior Profiles: Issued some 20 years ago, this was the first of what is now seven specifications for polymeric profiles. All are referenced in the North American Fenestration Standard/Specification (NAFS) and must be adhered to in order for fully fabricated products to achieve AAMA certification. This year, several new sections were added, including requirements for organically-coated and co-extruded profiles.

AAMA 305-18, Voluntary Specification for Fiber Reinforced Thermoset [Fiberglass] Profiles: Last published in 2015, a new version of this document includes the introduction of two different performance levels. The established Level One performance is adequate for most fenestration applications, but for those requiring higher flexural strength and stiffness, an optional Level Two was added, including loading parameters that are up to seven times those of Level One.

AAMA 906-18, Voluntary Specification for Sliding Door and Lift and Slide Roller Assemblies: Updates to this standard detail the procedure for testing rollers for sliding doors with large weight capacities. In the process, the dwell cycle times for each of the specified 10,000 cycles of 1,500-pound panels was changed to mimic the slow operating speeds experienced in real world conditions.

AAMA 1304-18, Voluntary Specification for Determining Forced Entry Resistance of Side-Hinged Door Systems: This document describes a test method and performance criteria for the ability of locked, side-hinged door systems to resist opportunistic entry. The latest update clarifies qualification criteria and specifies procedures regarding loading for both single- and multi-point assemblies.

AAMA 1506-18, Voluntary Test Method for Laboratory Heat Build-Up Effects on Fenestration Products: This specification describes a standardized test for evaluating a products’ resistance to dimensional and shape changes due to the effects of solar infrared (IR) heat build-up. Changes include referencing ASTM D4803 rather than G179.

AAMA CMR-1-18, Guidelines for Development of Color Measurement Requirements: With parameters for properly and clearly measuring and comparing color, this document serves as an important guideline for both matching and measuring the amount of change over time.

AAMA Component Verification Program Manuals: These four documents describe the requirements and verification testing procedures for components of finished products eligible for certification. Updates reference the current ASTM test methods, while clarifying the valid time period for results.

PMB-1, Caring for Your Windows, Doors and Skylights: The title for this educational brochure is pretty self-explanatory, including tips for proper cleaning and maintenance of glazing, frames, hardware and drainage systems to help products perform as intended. With the re-issued hard copy, AAMA also launched a corresponding web page, which can be viewed at www.aamanet.org/maintenance.

LAP-1, Laboratory Accreditation Program Operations Manual- Full Service Laboratories: Based in part on ISO/IEC 17025, this manual lists the requirements for accrediting independent testing laboratories supporting AAMA Certification Programs, by validating their abilities to test using the methods referenced in NAFS. This year, training requirements were added, along with new minimum requirements for lab officials.

From this list, it’s easy to see the range of subjects that AAMA’s members help to create documents for, which are cross-referenced in many other places, like codes. They also provide a reliable reference point for product designers, specifiers and code officials, making their continued accuracy and relevance of critical importance to every industry stakeholder.

Steven Saffell is technical director for the American Architectural Manufacturers Association in Schaumburg, Ill.

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