Appliance Design - November 2007 - (Page 37)

QUALITY & STANDARDS and certification requirements, making it easy to implement, and allowing businesses to accomplish successful sanitization while building customer loyalty and confidence. The protocol was developed by a panel of experts including representatives from the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silliker Laboratories, Stilwell Consulting, American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) and the Centre for Research on Environmental Microbiology (CREM). tions are made over the course of a typical product’s life cycle. Auditors examine these changes to ensure the machines’ sanitation capacity is retained. If, for example, components of a machine’s heating elements are modified, further examination is conducted to make sure this change does not affect laundry sanitization. one laundry load to another is also a concern, the protocol requires these bacteria not be detected on laundry washed after the contaminated load. The manufacturers specification requirements guide the OEM’s product labeling and literature. A manufacturer’s data plate must be permanently attached and specify the manufacturer’s name and model number. Certified products should bear the NSF Mark and protocol information as well. All instructions and product literature should educate consumers that the product’s sanitization cycle (not any other cycle) meets the protocol’s sanitization requirements. Certification requirements Protocol P172 identifies three sets of requirements: 4Materials, design and construction. 4Performance. 4Manufacturers specification. Each set of requirements will ensure consistent manufacturing of quality appliances that successfully sanitize clothes. Using these requirements — most of them already widely used and built into the manufacturing process — will guide the OEM in the design and construction of its appliances to assist in the certification process. Materials, design and construction requirements are likely already met within the OEM’s manufacturing facility. NSF auditors verify that each facility meets sanitary equipment design requirements to prevent accumulation of commonplace dirt and other debris. The protocol further specifies smooth, easily cleanable exposed exterior surfaces and corrosion-resistant water contact surfaces. To meet the protocol’s performance requirements, the washer’s sanitization cycle must be shown not only to sanitize laundry, but also to provide a sanitized machine for subsequent uses. Each machine’s sanitation cycle must reduce detectable Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria by 99.9 percent. Because carryover of organisms from Testing and audits NSF International developed the microbiological testing and certification program to gauge the effect of decreased energy and water usage on laundry sanitization. The sanitation performance test applies harmful and opportunistic, yet ubiquitous bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae) to denim swatch samples. Preliminary microbial counts for these samples are taken; the samples are then mixed with typical household laundry and the load is run through the specified sanitation cycle according to manufacturers’ instructions. Following the sanitization cycle, microbial counts for the denim swatches are analyzed and calculated. Negative control samples (those without test microorganisms applied) are also tested to measure carryover of bacteria from one sanitization cycle to the next. This initial testing phase of the protocol certification is then reinforced by annual audits. Third-party auditors, with several years of experience, survey all production locations and examine machines, as well as product “use and care” guides, at least annually. Understanding additions and modifica- Benefits of certification Compliance with the protocol enables appliance manufacturers to keep up with industry trends and consumer demand for energy and water usage efficiency while maintaining sanitization standards. It ensures that clothes washers can use less energy and water, while preventing contamination and maintaining high sanitization standards. The protocol’s annual audits not only maintain certification, but also provide continued consumer confidence and quality assurance. Auditors provide an impartial set of eyes to identify any flaws in an OEM’s manufacturing process or design elements. If a problem is identified, auditors provide expert counsel to help the company find a solution. More than these benefits, certification under P172 allows the appliance manufacturer’s product and marketing materials to bear the NSF mark — a long-standing, proven means of quality assurance for customers. < For more information, enter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 Or email: Davison@nsf.org NSF Engineering and Research The Engineering and Research Services (ERS) group at NSF provides health and environmental testing or consulting services. The ERS staff has years of experience in developing and performing test protocols for “non-routine” commercial, municipal, and government projects. These services include: 4Protocol certification program. 4Marine pollution prevention. 4Research and development studies and testing. 4Additional Certifications against non-NSF Standards. 4Testing for new products (proprietary studies). 4Development and/or implementation of test protocols and procedures. 4Government sponsored studies. 4Technical support for unusual/non-routine requests. 4Data acquisition set-up. 4Special reports. 4Environmental assessment evaluations. < www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN November 2007 37 http://www.appliancedesign.com

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Appliance Design - November 2007 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch Today’s LEDs are Brighter and More Colorful than Previous Versions, Allowing Designers More Opportunities to Improve and Differentiate Their Products. When Converting from CCFL to LED Backlights in LCD Panels, New Driving Methods are Needed. Electrowetting Technology Allows Displays to be Designed in an Extensive Range of Colors. Noise Problems are Not Always Easy to Find or Fix, but Acoustic Labs Can Help Designers Ferret Out the “Good” Noise from the “Bad.” A New Sanitization Protocol for Clothes Washers Combines the Best of Three Well-Established Provisions to Ensure Efficiency, Quality and Safety. Stricter EMC Requirements Raise the Bar for Appliances with Electronic Controls and Require Testing to New Levels. Despite Added Cost and Complexity, Gas-Modulating Systems have Migrated from Large-Scale Boiler Applications to Smaller Residential and Commercial Furnaces and Appliances. A New Treatment Technology Hardens the Surface of Light Alloys such as Aluminum and Magnesium and Expands Their Potential Applications. DesignMart Advertiser’s Index Association Report: AHAM

Appliance Design - November 2007

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