STANLEY Access Technologies Featured on Tomorrow’s World Today

STANLEY Access Technologies was thrilled to be featured on Tomorrow’s World Today Saturday, October 29 on the Science Channel and Sunday, October 30 on Discovery. In the episode, the show demonstrated the ways our Dura-Storm doors are tested to protect people and property during severe weather events with its innovative design and the use of VHB tape from 3M. 

Appearing on a TV show like Tomorrow’s World today is a great honor and a wonderful opportunity to show our fantastic products, but it wasn’t our idea. The producers were interested in seeing how buildings are constructed to withstand intense winds and flying debris during hurricanes. In doing that research, they discovered our Dura-Storm doors and the way they utilize 3M’s VHB (very high bond) tape to keep glass inserts in place during weather events. Wanting to show exactly how this amazing duo works to protect people and property from damage, STANLEY and 3M were approached to participate in the episode.

Representing STANLEY on the show is our very own Regional Training and Support Manager, Todd Strickler. Having worked at STANLEY since 1996, Todd was thoroughly familiar with our products and their capabilities. Also helpful was Todd’s experience appearing in training videos for our company. When he was first asked to help out, Todd said he was nervous, but was excited about the opportunity to show off our products.

The show specifically wanted to capture the three tests our Dura-Storm doors must pass to achieve a “Level E” rating which provides the utmost protection against wind-borne debris and hurricane-force wind loads. Those tests included: 

The static pressure test simulated gusts of wind up to 220 mph on the glass. In the testing center, a wall pulled a vacuum on the Dura-Storm doors up to 120 pounds per square foot of pressure to replicate the wind gusts. The doors remained intact and the VHB tape kept the glass attached inside the frame. 

The hurricane impact test was conducted in accordance with ASTM E1996 “Standard Specification for Performance of Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, Doors and Storm Shutters Impacted by Windborne Debris in Hurricanes.” This test uses the most severe wind zone classification for non-essential buildings. To test the impact of windborne debris, an 8-foot-long piece of lumber (2×4) was shot directly into the corner of the glass door at about 50 feet per second. The corner simulates a worst-case scenario. When the lumber was fired, the glass cracked, and there was heavy damage to the panels, frame, and stiffeners, but again the door and glass remained intact and in place to pass the test. 

The Hurricane Pressure Cycling Test used the same glass that was damaged in the previous impact test. This test is performed per the ASTM E1886 “Standard Test Method for Performance of Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, Doors, and Storm Shutters Impacted by Missiles and Exposed to Cyclic Pressure Differentials.” In this test, pressure was cycled inwards and outwards for a few thousand cycles for six hours to simulate the hurricane event. The test ran a few thousand cycles at 50 percent of the maximum pressure and then was gradually ramped up for two hundred cycles at higher increments. In the show, the glass in the windows can be seen pulsing in and out as the pressure changes, but remain in place. 

After all of the tests were complete, the results showed that Dura-Storm doors and 3M's VHB tape passed with flying colors. We are extremely proud to have the chance to show just how reliable our doors are during a severe weather event. In every way, STANLEY Access Technologies could not be happier with the finished episode and the positive response it has generated. We sincerely thank Tomorrow's World Today and 3M for letting us be a part of this fantastic opportunity. You can watch the full episode here: https://www.tomorrowsworldtoday.com/2022/10/24/could-tape-save-homes-fr…

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