Crimsafe Impact Testing
Crimsafe outperforms the rest
Crimsafe goes above and beyond to set the highest standard for security screens in Australia and ensure their screens provide the highest level of protection against intruders. Crimsafe passes or exceeds Australian standards for:
- impact testing;
- jemmy testing; and
- knife-shear testing.
In addition, Crimsafe security screens are energy efficient, corrosion resistant, they filter UV rays and provide fire attenuation protection. Explore the results of Crimsafe’s performance testing below.
Strength and security testing
Impact testing
The first impact delivered by an attacker is usually the most violent. Dynamic impact testing measures how well a security screen holds up to the full force of a criminal’s kicks, punches or charges. The force of impact is measured in ‘joules’.
The security screen industry refers to ‘Australian Standards’ which include testing for the ability to withstand a certain level of impact. This is relevant to the strength of the security screen and the impact it can withstand in the event of a break-in attempt.
The Australian Standard (AS5039.3:2023), sets out requirements for a ‘Dynamic Impact Test’. This simulates the effect of a human impact against a security screen and is measured in ‘Joules’ (a unit of energy).
The Australian Standard requires a security screen to withstand five single impacts of 100 joules each. The average Australian male, weighing 86kg, can easily exert more than 100 Joules of force in a single impact.
That’s why Crimsafe has been designed to exceed the minimum requirement of Australian Standards as simply meeting the standard is not enough.
Independent research carried out by The University of Queensland tested Crimsafe and competitor products for their ability to withstand single and multiple impacts.
The test screens are initially impacted to the level required by the Australian Standards (5 x 100J), after which they are subjected to increasing impact levels. The graph below shows that many competitor products could not meet the recommended Australian Standard, failing to withstand five impacts of 100 Joules each.
Crimsafe withstood the multiple impacts required by Australian Standards, and withstood a single impact of 550 Joules (Crimsafe Regular), 750 Joules (Crimsafe Ultimate) and 1200 Joules (Crimsafe Commercial Applications).
Knife Attack Testing
Home intruders will often attempt to slash security screens with a blade to gain access to your home. All Crimsafe screens easily pass the Australian Standard Knife Shear Test, because all Crimsafe screens come equipped with our unique Tensile-Tuff® mesh, the industry leading 0.9mm, 304 grade high tensile structural grade stainless steel security mesh.
This test is designed to simulate a knife attack on a screen, using the kind of small to medium blade favoured by home intruders.
A test screen is mounted horizontally in a rigid frame and a heavy duty trimming knife is pulled along the mesh with a force of up to 350N (35kg) and a constant downward pressure of 150N (15kg) for a distance of 250mm.
The test is performed three times along the same line with a new blade fitted each time. In order to achieve a pass the mesh must not be penetrated in a continuous line for more than 150mm.
With our industry leading 0.9mm, 304 grade high tensile stainless steel Tensile-Tuff® mesh, all Crimsafe screens pass this test.
The specifications pertaining to the mesh and other products that we supply are our target specifications. The actual specifications for items supplied may differ taking into account reasonable manufacturing tolerances.
Lever Attack
Lever tools (like screwdrivers) are popular among home invaders because some security screens have weak points in their construction, making it easy to lever apart the frame, lock or hinges. But they’re no match for a Crimsafe screen. Years of development and rugged construction mean that all Crimsafe products meet Australian Standards in every section of the lever attack or jemmy test.
The Australian Standard requires a rotational force of up to 450N (45kg) to be applied and held for 20 seconds at all locking, hinging and fastening points around your security screen.
A large screwdriver is inserted at these points and mechanically rotated until either the force required or 80° rotation has been achieved. A security screen door must remain securely locked and a window security screen must remain securely fastened to the window that it is covering to achieve a pass.
The test panel fails if all the hinges, or all the locking points or all the fastening points (screws holding a window section onto the wall) fail, or if the edge of the security door or window has deflected to make a gap wider than 15cm.
Crimsafe easily passed this test and meets the Australian Standard requirements. Ongoing research in this area has enabled Crimsafe to develop Crimsafe Ultimate,a product range with true lever defiant-design to give you the ultimate protection.
Pull testing
If criminals can’t use brute force to smash through a security screen, they will try to attack the edges and pull it from its housing.
The Australian Standard Pull Test is designed to simulate an attack by an intruder attempting to pull at the security screen, either at the bottom, middle, side or top of the screen. The test also assesses the integrity and fixing of the mesh into the screen frame.
Every Crimsafe screen meets the requirements for the Australian Standard Pull Test, which investigates how well a security screen can withstand this kind of attack.
Our patented Screw Clamp® technology ensures that the mesh can’t be pulled from the frame at all, and the rigid Tensile Tuff® mesh guarantees no hand hold.
Environmental testing
Corrosion Resistant Under Harsh Conditions
Over time, some steel security screens can be overcome by the demands of coastal or harsh environments, sacrificing both their protective strength and the aesthetics of your property. Crimsafe screens have passed corrosion tests above and beyond normal industry standards.
A 1,000 hour salt spray test is the industry standard Salt Spray Test for testing corrosion in stainless steel security products, simulating 10 years of exposure to very harsh weathering conditions (AS 2331.3.1). Crimsafe passed this test, but also passed a much tougher test, the 3,000 hours Prohesion Accelerated cyclic test.
Crimsafe security screens also pass the Prohesion Accelerated test (ATSM G85), which provides a better correlation with real-world outdoor exposure results.
Prohesion tests use a method of cyclic accelerated corrosion and are designed to evaluate how well the surface coatings of the Crimsafe screen protect from corrosion.
Crimsafe security screens tested passed a massive 3000 hours with no corrosion, that’s equivalent to 30 years environmental exposure. The Crimsafe Tensile-Tuff® security mesh passed 10,000 hours with no corrosion.
Solar heat gain testing
The Australian Window Association (AWA) estimates 40% of a home’s heating energy is lost through windows and up to 87% of a home’s heat is gained through windows. And with electricity prices rising, choosing energy efficient fittings has never been more important.
Crimsafe screens have undergone a range of energy efficiency testing and have been shown to improve the energy efficiency of a window by up to 53%.
A major element of determining a window’s WERS (Windows Energy Rating Scheme) rating is its Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). The SHGC is the measure of how well a window blocks heat caused by sunlight. To test this, a Crimsafe security screen is applied over a glazed window to measure how well the screen blocks heat produced by sunlight entering into your home.
The Results
Crimsafe Security Screens were found to improve the energy efficiency of a Window by up to 53%.
When Crimsafe is applied over a 3mm generic single glazed window the cooling efficiency of the window increases from zero stars to a 3 Star cooling rating, keeping your home cooler in summer and reducing heat loss in winter.
The Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS) recognises that Crimsafe improves the cooling and heat retention of a building when applied to glass windows and doors.
The effects are best seen when security screens are placed over your entire window, not just over the opening portion. The type of window glass and glazing will also impact cooling and heat retention.
When Crimsafe is applied over a generic single glazed window the cooling efficiency of the window increases from zero stars, no additional benefit to a 3 Star WERS rating with a reduction in solar heat gain of up to 53%, keeping the interior of the home cool in the summer.
In the winter months Crimsafe works with your windows to limit the escape of warmth from your home, and heat retention efficiency increases. The heating rating improves from zero stars no heat retention benefits, to a 1.5 Star WERS rating with Crimsafe applied.
When Crimsafe is applied over 6.38 Clear Low E glass, the cooling rating increases from a 1.5 Star rating to a 4 Star rating greatly enhancing the cooling attributes of your glazing investment.
Annual energy performance (stars and % improvements) are calculated using Nationwide House Energy Rating Software according to procedures of WERS 2008 and the results are presented in Standard International Units.
Heat and wind testing
Simulating extreme heat and wind to test performance
Australia experiences some of the toughest environmental conditions in the world, with high levels of UV radiation and extreme heat throughout the summer months.
The UV Light Test uses an instrument called a UV spectrophotometer that measures the intensity of light. In this test, the intensity of light from a UV lamp is measured before and after it is passed through a sample of Tensile Tuff® mesh.
The results
Crimsafe Tensile-Tuff® security mesh was found to filter 62% of UV radiation. A major factor for the high UV resistance of Crimsafe security screens is the thickness of the wire used for the mesh: the thicker the wire, the less UV will penetrate the aperture of the mesh.
In the Airflow Test, Crimsafe’s 0.9mm Tensile Tuff® security mesh was tested in a custom-designed wind tunnel to determine the effect of the screen on airflow. The test measured the flow of the air exiting the screen.
The results
Compared to insect mesh, Crimsafe allows much better airflow through your home and helps maintain a healthier home interior in all seasons, allowing, on average, 53% airflow.
Storm and cyclone testing
Testing the impact from severe wind gusts and storm debris
Doors and windows are the hardest part of your home to protect against the violent, debris-carrying winds of cyclones or severe storms. The Crimsafe range helps protect your home against hail and wind-borne debris — we even have specialised cyclone-debris-protection products.
The Cyclone Debris Screens Test (AS1170.2:2011) is conducted in two parts. An air cannon fires a missile at predetermined air pressures to generate the required impact speeds for Cyclone Regions C & D — Australia’s most heavily impacted storm regions — being 36 m/s and 44 m/s.
1. The screen is impacted with a 4kg piece of timber fired from the air cannon
2. The screen is impacted with an 8mm steel ball repeated five times in different areas of the screen.
The Results
A wide range of Crimsafe products are approved for use in Cyclone regions C & D, including Crimsafe doors, windows and Crimsafe Safe-S-Capes®, which all meet the 36 m/s requirements.
The specially designed Crimsafe Cyclone Debris Screens pass the highest levels for Cyclone Debris Screening required for regions C & D, withstanding impacts up to 44 m/s. They can protect your property from storm-driven debris in wind gusts up to 392kph, while providing security from intruders, superior airflow and outlook.
Ember attack testing
Crimsafe has tested its security screens to meet the highest levels in bushfire protection, recognised as Bushfire Attack Level Flame Zone (BAL FZ).
The Australian Standard (AS3959-2009) requires screens which cover openings to be made of corrosion resistant steel, with an aperture size that will not allow a circular probe of 2mm diameter to pass through.
The Results
Crimsafe can protect your home across all bushfire attack levels up to and including BAL-FZ when used with a compliant window system.
Bushfire protection is required on sites where the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) has been determined as one of the six levels of risk, with BAL-FZ being the highest.
Crimsafe screens provide excellent protection from ember attack, reduce radiant heat and protect glass from the impact of burning debris.
Insect resistance testing
Trapping mozzies to test the Tensile-Tuff® mesh.
Crimsafe’s reputation has been built on keeping intruders out, even the tiniest ones.
In the Insect Resistance Test, Crimsafe’s Tensile-Tuff® security mesh has been tested for its ability to keep dengue fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) away from a food source in a testing chamber. Hundreds of mosquitoes were trapped in between the mesh, which was then left up to 72 hours before the testing was concluded.
The Results
Crimsafe Tensile Tuff® security mesh prevented 99% of the mosquitoes from passing through the mesh over the test period. Given recent research about the potential impact of climate change on increasing the dengue mosquito population and distribution within Australia, this is an important factor in selecting your security screens.
Balustrade Testing
Loading the pressure onto a balustrade panel
Security screens aren’t just limited to the inside of your home — they can also be used for balustrades and fences, subject to meeting the industry standard for loading on structures (AS/NZS 1170-2002).
The Balustrade test requires an infill panel to be subjected to a load test, replicating outward and inward pressure onto a balustrade infill panel.
The Crimsafe panel not only met the test requirement of 1.4 tonnes but exceeded it, withstanding a massive load of 4.2 tonnes. This impressive result was attributed to the unique design of Crimsafe’s patented Screw Clamp® technology. The Crimsafe infill panel also complies with Building Code of Australia occupancy type C5 for areas susceptible to overcrowding.
As Crimsafe panels have passed these industry-standard tests, they can be used as balustrade screen infills and as fencing, keeping your family protected from falling hazards while continuing the clean Crimsafe aesthetic across your property.
Crimsafe Hinged Security Doors
Crimsafe hinged security doors are our most popular security door, perfect for securing existing entry doors to your home, providing ventilation, security and stylish good looks.
Crimsafe Sliding Security Doors
With an impact rating up to 7.5 times safer than than required by the Australian Standards, Crimsafe sliding doors demonstrate superior strength, versatility and architectural engineering, ultimately bringing peace of mind.
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