Will Gester Instruments become an OBM in future?2

EN ISO 20345 is the core international standard for general-purpose safety footwear, defining minimum performance requirements for foot protection against various workplace hazards. This article elaborates on the definition, key highlights and mainstream safety classes of the EN ISO 20345 standard, covering applicable industry scenarios. It further provides a systematic step-by-step guide for selecting qualified ISO 20345 testing equipment, involving test item confirmation, equipment performance evaluation and reliable supplier selection. Finally, it introduces professional ISO 20345-compliant testing solutions provided by GESTER for footwear manufacturers and third-party testing institutions.

Firefighter turnout gear plays a critical role in protecting firefighters operating in extreme environments involving high temperatures, flames, radiant heat, and convective heat. Its thermal protective performance directly affects firefighter safety and survival during fireground operations. This article explains how to test firefighter turnout gear thermal protection through Thermal Protective Performance (TPP) testing. It introduces the scientific principle based on the Stoll curve, outlines key influencing factors such as heat flux intensity and exposure time, and reviews internationally recognized standards including NFPA 1971 and ISO 17492. The article also highlights the testing advantages of the GT-RC02 TPP Thermal Protection Tester, which provides accurate, stable, and standards-compliant evaluation of flame-retardant protective clothing materials under combined radiant and convective heat exposure.

Cut resistance is one of the most critical performance indicators in personal protective equipment (PPE) testing, directly affecting worker safety in high-risk industries such as metal processing, machinery manufacturing, and emergency rescue. The TDM Cut Test Machine GT-KC28 plays a vital role in accurately evaluating the cut resistance of PPE products, including gloves, protective clothing, footwear materials, composite materials, rubber, and industrial textiles.

By adopting high-precision force control systems, intelligent data processing, and stable transmission technology, the GT-KC28 TDM Cut Tester can accurately measure the critical cutting force of materials and ensure excellent repeatability and comparability of test results. Its user-friendly touch-screen operation, comprehensive data storage, USB data export, and built-in thermal printer greatly improve laboratory efficiency and data traceability.

The TDM Cut Test Machine GT-KC28 fully complies with major international and national standards such as ISO 13997, EN 388, ASTM F2992/F2992M, ANSI/ISEA 105, and GB 24541-2022, making it a reliable solution for PPE manufacturers, third-party testing laboratories, and research institutions. Through precise and standardized cut resistance testing, the GT-KC28 helps reduce industrial cutting injuries, supports PPE certification across global markets, and ensures that protective equipment delivers reliable safety performance in real-world applications.

EN ISO 20344 is the core international test method standard for full-performance detection of safety footwear. This article systematically explains the full range of whole-shoe test items covered by the ISO 20344 standard, analyzes the core practical advantages of mandatory ISO 20344 testing for factories and laboratories, and matches a complete set of dedicated ISO 20344 testers one by one. It also sorts out mainstream associated safety footwear standards worldwide, providing one-stop standardized testing solutions for safety footwear manufacturers, third-party testing institutions and occupational safety supervision departments.

Protective glove testing is the core link to verify hand safety protection performance for industrial PPE. This article focuses on the two most authoritative EU mandatory standards EN 388 and EN 407, elaborates on standardized test necessity, complete test items, professional supporting glove testers, result rating rules, and the differences between mechanical risk testing and thermal risk testing. It provides one-stop compliant testing reference for glove manufacturers, third-party testing labs, and safety supervision institutions to meet global CE certification and workplace safety production requirements.

Shoe flexing testing is essential for evaluating the durability and flex-fatigue resistance of footwear materials and finished shoes. This guide explains the main types of shoe flexing testers, including whole shoe, sole, upper, Bally, ROSS and low-temperature flexing testers. It also introduces their applications, relevant SATRA, ISO and ASTM standards, and how to select suitable footwear flexing testing equipment for quality control and product development.

Setting up a PPE testing laboratory requires the right combination of instruments for safety footwear, gloves, protective clothing, masks and safety helmets. This guide explains the core testing equipment used in modern PPE laboratories, the standards they support, and the functions of each instrument, helping manufacturers, third-party laboratories and certification bodies choose a reliable and compliant testing setup.

Choosing the right glove testing equipment is essential for evaluating the safety, durability, and protective performance of gloves. This guide explains the main types of glove testing equipment, including thermal protection, cut and abrasion resistance, tensile strength, and environmental conditioning equipment. It also introduces key glove testing standards such as EN 388, EN ISO 13997, ISO 37, ASTM D412, ISO 12947, and related thermal protection standards. By understanding your testing requirements, applicable standards, sample conditioning needs, maintenance requirements, and budget, you can build a more efficient and standard-compliant glove testing laboratory.

Choosing the right abrasion testing equipment is essential for obtaining accurate and repeatable wear resistance results. DIN Abrasion Tester and Taber Abrasion Tester are two widely used abrasion testing machines, but they are designed for different material types and testing purposes.

This article provides a detailed comparison between DIN Abrasion Tester and Taber Abraser, covering their working principles, specimen requirements, industry applications, standard compliance, technical characteristics, operation features and practical advantages. DIN Abrasion Tester is mainly designed for rubber, elastic materials, tires, conveyor belts and footwear soles, while Taber Abrasion Tester is suitable for flat materials such as coatings, textiles, plastics, leather, metals and decorative surfaces.

By understanding the differences between these two abrasion testing methods, laboratories can select the most suitable abrasion tester based on sample geometry, testing standards and production quality control requirements.

Choosing the right PPE testing equipment manufacturer is an important decision for PPE manufacturers, testing laboratories, certification bodies, research institutions, and quality inspection organizations. The right supplier should provide more than individual testing machines—it should offer standards-compliant equipment, reliable measurement performance, calibration support, technical expertise, customization, and long-term service. This guide explains 10 essential factors to check before selecting a PPE testing equipment manufacturer.