UNE-EN 16955-2017 PDF

Full title and description

STB UNE-EN 16955-2017 — Hardware for furniture. Tapered pressure tubes for self-supporting gas springs for the height adjustment of seating — Test methods and requirements for strength and durability. This document specifies the mechanical test procedures, acceptance criteria and product information required to assess the strength and long‑term durability of tapered pressure tubes used in gas‑spring assemblies for adjustable seating.

Abstract

UNE‑EN 16955:2017 (adoption of EN 16955:2017) defines strength classes, sampling rules, test apparatus and test procedures (including static and fatigue/bending tests) and marking/product information for tapered pressure tubes used with self‑supporting gas springs for seat height adjustment. Normative Annex A contains product information requirements; informative Annex B gives guidance on selecting the appropriate strength class for intended seating applications.

General information

• Status: Current / confirmed (UNE adoption of EN 16955:2017).
• Publication date: 2017 (EN: mid‑2017; UNE adoption published 29 November 2017; version confirmation recorded 26 May 2023).
• Publisher: AENOR (UNE prefix for the Spanish adoption) — original text produced by CEN (Comité Européen de Normalisation) as EN 16955:2017.
• ICS / categories: 97.140 (Furniture).
• Edition / version: 2017 (UNE‑EN 16955:2017).
• Number of pages: Typically 14–18 pages depending on national publication (commonly published as ~15 pages for the UNE edition).

Scope

This standard applies to tapered pressure tubes used in self‑supporting gas springs intended for height adjustment of seating. It specifies required test methods and acceptance criteria to verify mechanical strength, fatigue resistance and durability under representative loading conditions, and prescribes the product information and marking needed to classify and select tubes for different seating strength classes.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of strength classes for pressure tubes (classes with associated bending moments and seat‑offset conditions, supporting different user weight ranges and applications).
• Sampling requirements for type testing (representative samples taken from production series for verification testing).
• Test apparatus and setup: defined fixturing, lever arm (typical force application distance ~150 mm ±5 mm) and environmental/test conditions.
• Static and fatigue (alternate bending) test procedures, including endurance criteria (fatigue cycles, e.g. up to 2 × 10^6 cycles) and limits on test frequency and temperature to avoid invalid results.
• Acceptance criteria for strength and durability (no fractures or unacceptable deformation/failure within specified cycles and loads).
• Marking and product information requirements (normative Annex A) — essential dimensions, material and strength class data to be provided with the product.
• Guidance on selecting the correct strength class for intended seating uses (informative Annex B), including recommended classes for common seating types and user mass ranges.
• Normative references to related test standards (examples: ISO 1099 for fatigue testing, ISO 7500‑1 for calibration of testing machines, relevant geometric and NDT references).

Typical use and users

Manufacturers of gas springs, tapered pressure tubes and seating hardware; product design and R&D teams for office and task chairs; quality assurance and test laboratories performing type and verification testing; procurement and compliance officers verifying supplier conformity; certification and conformity assessment bodies; and regulators or standards committees concerned with furniture safety and durability.

Related standards

Standards commonly referenced together with UNE‑EN 16955 include ISO 1099 (fatigue testing methods), ISO 7500‑1 (calibration/verification of testing machines), EN ISO 4288 / EN ISO 21920 (surface texture/profile assessment where applicable), EN 1335 (office chairs ergonomics and dimensions), EN 1728 (furniture strength and durability test methods) and national adoptions/equivalents of EN 16955 (BS EN 16955, DIN EN 16955, SS‑EN 16955, etc.).

Keywords

tapered pressure tube; gas spring; height adjustment; seating; furniture hardware; strength class; fatigue testing; durability; test methods; UNE‑EN 16955; AENOR; CEN; office chairs; tapered tube; marking.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: UNE‑EN 16955:2017 is the Spanish adoption of the European standard EN 16955:2017. It defines test methods and requirements to assess the strength and long‑term durability of tapered pressure tubes used in self‑supporting gas springs for seating height adjustment.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers strength classes, sampling rules, required test apparatus and detailed test procedures (including static and fatigue/bending tests), acceptance criteria, marking and the product information that must accompany tapered pressure tubes. Annex A is normative product information; Annex B gives guidance on strength‑class selection.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Gas‑spring and furniture hardware manufacturers, test laboratories, QA engineers, designers of height‑adjustable seating, conformity assessors and procurement/compliance teams use this standard to design, test and verify tapered pressure tubes and assemblies for safe, durable seat height adjustment.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The document is the 2017 edition (UNE‑EN 16955:2017). National adoptions and confirmations (including UNE) have been recorded; a version confirmation was noted in 2023. There is no widely‑published later EN edition replacing EN 16955:2017 as of the most recent confirmations. For formal procurement or certification work, check the national standards body (AENOR) or the official standards catalogue for any updates or amendments before relying on the standard.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is a standalone EN standard focused on tapered pressure tubes but is often used alongside other furniture and testing standards (for example EN 1335, EN 1728, EN ISO 4288, ISO 1099 and ISO 7500‑1) when evaluating complete seating assemblies and testing equipment.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Tapered pressure tube, gas spring, seating, height adjustment, fatigue testing, strength class, durability, test methods, UNE‑EN 16955.