DuraLAB - Innovation meets Quality | Duravit

DuraLAB - Welcome to the laboratory!

Duravit sets itself the very highest standards, not only in terms of design – the company also develops technically innovative products that will give you many years of enjoyment and are less harmful to the environment. Research and quality assurance are central factors in our drive to keep setting new standards. In our laboratories we analyze and test new technologies and put products through their paces in accordance with both international standards and in-house procedures that go far beyond the required standard.

Flushing tests

In flushing tests we test our products as realistically as possible. This involves adding liquid or solid test substances to the ceramic bowls that need to be completely flushed away. To guarantee high quality, Duravit has developed its own flushing tests that are far more stringent than the statutory requirements. Incidentally: all test substances, whether liquid or solid, are caught in special bowls and reused or disposed of separately – they do not find their way into the sewage system, for which the environment is grateful.

Water exchange test

The water exchange test is intended to show how effectively the water is exchanged during a flush. This is tested using 30 ml of testing fluid. If 99 percent of the colored water is replaced in the subsequent flush, this is a sign that the toilet has been effectively and hygienically flushed.

Surface flushing test with sawdust

The purpose of the surface flushing test is to show whether the ceramic surfaces of the toilet basin are fully rinsed free of residue. To visualize this, 20 g of sawdust is sprinkled evenly over the entire surface of the toilet ‒ after the following five flushes no more than 50 cm2 of the ceramic surface should remain unrinsed.

Solid-matter flushing test with granulate

65 g of plastic granulate is placed in the toilet bowl. The subsequent flushing test is successful if on average no more than 3.25 g of granules remain unflushed over three test runs.

Solid-matter flushing test with plastic pellets

100 plastic pellets with a diameter of 2 cm are placed in the toilet bowl. After three flushes, on average no more than 15 pellets should be left in the bowl.

Solid-matter flushing test with toilet paper

Twelve sheets of standardized, individually crumpled toilet paper are placed in the toilet bowl. The test is successful if everything is flushed away in four out of five attempts.

Splash test (DIN)

The new “Duravit Rimless®” technology ensures that the inner ceramic surface is completely rinsed. The splash test looks at whether any water splashes escape the toilet rim. The standard requires a paper template to be placed over the toilet, protruding by 200 mm all round: “Only a few small splashes are allowed”.

Pipeline test

One flush not only needs to clean the ceramic bowl and the siphon, but the connected pipe also needs to be flushed through to prevent blockages. Duravit uses a hundred plastic pellets to test whether an 18-meter-long, almost horizontal pipe (angle of inclination 2 degrees) is flushed through with no residue.

Follow-up water test

The amount of water actually needed to fully flush a toilet is tested using the follow-up water test. This involves standardized test bodies being placed in the toilet bowl and flushed out. An inserted metal pulse body is used to detect the test bodies, enabling the exact time at which the last test body exits the siphon to be determined. The test is successful if the amount of follow-up water averages more than 2.8 liters over ten tests.

Step test

The “step test” developed by Duravit tests how hygienically and completely the siphon in our toilets is rinsed out. A special dispenser is used to place a blue test substance that has been adapted to the rheological properties of human excretions directly into the siphon of the toilet, which the subsequent flush cycle should flush out without leaving any residue.

Longevity tests

For us longevity is a core task of product development – and not only in terms of timeless design. Studies and long-term tests on the functionality of our products and the robustness of the materials used form an essential part of our processes. Only in this way can we guarantee products that satisfy our exacting standards and live up to our customers’ requirements.

In our labs, the functionality, mechanics, and materials found in our products are tested up to 200,000 times. The products need to pass these long-term tests without exhibiting any adverse effects.

Endurance test of the blow dryer function of the SensoWash® toilets

All the functions of the SensoWash® toilet are subjected to long-term testing. Over up to 50,000 cycles, this test checks whether the blow dryer temperature, the air volume, and the temperature of the heated seat are kept constant over a minute.

Long-term function test of the Sensowash® i toilets

All functions of the SensoWash® i toilets are subjected to long-term tests on this test system – the closing functions of the lid and seat as well as the shower function undergo up to 50,000 cycles. The water pressure and water quantity as well as the temperature of the shower water and the seat surface are also checked.

Long-term function test of the Sensowash® remote control

We also subject the remote control from SensoWash® to endurance and durability tests. The material must demonstrate its resistance to water, chemicals and to 200,000 cycles of strong pressure on the control panels, as can be seen here.

Corrosion test

All metallic parts of the Duravit toilets are tested for their susceptibility to corrosion. This involves them being exposed to a salt-water vapor for 96 hours, after which no corrosion must be visible.

Long-term test of the toilet seats

Our toilet seats also need to stand the test of time. We test their resilience by exposing them to high pressure for extended periods. There must be no change to the surface of the seat after the test. The soft closure mechanism of our seats is also extensively tested: after 30,000 cycles of opening and closing without pressure, as well as 10,000 cycles of opening and closing by pressing down on the seat, it must still be guaranteed that the seat can be closed quietly and slowly over a period of more than three seconds.

Noise tests

Duravit toilets and “SensoWash®” should be as quiet as possible – which is why we subject them to volume tests in our acoustic labs. Noise production on flushing is one example of the type of tests that are becoming increasingly important for us as facilitators of a healthy and liveable home.

Noise test on flushing

The noise produced on flushing or by the “Sensowash®” shower function is measured in a fully acoustically insulated room using a highly sensitive measuring device placed at five positions and at a distance of one meter.