The Crib5 Process
‘Cribs’ have been around for quite a time, however the process of making a compliant one has not changed or got any easier. Having worked in a UKAS accredited test lab for many years, to find quality cribs for a decent price cannot be underestimated.
We have bought cribs from America, China and the UK, some are actually ok, many fall apart in your hands, some are as square as a circle, you can use some as a sandpaper block. This is bad news if you are trying to bring a new product to market or testing a current product to see if it conforms.
So we set of on a quest to make our little jenga towers to specification (BS5852 Pt2 1982) and we should have it all done in a week or two……Wrong!.
18 Months later and we had the process working well, and it’s not easy. The specification table set out in BS5852 Pt2 1982 (Table 2 Pg 6 of the standard) and relevant standards is quite extensive. The parameters are very tight and each crib has to conform to its specification.
From sourcing the right wood, to finding the right ignition material, to obtaining the correct length, width, height and weight, to the actual process of putting the cribs securely together.
Producing the right crib, every time is extremely underrated and is a complex process of many steps of very detailed work that has been refined over the years to make a very satisfying end product that it should be.
