VDA 270 Determination of Odor Characteristics

The test method described in the VDA 270 standard developed by the German Automotive Industry Association (VDA) is a widely used method in the automobile industry. This test method is for evaluating odors emitted from parts and materials inside the car under the influence of temperature and climate.

The human nose detects certain compounds more sensitively than other analytical instruments. Therefore, tests carried out according to the method described in the VDA 270 standard are carried out by a three-person inspection group that determines the presence of a certain odor on a scale of 1 to 6. A value of 1 is considered imperceptible and a value of 6 is considered intolerable. In this regard, the conventional limit applied for this test is 3.

While performing the odor test, the test container is placed inside a test chamber and subjected to a certain temperature for a specified time. The sample material is assigned a variant based on their location in the vehicle and placed in an odorless, sealed test vessel.

• Variants 1 and 2: Add 50 ml of deionized water to the test cup, and evaluate immediately after removing it from the chamber.
• Variant 3: No water is added to the test cup, it is cooled to 60 degrees plus/minus 5 degrees before evaluation.
• After being evaluated by the three testers, the container is again stored at 80 degrees plus/minus 2 degrees before being evaluated by the other testers.

After that, the smell is taken by the evaluators and the intensity of the smell is evaluated.

The VDA 270 standard is considered suitable for controlling the odor perception of the individual components of a component as well as the component as a whole. Prior to testing, the sample is conditioned in a container of a certain volume, based on certain characteristics such as sample amount, temperature and humidity. In addition to the grading performed with this test method, other original equipment manufacturer-specific grading schemes are also used to describe the odor in more detail. In addition, these tests, performed by a trained olfactory panel, assess both the intensity of the odor, the type of odor, and subjective feelings.

Our organization also provides testing services for the determination of odor characteristics within the scope of VDA 270 standard, with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment, among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors.