VPAM 2004/2011 Blade and Impact Resistance Test Standard

Developed by the Association of Test Centers for Vandalproof Materials and Structures (VPAM), the VPAM 2004/2011 standard describes requirements and classifications and defines test methods for puncture and impact resistant protective equipment such as stance and impact strength body armor, protective helmets and protective shields. These are elements designed to protect against injuries caused by attacks with knives and impact objects. This standard provides repeatable results and offers better market transparency to customers and users. Therefore, it is possible to objectively compare various products tested according to this standard.

According to this standard, body armor can be configured as:

• Combined protection (with armor). If a tested blade and shockproof armor is to be worn together with a tested ballistic armor, the combination must also undergo a ballistic test.

• Upgradeable protection (with armor). If a tested ballistic armor is to be upgraded with stab and impact resistance, the combination must undergo a full stab and impact test as well as ballistic testing.

• Integrated protection. If the body armor is designed to provide both ballistic protection and stab and impact resistance, the non-detachable armor panel must be subjected to both ballistic testing and stab and impact resistance testing.

For the purposes of this standard,

• Protective equipment refers to clothing such as upper body, arm, leg, lower abdomen protectors, protective helmets and protective shields. This equipment is designed to protect against injury from attacks.
• Protected area refers to the area covered by the protective equipment of the category to be tested.
• Protection class refers to the determination of the intended protection level classification against a particular attack potential.
• Puncture-proof armor generally refers to a product consisting of woven, mesh, plates, and the like in a single-layer or two-layer puncture-proof armor panel.
• Shockproof armor, generally in single-layer or multi-layer shockproof armor panel, webbing, mesh, plate and the likedenotes a product containing

Our organization also provides knife and impact resistance testing services within the scope of VPAM 2004/2011 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.