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ROTARY BENDING FATIQUE TEST

IMPACT TESTING

Information on JWL / VIA / JAWA is provided by (NAPAC) Nippon Auto Parts Aftermarket Committee. For more information about JWL / VIA / JAWA please visitwww.napac.jp

What is JWL / VIA / JAWA?

JWL (Japan Light Alloy Wheel standard) is a set of requirements for alloy wheels set by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (Japan) that must be met for all passenger cars in Japan. The JWL mark, cast or forged into the wheel, indicates that the wheel has been self-certified by its manufacturer to meet the standard. There is a related standard, JWL-T, for truck and bus wheels.

VIA Vehicle Inspection Association of Japan (VIA) independently tests wheels for JWL or JWL-T compliance. Wheels that have been tested will bear the VIA mark in addition to the JWL mark.

JAWA JAWA (Japan Light Alloy Wheel Association) is the entity that maintains wheel safety and reliability.

Due to the large amount of light alloy wheels available in the Japanese market, JAWA (Japan Light Alloy Wheel Association) was founded, and is the entity that maintains wheel safety and reliability. More specifically, it doubly ensures the right quality and safety of light alloy wheels by conducting three kinds of strength confirmation tests to check to see if the subjected products meet the “Engineering standard for light alloy disc wheels” set by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism along with additional inspections by (VIA). Products that have passed these strict tests earn “JAWA Quality Cert” seal mark to demonstrate their maintained and improved quality. In addition, JAWA promotes a design deposition system to prevent illegal copying of wheel designs to thoroughly ensure users’ peace of mind and safety.

Some enthusiasts may have already done their own research on what these symbols mean. We'd like to point out some that some wheel manufactures falsify these markings by taking advantages of countries that don't enforce or require these safety and quality standards (i.e. United States). Due to the lack of enforcement, the market potentially becomes a dumping ground for much of these lesser quality and potentially unsafe products. Furthermore, a wheel manufacturer might have produced wheels under JWL/VIA standard and was certified by JAWA in the past, however this doesn't guarantee a manufacturer produces wheels under the same set of testing standards when selling to market place that doesn't require/enforce certification. In these cases, JWL and VIA markings doesn't mean a wheel was actually tested, but rather it becomes a marketing gimmick.

Strength is one of the most important points when developing wheels. In Japan, it must meet the technical standard "JWL/JWL-T" established by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Weds and Super Star Wheels not only comply with the same standards, but also conduct our tests under conditions 20% higher than what is required by JWL.

CORNERING FATIQUE TEST

The Cornering Fatigue Test checks the entire integrity of a wheel with a tire mounted. Constant pressure is applied to the wheel and tire combination as it rotates. JWL requires 500,000 cycles and 1,000,000 cycles test adding radial stress. After testing, the wheel is inspected for cracks, deformation and any nut loosening. The air pressure of the tire is also measured, to detect any pressure loss.

Below is a video produced by Weds Japan, which demonstrates what happens when a wheel is manufactured with JWL / VIA markings but fails the standard JWL testing.

Rotary Bending Fatigue Test checks the durability of the wheel hub, and is designed to simulate the stress that a wheel hub goes through during everyday driving stress. Bending stress to the center of hub is applied; JWL requires a minimum of 100,000 cycles and 250,000 cycles for JWL-T.
After testing is complete, engineers inspect for cracks, deformation and any lug nut loosening. This test challenges the integrity of a wheel face design, hub area and assigned bolt pattern.

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JWL / VIA markings can be deceiving. All Weds and Super Star Wheels are authenticated with JAWA certification stickers to assure our customers are purchasing a JWL / VIA tested product.

Impact testing measures a rim flange's strength and ability to hold air of a tire after a hard impact between the rim and spoke. This simulates a wheel and tire taking a direct impact . JWL requires a free-fall weight at a 13 degree impact angle and 30 degree impact angle for JWL-T. After testing the wheel is inspected for cracks, deformation, separation and air leak.
* Drop weight vary depends on rim spec.