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Get advice on material selection and design, plus testing and analysis of plastics, composites, rubbers and coatings for requirements, documentation and failure analysis.

Material analysis is relevant for manufacturers, suppliers and end users who need support with material selection, design, testing and analysis of polymers. The service forms part of our materials technology services and is relevant when materials must meet requirements for function, quality, adhesion, joining and composition, or when failures need to be investigated. 

 

Advisory on requirements 

 

We also advise on the production and purchase of products and raw materials to help manufacturers meet documentation requirements. End users can obtain documentation that explains failures in communication with suppliers. Furthermore, we participate in research, development and demonstration projects related to polymers and composites in collaboration with companies, universities and authorities. 

Inspection of plastic and composite samples is a part of laboratory testing and analysis.
Laboratory technician examining samples during testing and analysis of plastics and composites

Challenges

When materials fail, uncertainty about the cause hinders progress.

Material degradation makes failure causes harder to clarify 

Cracking, deformation, or loss of material properties in plastics, polymers, composites, and rubbers can be difficult to explain without documented analysis of loads, environmental exposure, and material behaviour. 

 

Damage in joints and laminates disrupts operation 

Delamination, bond-line cracking, and similar failures can interrupt production or use when the material's performance does not meet the design requirements and operating conditions. 

 

Incorrect material choice or production defects create uncertainty 

When density, strength or other material properties do not match the actual load and environment, it becomes harder to determine whether the failure was caused by design, manufacturing defects or material selection. 

 

Unclear damage mechanisms prolong investigations 

Without testing and analysis, it can be difficult to explain why failures such as gasket destruction, surface contamination or discolouration occurred and how similar damage can be avoided in the future. 

Benefits

Get documented material insights and reporting on requirements, failures, and communication with customers, suppliers, and authorities.

Documented basis for material selection and design

Testing and analysis provide documented insight into material properties, behaviour and composition, which can be used to assess whether materials meet defined functional and quality requirements. 

Documentation of requirements and material performance

Results can be used to document how materials perform relative to requirements for adhesion, joining, environmental exposure, and durability, supporting specification work and evaluation. 

Description of damage and most probable cause

Testing and analysis result in a report describing the observed damage and the most probable cause of the failure for the specific case. 

Communication with relevant parties

The documentation can be used in communication with customers, suppliers, authorities and other stakeholders to explain material behaviour, requirements or failure cases.