For a polymer manufacturer, an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or even for a company that is trying to determine the composition of an unknown sample, finding a polymer testing lab to complete the analysis and provide the data required is an important step.
Most of the companies listed above will use outside testing facilities as the cost of maintaining state-of-the-art equipment and keeping trained technicians on staff is cost prohibitive. By finding the right lab to work with for polymer testing, it is almost as if there was an in-house lab, just without all the additional cost to the business.
To find the right polymer testing lab, evaluate any labs you are considering based on the following 4 factors.
Procedures and Testing Capabilities
Established labs will have a full range of procedures required for testing, analyzing, identifying and evaluating any samples provided. This includes specific types of specialized tests such as DSC, FTIR, TGA and MI/MFR testing to name just a few.
It may also include manual types of tests such as failure analysis testing through microstructural analysis, which requires expertise, experience and high levels of professional training.
Sample Size Requirements
Most of the best labs will be able to test using very small sample sizes of the polymer. The sample size will be dependent on the number of tests, but simple tests will require five milligrams and multiple tests about three times that sample size.
Testing Completion Times
There will be a variation on the testing completion times that are related to the capacity of the lab. Ideally, look to a lab that will have the test results available in a few business days from the arrival of the sample. A few of the top labs may offer 24-hour rush processing.
Pricing
When comparing a polymer testing lab to another based on price, remember to consider order processing time, testing options and capacity as well as the ability to pay using a method convenient for your business.
By making these comparisons, it will be easy to find the right lab to work with now as well as in the future.
