Loading ...When companies make new products or materials, testing is an important part of the development process. Manufacturers may know their carbon fiber or thermoplastic composites function well, but they might also consider how they hold up in tensile testing, thermal analysis and defect evaluation. Many labs across the country offer these services for manufacturers, especially smaller ones. But what should composites companies look for as they search for one of these facilities?
Pricing and Turnaround
According to Perry Martin of Martin Testing Laboratories in McClellan, Calif.[MS1] , price is a determining factor. “Anyone can find test labs on the internet or directories. The buyers get a list of labs, send requirements out and price plays heavily in their decision.” Closely related to this is turnaround, or the time in which testing is completed. “We have found that the quality, turnaround time, and customer service that people expect trump most other considerations,” says Mary Ann Acresi of the M&P Lab in Schenectady, N.Y. Jim Carnahan, who independently runs Edison Analytical Laboratories in Schenectady, makes this a focal point of his business. “Something we try to offer, which differentiates us from multi-person lab aggregators, is to turn a job around in quicker time, say in three days instead of ten,” he says.
Qualifications
Take a close look at what a business has to offer. “You can tell a lot by seeing the certifications of the companies a firm is working with,” says Harry Hansen of Hansen Aerospace Laboratory in Danvers, Mass. “Anyone can purchase a piece of equipment and put a promotion on their website that they can run a test,” notes Alan Boerke of Q-Lab Corporation in Cleveland, Ohio. “But if there’s no accreditation, you have to wonder if they will run the test properly, and should you make a business decision based on that?” Some companies, like Intertek Plastics Technology Laboratories in Pittsfield, Mass., stress their accreditations for precisely this purpose. “What that does is provides proficiency-type guidelines regarding your capabilities,” says Jim Galpo of Intertek.
Longevity
Some laboratories point to how long a firm has been in business as another factor often raised by customers. “The experience level of the testing company is important. Not only in terms of depth of experience, but also in terms of the longevity in providing that service. It’s a multi-dimensional, experience-based expectation,” says Paul Braun of Cincinnati Testing.
Equipment
Another important consideration is availability to proper equipment and standards for conducting testing. ‘Not just in terms of conducting test, but also using the materials that might be tested because a metal will test different than a composite,” says Braun. “It could be beneficial for customers to see some actual inspection results on an image,” says Hansen. Boerke notes that industry approvals is important, but doing due diligence in researching materials, looking at science and spectrums is very important. “Don’t base your choice just off who’s been out there a long time,” he says.
Whatever the case may be, the important thing for manufacturers to consider is to be well-informed. With laboratories offering a variety of services and features, it is best to talk to a variety of firms to figure who best suits your needs.
