When it comes to polymer testing facilities, there are many options across the United States. Some facilities offer a greater range of services sand options and also provide value-added features for their customers.
Making a choice in polymer labs and testing facilities is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Selecting the wrong facility can result in problems with tests, long delays for results and increased costs for the test.
To ensure you choose the top testing facility, ask the different polymer labs under consideration about their ability to work with your requirements in the following areas.
Full Testing Services
Some labs are only able to offer a specific range of testing. Other labs offer everything from material identification, including reverse engineering of polymers, through to product failure analysis.
They will use a variety of different procedures to complete the necessary tests. These can include microstructural analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, relative viscosity and FTIR or Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry.
Often the best polymer labs will be able to determine the tests best suited given the specific sample. This can help to save costs and provide the most accurate information and data based on your needs.
Turnaround Time and Cost
Two inevitable considerations will be the turnaround time to complete the tests as well as the cost of testing. Top labs understand that getting the data back to customers once the sample is received is a priority. This means that the labs have the equipment, staff, and capacity to complete the testing in just days, returning accurate results often less than five business days and, in some cases, less than three.
Additionally, look for a lab that has the ability to complete priority or rush process. As this is often a top consideration for a manufacturer, knowing this feature is available if needed at competitive rates is a plus.
