PLASTIC TESTING

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Testing can predict stress and ESC cracking

Why Pre-Launch Stability Testing Often Fails

Shock and impact loads are among the most challenging and counter-intuitive forces that a product designer must account for. In most cases, because of the difficulty of designing for these events, shock and impact are simply not considered during the design phase of a new product. The first understanding of this load case on product performance and reliability is gained once production prototypes are available for testing. Of course, if a problem is discovered, it is too late to develop a solution without significant impact on the project schedule.

We Deliver Answers ... And Time to Develop Solutions

Discovering a crack that jeopardizes product launch schedules and post-launch success is a manufacturer?s nightmare. Even when you think you have done your homework, time-consuming pre-launch stability testing frequently fails to identify a cracking problem because the necessary combination of crack-generating factors are not properly represented in the test design.

It?s too Late when the Warehouse is Full

Even if stability testing does discover a cracking problem, it?s too late. The warehouse is full, promotional materials have been developed, perhaps FDA approval has been granted and management expectations are carved in stone. There is no time to consider design or material changes. Any solution at this point - either to delay the launch or go ahead and risk an adverse reaction from the trade and end users - can cost tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Stress Engineering has both
Experience & Expertise

Stress Engineering is a pioneer in the development and application of practical, cost-effective screening tests to assess the propensity for plastics to crack under a wide range of environmental conditions, before the product is designed and manufactured.

Our experience with a broad range of products and environmental conditions has resulted in successes in many industries, including medical products and devices, consumer products, pharmaceutical devices and automotive, to name a few.

Reliable Materials Selection

Although every product and application has one or more aspects that are unique, we have intellectual an "toolbox" of methods and approaches that enable us to quickly define and execute a screening test program to guide the selection of materials for the particular application. Once the leading material candidate has been identified, detailed ALT Testing (Accelerated Life Testing) is completed to assess the material contribution to product or device reliability.

Beware of the Stability Test Myth

Stability testing is the "final net" in the product-development process. It typically does not and cannot provide you with specific, technical design-oriented material performance data when you need it.

If cracking is observed, there is no quantitative relationship between the test conditions and the real world. Stress Engineering has solved this problem by developing material-level test protocols that relate environmental conditions with real world forces and time. Using the results from these tests, statistical analyses can be done to estimate product life.