Contact Form HP

Contact Form HP

Testing

Materials Analysis • New Product Development • Troubleshooting

To schedule or discuss your testing needs, contact:

Mr. Yiro Shimabukuro

Materials Chemist

704-602-4117

yiros@polymers-center.org

Mailing Samples to The Polymers Center?

All incoming samples must come accompanied with a purchase order and identification (business name clearly labeled, business card inside, etc). Samples that are received at PCE without both will be held for two weeks until they are either disposed of or shipped back COD.

Polymer Testing Services

Below is a listing of the tests that are available at the Polymer Center:


Download our Mechanical & Chemical Analysis Testing Flyer

Many tests are required by the ASTM standard to allow a conditioning time of 40 hours; therefore, we cannot offer express turnaround for these tests. Number of specimens required for testing is material-dependent. Prices subject to change without notice. 

 

Sample bars can be manufactured in our injection molding department for an additional charge. Please contact PCE for specific sample size requirements if you have any questions. 

 

Most test charges are for standard setup and testing. Special tests, or tests which require changes to equipment, should be discussed with the Test Lab. 


Additional tests are available that are not listed in the table.

TEST DESCRIPTION TEST METHOD NO. OF SPECIMENS PER SAMPLNO. OF SPECIMENS PER SAMPLEE FORMS OF SAMPLE
Custom Testing Discuss with the Test Lab
Ash Content ASTM D5630 2 Open
Density/Specific Gravity ASTM D792 5 Pellets. Sample Part
Flexural Test ASTM 790 5 ASTM bar
Gardner Impact Test ASTM D5240 20 minimum ASTM disk or Flat Sample Parts
Shore Hardness ASTM D2240 5 readings Min. Thickness
HDT/DTUL ASTM D648 3 ASTM bar
Izod Impact ASTM D256 5 ASTM bar
Melt Flow Rate ASTM D1238 1 Pellets Sample Part
Capillary Rheology ASTM D3835 1 Pellets Runners
Melt Strength – Rheotens 1 Pellets Runners
Melting Point and Tg by DSC ASTM D3418 1 Open
Moisture Content via Weight Loss 2 Pellets
Tensile Test ASTM D638, D882, D412 ISO 527 5 Test Bars
Vicat Softening Point ASTM D1525 3 Test Bars Flat Sample Part
Circulating Air Oven Aging ASTM D5510, D3045 5 Sample Part
Quality Control of Plastic Flakes Sensor-Based Analysis of Plastic Flakes Minimum of 5 lbs. of Plastic Flakes Like PET, PP/PE-Flakes

The Polymers Center can conduct analyses of all kinds of polymer resins using state-of-the-art equipment in our polymer testing laboratory. Give us a call today to get started and learn more about our facility!

Expert Laboratory Assistants for Reliable Testing Services

Polymer material testing in Charlotte, NC helps customers address why their products may fail and develop innovative solutions. Our lab supports the testing of materials, the development of new products, as well as troubleshooting for physical testing.


Plastics testing and polymer analysis are the main focus of the materials science lab here at the Polymers Center. Other organizations may offer some testing, but only the Polymers Center allows processors to compound, mold, and test in one convenient place.


Some of our customers want to know why a fresh batch of material is failing, while others want to know how to fix flow problems. Meanwhile, others want to learn the physical characteristics of their polymer resins. We frequently serve as an impartial third party to mediate a conflict between vendors and processors.


  • Express Service: For an extra fee, we can expedite some tests and deliver findings to our customers within 24 hours if results are required immediately.


  • Volume Service: We will negotiate an arrangement to lower the cost of testing if your firm requires many tests performed repeatedly. Call us to discuss your needs and create a customized plan.


The Polymers Center is happy to work closely with our customers to assist with all kinds of ASTM polymer testing. We offer a variety of mechanical and chemical analysis testing, including:

  • Material composition identification
  • Thermal & mechanical properties determination
  • Failure analysis
  • Quality assurance testing
  • Capillary Rheometry
a woman in a blue shirt is standing in front of a computer monitor .

Top-of-the-Line Testing Equipment

One of the Polymers Center's main focuses is recycling plastic for new materials. We may help recyclers by evaluating the recycled flake to see if it is a suitable material for the intended use. To do this, we utilize the Sesotec Flake Scan System in our polymer testing laboratory. With this apparatus, we can quickly assess the caliber of plastic flakes by analyzing samples by polymer kinds, colors, and metal particles.



Determining whether you have a reliable source of material is one of the difficulties in processing recycled plastics. With your material, the Sesotec analyzer can help with quality control. Through our sister company, Polymers Technology Center, The Polymer Center can further meet the needs of the plastic recycling industry by processing plastic.

Netzsch TGA 209

Look what just arrived at the Polymers Center: the Netzch TGA 209! The manager of the material science lab, Yiro Shimabukuro, goes over some of the equipment's capabilities as well as some of the data that may be evaluated by using the TGA to execute experiments. Please call us or come by The Polymers Center if you'd like to have your products tested on our TGA or find out more about our other testing options.

MI40 Melt Flow Indexer

According to the temperature and load parameters selected, the MI40 from Goettfert is primarily used to measure a polymer's melt flow index (MFI). MFI can be used to compare the PE densities or check for overshearing and poor drying of your item before or during the manufacturing process.



Measurements can be made using this melt indexer following ISO 1133, ASTM D1238, methods B, C, and D, and ASTM D 3364. Other applications for this standalone unit include material evaluation and comparison, a study of fresh materials received, and multi-load testing with up to 8 test weights that can be chosen at random.

a close up of a machine with a red button on it .

Instron 3360 Series Universal Tester

Tensile, three-point flex, and Poisson's ratio tests can all be completed using the universal tester from Instron's 3360 Series. Any sub-ambient and increased temperature studies can be tested for tensile and flex from 150C to 350C using the Instron 3119-609 environmental chamber.

Instron 3360 Series Universal Tester

Instron Environmental Chamber

For non-ambient physical testing of samples, the Instron 3119 Environmental Chamber is available for use. At high temperatures of up to 350oC, Polymers Center can carry out tensile, flex, rip, and other ASTM requirements.

Instron Environmental Chamber

Instron HV3S HDT/Vicat Tester

The thermo-mechanical testing of plastic materials is done with the Instron HV3S HDT/Vicat tester. The heat deflection temperature (HDT) and Vicat softening temperature (Vicat) of materials are measured using the HV3S system to assess the behavior of polymers at high temperatures. The Polymers Center is able to provide ASTM D648 and ASTM D1525 testing, both low and heavy loads, with oil temperatures up to 200C, thanks to this system.

Instron HV3S HDT/Vicat Tester

Sharkskin

The Goettfert Sharkskin add-on gives the Polymers Center Materials Science lab a new ability to detect flow instabilities. To optimize the extrusion processes, we may evaluate the pressure fluctuations of the material using a high-speed detector and signal amplifier.

Sharkskin
Share by: