Laboratory Testing Inc. Continues Expansion into Polymer Testing Market

Aug. 15, 2012 - PRLog -- HATFIELD, PA – Laboratory Testing Inc. (LTI) has added more polymer testing capabilities to the SEM/EDS and FTIR analyses previously available. LTI can now provide information about the mechanical properties of plastics and other polymers with the addition of tensile and hardness testing for these materials.  Tensile testing is performed on a 10,000 lb. Tinius Olsen tensile machine capable of testing any polymeric material that can be formed or machined into a specimen.  Tensile testing involves applying a constant rate of tensile load to a test sample up to the point of failure. The process creates a stress/strain curve showing how the material reacts throughout the test process. The data generated during the test is used to determine tensile strength, yield strength and ductility.

The hardness of polymers is measured by the Shore Durometer Test at LTI, in accordance with ASTM D2240. This method determines a material’s hardness value or resistance to indentation by penetration
of an indenter into the test sample. Because the flexibility of polymers varies, LTI is equipped with various indenters to use for testing different types of materials from elastomers to rigid plastics.

According to Mike McVaugh, president of Laboratory Testing Inc.,  “plastic and polymer testing was a natural expansion of services for our full-service metals testing laboratory. We have been working closely with many industries that require testing for both metals and polymers, and felt that this was a positive next step in our commitment to be a “one-stop” lab.

Additional information is available on the LTI website at http://www.labtesting.com.

ABOUT Laboratory Testing Inc. - Laboratory Testing Inc. of Hatfield, PA is an independent laboratory in business since 1984. The company specializes in metals testing, material analysis, nondestructive testing, failure analysis, calibration services, dimensional inspection, specimen machining and certified reporting of results. The lab is PRI/Nadcap accredited in materials and nondestructive testing and is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by A2LA in materials testing and metrology. The accredited laboratory procedures also comply with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485. Testing services include mechanical testing, chemical analysis, metallurgical testing, corrosion analysis and nondestructive testing such as ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, liquid penetrant inspection, X-ray inspection, visual inspection and hydrostatic pressure testing. Chemistry services are available for metals, powdered metals, ores, ferroalloys, composites, ceramics and polymers. The company’s calibration division, LTI Metrology, performs dimensional, pressure, force, torque, electrical, temperature, mass and vacuum calibration services traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Field calibration, repairs, new instruments and replacement parts are provided. Information on LTI services and accreditations is available at www.labtesting.com.