Materials Testing


	Materials Testing Materials testing is a key component concerning virtually everything in today’s society. For example, the clothes you wear, the computer you use, the chairs you sit in, the pens you write with, and the automobile you drive in all contain materials that need to meet specific standards to ensure long lasting, efficient, and safe products. One of the most important applications for materials testing involves the automobile industry. Knowing the proper strengths and weaknesses of materials in a vehicle is vital to automotive safety and reliability. Quality automobiles cannot be built without the proper materials. The only way to properly select the specific applications for materials is to test each material in order to learn its strengths and weaknesses. MGA is taking new strides to better accommodate its customers to make available a larger scope of testing. MGA is now equipped with a materials testing laboratory, which capabilities include (but are not limited to) the following: Flammability - Horizontal, Vertical, 45° angled Crocking - Wet and dry Extrusion Plastometer - Melt flow Wyzenbeek - Oscillatory cylinder abrasion Martindale Abrasion - Lissajous figure abrasion Taber Abrasion - Rotary platform abrasion Taber Scuffing - Scuff head “A” and “B” Balances - Specific gravity, density, mass Chemical Resistance - Exposure and effect of common chemicals Odor – Material odor characteristics Color Analysis/Spectrophotometer - Electronic color evaluation Gloss Determination - 60° gloss measurement Rockwell Hardness – Metal hardness determination Durometer Hardness – Shore A and D Air Permeability - Air flow measurement Gardner Impact – 2, 4, or 8 (lbs) weights Pendulum Impact – Charpy and Izod impacts Salt Spray - Corrosion resistance Dust Chamber - Exposure to sand/dust conditions Ozone - Rubber performance evaluation Xenon/Weatherometer - Colorfastness, artificial, and accelerated exposure Universal Testing Machine - Tensile, compression, flexural modulus, adhesive peels, elongation, tear, and friction Fogging - Evaluates evaporation characteristics Water Immersion – Determination of the effects of water MGA’s test facilities offer materials testing to ASTM, FMVSS, AATCC, and automobile manufacturers testing standards. MGA’s staff is knowledgeable in a wide range of standards and is dedicated to providing quality testing and reliable service to our customers. Products that are made with fabrics are everywhere. Testing is a key aspect to choosing the proper type for fabric each application. Flammability testing is critical for fabrics in any industry. Flammability determines the burn rate of the material to save lives, whether it is the clothes you wear, the furniture in your home, or even the car you drive. Fabrics are also tested for abrasion, rubbing characteristics, tear resistance, odor, environmental, and chemical resistance. Another commonly ran fabric material test is tear resistance. This type of test determines the elongation and strength required to rip a specimen. Trapezoid, tongue, and strip are common tear tests. Each method of tear tests differs in specimen size and shape, crosshead speed, and direction of the force applied. Fabric testing is different from other material testing in that it largely depends on the orientation of the fabric during the test. Each piece of fabric can be tested in several different directions including warp, fill, 45° bias, and so on. In order to provide such a vast array of testing, MGA’s laboratories are equipped with many different testing capabilities. MGA’s fabric testing capabilities include (but are not limited to) the following: Flammability -Horizontal and Vertical Taber Abrasion - Rotary Platform Abrasion Xenon Weathering -Interior and Exterior Wyzenbeek -Oscillatory Cylinder Abrasion Crocking -Colorfastness to Rubbing (Wet & Dry) Extreme Temperature/Humidity - Part Performance and Dimensional Stability. Universal Testing Machine - Tear and Tensile Balances- Specific Gravity,Density, and Mass Color Eye –Spectrometer Evaluation Martindale Abrasion -Lissajous Abrasion Form Air Permeability - Air Flow Measurement Chemical Resistance- Resistance to Chemicals Odor – Strengths of Odors MGA’s test facilities offer materials testing to ASTM, FMVSS, AATCC, DIN, BS, SAE, ISO and automobile manufacturers testing standards. MGA’s staff is familiar with a wide range of standards and is dedicated to providing quality testing and reliable service to our customers. Foam material testing plays an important role in the automotive industry, and is an integral part of other products as well. A prime example is the foam in seats. The foam that is used needs to be tested for flammability, recoverability, and hardness among others. Other foams with different uses are often tested for corrosion resistance, tensile strength, and compressive properties. Foam testing is conducted on test specimens in the shape of blocks for nearly every test. Flat square surfaces are the key to determining proper dimensions and to ensure that the test is being conducted evenly across the surface of the test specimen. MGA’s foam testing capabilities include (but are not limited to) the following: Flammability -Horizontal and Vertical Chemical Resistance - Resistance to Chemicals Air Permeability - Air Flow Rate Balances - Specific Gravity, Density, and Mass Xenon Weathering -Interior and Exterior alt Spray -Corrosion Resistance Chemical Resistance - Resistance to Chemicals Odor -Strengths of Odor Extreme Temperature/Humidity - Part Universal Testing Machine – Tensile and Performance and Dimensional Stability. compression Impact -Determination of Dynamic Energy Properties MGA’s test facilities offer materials testing to ASTM, FMVSS, AATCC, DIN, BS, SAE, ISO and automobile manufacturers testing standards. MGA’s staff is familiar with a wide range of standards and is dedicated to providing quality testing and reliable service to our customers.