Laboratory for Materials Testing

The Laboratory for materials testing is responsible for the execution and the assessment of a large number of plastics-related tests. Our main task is to satisfy the demand of internal customers for testing and consulting. Due to our accreditation according to ISO 17025, we can offer our services also to external customers.

Our range of services includes the complete cycle of test specimen preparation, conditioning, testing, evaluation and reporting. The test specimens are prepared on production cells featuring automatic mold interchange and integrated finishing. Standard tests, such as tensile tests, flexural tests, flexural impact tests, penetration tests, DSC, TGA and viscosity number, are conducted on automatic testing equipment. This guarantees a high level of reproducibility and operating constancy. Furthermore, tensile tests, flexural impact tests and penetration tests can be carried out over broad temperature ranges relevant to the application.

Standard Tests

Automatic tensile test (ISO 527)

Temperature-controlled tensile test (ISO 527-1 and ISO 527-2) in the temperature range from -50°C to 150°C

Instrumented and Charpy impact tests (ISO 179-2) in the temperature range from -40°C to +40°C

Non-instrumented flexural impact tests ISO 179-1 (Charpy), ISO 180 (Izod) and ASTM D 256 in the temperature range from -40°C to 23°C

Tensile impact test in accordance with ISO 8256 in the temperature range from-40°C to 23°C

Instrumented puncture tests (ISO 6603-2) in the temperature range of -40°C to +40°C

Flexural test (ISO 178)

Shore hardness A + D (ISO 868)

Vicat softening temperature (ISO 306) and deflection temperature under load(ISO 75-2, HDT)

Heat ageing (IEC 60216-1, UL 746B)

Melt flow rate and melt volume rate (ISO 1133-1)

Artificial weathering test using xenon arc lamps (e.g. ISO 4892-2, SAE J 1960,SAE J 1885) and fluorescent lamps (ISO 4892-3)

Colorimetry using two spectrophoto-meters (measurement geometry: 45/0 and d/8)

Yellowness Index YI (ASTM D 1925-70)

Yellowing (DIN 6167)

Gloss measurement (DIN 67530)

Grey scale (DIN EN 20105 A02)

Fogging test (e.g. DIN 75201)

Glow wire test (IEC 60695)

Flammability (UL 94)

Analytical Tests

Viscosity Number (VN, ISO 1628-5, ISO 307)
DSC (ISO 11357)
Density (ISO 1183)
Filler content (ISO 1172, ISO 3451)
Water content (ISO 15512)

Quality Criteria

All tests are carried out in accordance with the following quality criteria:

ISO/IEC 17025 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”
ISO 9001 “Quality systems – Model for quality assurance in design, development, production, installation and servicing”
ISO/TS 16949 “Quality systems – Automotive suppliers – Particular requirements for application of ISO 9001:2000”

The materials testing laboratory is accredited by DakkS – Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle (Registration No. PL-14121-04).