Companies producing plastics and all types of polymer-based materials will need to use regular testing to ensure quality control as well as to identify any possible contaminants or impurities in their products.
Manufacturing businesses buying raw polymer-based materials may also want to complete plastics testing for the same reasons, assuring quality products from suppliers as well as evaluating new vendors or possible sources.
It may also be necessary to test specific types of plastics to allow for the reverse engineering from a sample. This is often the case when unique or unusual plastics turn out to have specific properties. By determining the exact qualities of the material, it is easier to make modifications in the final properties, speeding up the process of bringing new, quality controlled products to market.
Finding a Service
Regardless of why you need to test, having the best plastics testing facility working for you will be critical. To choose a top company, consider the following steps:
- Research – whether you get the testing facility names from online searches or recommendations from others in the industry, do your research on the company. Find out how long they have been in business, what types of tests are performed.
- Consider turnaround time – most of the labs will have a five to seven day turnaround from receiving the sample to having results available. Top labs can often provide results in three to five days, which is a considerable time-saving option to chose. The best labs will also offer priority to rush or same day testing, but there will be an additional cost for this service.
- Payment and pricing – ideally, look for a lab with multiple payment options that will work with your business accounts. Pricing by professional labs will be competitive, just make sure the labs are of equal quality and the services are the same.
Remember, there is no need to work with a plastics testing lab in your area. Overnight shipping of samples makes it cost and time-effective to work with labs outside of your geographic area without any drawbacks or delays.