Element experts are experienced in conducting failure analyses of a wide range of advanced materials, including plastic failure analysis, composite failure analysis, rubber failure analysis, adhesives and sealants failure analysis, and paints/coatings failure analysis.

Failure analysis of polymeric materials offers a unique challenge because while the basic failure analysis sequence remains the same, the fractographic interpretation and analytical testing is very different from that used on metallic materials.

The three most important properties of polymeric materials in a failure analysis tend to be: composition, molecular weight and structure, and the inherent visco-elastic nature of macromolecules. The failures associated with these materials are often the result of a wide variety of mechanisms and factors, such as:

  • Exposure to chemicals (environmental stress cracking, chemical contact)
  • Contamination
  • Adverse environmental conditions in service (temperature, humidity, UV exposure)
  • Molecular degradation (molding process, service conditions)
  • Molding defects (inclusions, voids, knit lines)
  • Stress concentration (design features, defects)
  • Rapid Deformation (impact, snap fit assemblies)
  • Extended Time Under Stress / Creep
  • Fatigue loading
  • Finding the cause of the failure

The failure analysis process begins with the determination of how and why the part failed.  The real answer is provided in what can be done to prevent future occurrences.  Element experts understand this and provide real-life solutions to challenges related to polymeric materials.

Tensile Testing

Standards We Test To
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 

 AASHTO M31, AASHTO T244

Application Program Interface

API STD 1104

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASME Sec. IX

ASTM International

ASTM A370, ASTM A488, ASTM A615, ASTM A706, ASTM A770, ASTM A975, ASTM B557, ASTM C165, ASTM C203, ASTM C209, ASTM C297, ASTM C303, ASTM C363, ASTM C518, ASTM C550, ASTM C578, ASTM C1273, ASTM C1275, ASTM C1359, ASTM C1366, ASTM C1468, ASTM D 412, ASTM D638, ASTM D695, ASTM D696, ASTM D882, ASTM D696, ASTM D1004, ASTM D1414, ASTM D1621, ASTM D1622, ASTM D1623, ASTM D1708, ASTM D1822, ASTM D2095, ASTM D2126, ASTM D2557, ASTM D2919, ASTM D2990, ASTM D3039, ASTM D3163, ASTM D3164, ASTM D3165, ASTM D3518, ASTM D3759, ASTM D4541, ASTM D5034, ASTM D5035, ASTM D5083, ASTM D5766, ASTM D6484, ASTM D6742, ASTM D7291, ASTM D7565, ASTM E4, ASTM E8, ASTM E21, ASTM E345 ASTM E517, ASTM E646, ASTM F541, ASTM F606, ASTM F738, ASTM F879, ASTM F1147

American Welding Society

AWS B2.1, AWS B4, AWS D1.1, AWS D1.2, AWS D1.4, AWS D1.5, AWS 1.6 AWS 8.9, AWS D14.1, AWS D14.3 AWS D14.4, AWS D14.5, AWS D14.6, AWS D17.1, AWS D15.1, AWS 17.1, AWS D18.1BPS-N-70 

Euronorm

EN 485, EN 895, EN 10002-1, EN 10002-5, EN 10326IFI 114, IFI 135

International Organization for Standardization

ISO 37, ISO 527-1, ISO 527-2, ISO 527-3, ISO 527-4, ISO 527-5, ISO 783, ISO 898-1, ISO 898-5, ISO 1002, ISO 1421, ISO 1798, ISO 3506 ISO 4136, ISO 5173, ISO 5176, ISO 5178, ISO 5893, ISO 6295, ISO 6892-1, ISO 6892-2, ISO 7800, ISO 7801, ISO 8496, ISO 8513, ISO 9015, ISO 9016, ISO 9018, ISO 9606, ISO 13934, ISO 15614-1, ISO 15614-2, ISO 15614-12, ISO 17639, BS ISO 37, BS ISO 7800,  BS EN ISO 4136, BS EN ISO 5173,BS EN ISO 5176, BS EN ISO 5178, BS EN ISO 6892-1, BS EN ISO 6892-2, BS EN ISO 9015, BS EN ISO 9016, BS EN ISO 9606-1, BS EN ISO 9606-2, BS EN ISO 15614-1, BS EN ISO 15614-2, BS EN ISO 15614-8, BS EN ISO 17639

Deutsches Institut für Normung 

DIN EN ISO 4136, DIN EN ISO 6892-1, DIN EN ISO 6892-2, DIN EN ISO 8496

Department of Defense

DOD-STD-1312-108

General Motors

GM 255M, GM 275M, GM 280M, GM 290M, GM 300M, GM 455M, GM 500M, GM 6171M

Japanese Industrial Standards

JIS B1051, JIS B1054, JIS D4604, JIS J1054 

Military Standards

MIL-STD-248 MIL-STD-1312-8, MIL-STD-1312-18

Society of Automotive Engineers

SAE J82, SAE J429, SAE J1199, SAE J1216, SAE J2253

Standard Reference Material

SRM 3-94, SRM 4-94, SRM 5-94, SRM 9-94 

 
 
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Materials Testing Services

4 MeV Radiographic Inspection Abrasion and Wear Testing Aerospace Fasteners Aircraft Interiors Flammability Testing Chemical Analysis Chemical Processing Composite Testing Contaminant Testing Corrosion Testing Die Steel Qualification Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Dynamic Mechanical Analysis Eddy Current Inspection Etching Expert Witness Services Failure Analysis Fastener Testing Fatigue Testing FEA
Foam Testing FTIR Fractography Services Fracture Toughness Hardness Testing Hydrostatic Testing Impact Investigative Chemistry Liquid Penetrant Inspection Magnetic Particle Material Properties Mechanical Testing Metallography and Micro Examination Metallurgical Testing NDT Field Services Nondestructive Testing and Inspection Nonmetals Failure Analysis Nonmetal Mechanical Testing Nonmetal Testing
On-site metallographic examination Paints and Coatings Analysis Passivation Polymer Matrix Composite Testing Polymer Testing Services Positive Material Identification Radiographic Inspection Residual Stress Measurement Residue Analysis Sour Service Corrosion Testing Stress Rupture and Creep Testing Stress Strain Analysis Tensile Testing Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA) Ultrasonic Testing Ultraviolet Exposure Visual Inspection Weld Testing and Weld Failure Analysis
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