Intertek launches non-destructive testing for composite manufacturers

With these investments, Intertek is able to offer customers Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) capabilities. NDT is an important step in validating the reliability of materials, helping to ensure consistent, fast manufacturing of composites that are essential in automotive and aerospace applications.

The new equipment has been installed at Intertek’s Plastics Technology Laboratory in Pittsfield, Mass., and includes devices that can verify the quality of composite material and scan for damage or material inconsistency prior to verification of mechanical properties. The equipment rounds out extensive capabilities for specimen preparation, including tabbing and machining through to mechanical evaluation using state-of-the-art 250kN load frames with Align-Pro for Poisson’s ratio, tensile, compression and shear of high-strength materials used in structural reinforced applications.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive solutions to our customers, our non-destructive testing capabilities allow Intertek to pre-screen composites panels before long-term exposure or extensive mechanical evaluations,” said James Galipeau, Director at Intertek Pittsfield. “The addition of these new capabilities underscores our commitment to providing comprehensive solutions and customer service as we help clients bring quality products and materials to market.”

Intertek Pittsfield provides expertise on plastic and composites material characterization for the automotive and aerospace industries with efficient, cost-effective insights and testing capabilities. The lab is accredited to conduct hundreds of mechanical/physical, electrical, chemical, and thermal tests for composites, plastics, adhesives, resins, foams, pre-pregs and films.

More information: www.intertek.com