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Incoming Materials Identification Services
Incoming material inspection and verification is an important part of quality control in the aerospace, automotive and defense industries. Materials used in manufacturing processes are routinely analyzed for adherence to quality specifications, including SAE-AMS and military specifications (MIL-Spec). With an extensive array of analytical instrumentation and experienced chemists and scientists, Constellation can perform incoming chemical and physical tests on a wide range of materials. The laboratory provides testing using US Pharmacopeia, Reagent Chemical, and ASTM methodologies, as well as procedures developed to meet the customer’s needs
Metal Alloy Composition
Constellation provides complete composition analysis of metal components, either for adherence to quality specifications or for alloy identification. The components are prepared for analysis in our metallurgical laboratory and analyzed for most elements using a combination of ICP-OES, ICP-MS, WDXRF, C/S combustion analyzer and O/N/H inert gas fusion. Alloys routinely tested include:
- Steels (carbon, low-alloy)
- Stainless steels
- Copper alloys
- Stainless steels
- Nickel alloys
- Cobalt alloys
- Precious metal alloys
Polymer Characterization
Complete inspection of polymeric materials requires the wide range of instrumentation and expertise found at Constellation. The polymer type can be identified using infrared spectroscopy. Polymer identification is often aided by elemental analysis provided by x-ray fluorescence or SEM-EDS. In addition to these techniques, other physical properties may need to be measured to pinpoint the grade of polymer, such as melting point determination by DSC, Durometer hardness and specific gravity measurements. TGA completes the characterization of polymeric components by providing the polymer and filler composition. The filler type can be identified by SEM-EDS.
Chemical Assay
Chemical assays determine the quality of raw materials using quantitative analysis techniques. Many raw materials used in manufacturing processes are tested using classical methods, such as titrations and gravimetric analysis. Organic chemicals and solvents can be assayed using gas chromatography and infrared spectroscopy. Chemical purity is typically determined from the amount of impurities present in a material. The methods used to determine impurities range from classical “wet chemical” tests to trace element analysis using ICP-OES, ICP-MS, WDXRF and C/S/O/N/H elemental analyzers.
Physical Properties
Physical properties are often used as indicators of material quality. Constellation has a wide range of instrumentation to determine the intrinsic properties of a variety of materials. Solids can be characterized based on their hardness, density, melting point, and glass transition temperature. For powders, properties such as density, particle size, and melting point can provide valuable information about material performance. Liquids can be assessed for surface tension, specific gravity, viscosity, and freezing point.
Adhesive/Resin Testing
The quality of adhesives and resins are monitored using physical and chemical testing. The physical characteristics of these materials can be determined using thermal analysis (DSC, TMA) and by measuring viscosity and density. The chemical testing of these materials can range from classic titrations to sophisticated instrumental techniques, such as thermogravimetry, infrared spectroscopy, and gas chromatography.