Life prediction and accelerated aging can be assessed throughout the product cycle from material evaluation, product development, and material qualification through to prototype design and final product stages.

Helping you to evaluate the long-term performance of your materials 

As service conditions become increasingly more demanding there is a need to demonstrate material durability and ensure a material is fit for purpose. Testing materials and products exposed to accelerated high temperature aging enables product service life predictions to be evaluated.
 
Smithers performs test programs which are run to customer requirements around national, international and OEM-driven test standards. These are supported by Smithers’ UKAS accredited ISO 17025 rubber testing laboratories and expert consultancy services.
 
Our team evaluates how a polymer material can be susceptible to change, such as composition changes, oxidation, thermal degradation, chemical attack, plasticization and crystallization.

Prediction of expected product life time

Smithers helps generate data to drive product improvements. Polymer material performance is dependent on time, temperature, stress and environmental factors which can all be investigated with the following testing:

Our rubber and plastic material experts provide accurate data following high temperature accelerated aging, including environmental testing, fluid aging and physical and mechanical testing

Our Experts can advise on:

  • Physical and mechanical bespoke test programs
  • Life prediction and aging studies (Arrhenius relation and time dependant superposition)
  • Comparison of accelerated and natural aging studies
  • Failure mechanisms

Materials tested include

  • Plastics – ABS, Acetal, PMMA, PVC, EVA, LDPE, HDPE, PP, Nylons, PET, PBT, Polycarbonate, PEEK, PVDF, PTFE, TPUs
  • Rubber – Natural (NR), Ethelene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM), SBR, Butyl (IIR), Viton (FKM), Nitrile (NBR), Silicones (Q)
  • Composite coupons and laminates 
  • Test specimens and components (including pipes, O-rings, seals and cables)

Industries served include

Find out more about our other polymer testing capabilities.

Download a brochure for more information:

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Polymer Life Prediction and Accelerated Aging
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