Materials Testing: Get It Right First Time.
An Introduction to Material Testing
Materials testing is essential to ensure the quality of a material or product.
Every manufactured product should undergo rigorous testing to guarantee its quality. How to test, under what conditions, and when requires a much deeper dive into product compliance and assurance requirements.
Operating in a world affected by unpredictable supply chain shortages and trade barriers, delivering products to customers in excellent condition is more important than ever. Manufacturers incorporate various test methods into their processes to ensure quality, and these methods should be integrated into their ISO quality management system for effective control.........It’s more important than ever to “get it Right First Time.”
What is Right First Time?
Right first time (RFT) is a manufacturing process used to reduce waste and improve quality. RFT aims to ensure that the first product that comes off the production line meets quality standards and is sent to customers on time.
Product development is costly, so to reduce rework, scrap, and changes, operational teams use RFT to review their work diligently and validate their design decisions.
What Is Materials Testing?
Materials testing involves subjecting a material or product to a comprehensive and thorough examination to ensure its overall quality. This process involves exposing a sample to controlled conditions defined by material testing standards, which were developed to assess the material's properties and behaviour under stress-induced circumstances.
Mechanical, physical, and chemical properties can be evaluated through material testing to determine if a material is suitable for a specific application and environmental exposure.
The two most widely recognised organizations that develop and publish the standards referenced in materials testing are the International Organization for Standardization?(ISO), with headquarters in Geneva, and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Philadelphia.
Depending on the use of the material, part, or product, the mechanical properties of a material used are the most crucial for those used in machinery or physical structures, while chemical properties are critical for those used in harsh environmental conditions, such as exposure to corrosive elements or chemicals.
Material properties that are commonly tested:
Why Is Materials Testing Essential for Manufacturing?
Materials testing provides valuable information regarding the quality and performance of the material being tested, assisting design, engineering, and production personnel with pertinent data.
Ensuring Reliable Test Results
Reliability is key - ensuring the accuracy and consistency of test results is akin to having a trusted recipe that never fails — you can rely on it every time.
Here are some of the essential areas for which materials testing is critical:
Quality Assurance and Control
Testing materials is crucial to ensure that the raw materials meet the manufacturer's specifications or industry standards. This guarantees the initial quality of the raw materials, helping manufacturers avoid using inferior materials that could lead to product defects and failures.
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The testing of materials ensures that the raw materials used meet the specifications determined by the manufacturer or the published standard. By addressing these issues, manufacturers can improve production quality and the overall customer experience. Quality assurance testing can occur during the initial design phase, in a quality control laboratory, or on the production floor to check batches of finished parts at regular intervals. Regular testing helps identify faulty parts quickly, minimizing scrap and customer delays.
Quality assurance testing minimises the risk of using sub-standard materials, ultimately enhancing production quality and customer satisfaction. By conducting regular testing, manufacturers can swiftly identify and rectify faulty parts, reducing waste and customer delays.
?? Tip - Establish a business-critical materials list for forecasting and equipment requirements.
Materials Selection
While designing a product it is important to evaluate a variety of materials to determine the most suitable candidate. Also, at this phase information must be known about the customer's process and the end articles use to ensure all regulatory requirements are met.
By assessing the product’s use case and conditions to which it will be exposed, testing can be conducted on several potential materials using identical test methods to rule out unsuitable candidates. By thoroughly testing multiple materials using consistent methods based on the product's use requirements and expected conditions, unsuitable candidates can be effectively ruled out.
Supplier Selection
Once a material has been chosen for a product design, the next crucial step is to determine where to procure it from and carefully select a supplier.
It's essential for the supplier to demonstrate the capability to guarantee quality and performance characteristics. While the supplier may provide test reports, conducting incoming inspections can offer an additional layer of assurance. It may be advisable for the supplier and customer to use an identical testing apparatus in order to compare their test results on the same basis.
Regulatory Compliance
Whether mandated by an industry association, government agency, or another requirement, manufacturers are well advised to adhere to relevant standards to avoid potential legal and financial penalties.
Materials testing equipment can be expensive, depending on the required equipment and financial resources of the manufacturer. However, customers are requiring materials testing to more stringent levels than ever more. To support this comes higher costs, physical space constraints, or limited testing capabilities which are of concern. A consideration of outsourcing testing to a qualified third-party testing lab can be a good solution.
Whether testing in-house or at a third-party location, materials testing helps manufacturers guarantee quality and ensure that their product is made Right First Time. In a world more complex and difficult to navigate than times before, it’s more important than ever to avoid rework and the cascading consequences that poor quality can cause both to your customer and you’re your brand reputation. The extra upfront cost of effective material testing is easily justified against the noncompliant risks that are posed down the road.
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Conclusion: Unveiling the Secrets of Materials Testing
In conclusion, materials testing is your behind-the-scenes systems unsung hero that ensures the products that are produced meet the highest standards, meet your customers requirements and enhance your customers satisfaction. Invest in your systems, test methods, equipment, skills, and training to enable your business to be recognised for its expertise and the reliability and quality of its products.
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