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GET ANSWERS TO YOUR PLASTIC QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS TO YOUR PROBLEMS.

Plastic rings

July 3, 2022

Does Plastic Ever Go Away?

Generally, it takes many decades for plastics to degrade in the environment. Plastics degrade by oxidation and hydrolysis. Oxidation and hydrolysis are accelerated by heat and sunlight. Chemicals can be added to the plastic to accelerate the rate of degradation. Some plastics are designed to degrade

plastic cracking

June 24, 2022

Why Does Plastic Crack Over Time?

THERE ARE TWO MAIN REASONS WHY PLASTIC PARTS CRACK OVER TIME Natural Aging Everything in the world that contains carbon and hydrogen, degrades over time, and therefore has an expiration date. Examples include, food, medicines and yes, even our bodies.  Plastics contain carbon and hydrogen

brittle plastic breaking

June 24, 2022

At What Temperature Does Plastic Become Brittle?

The strength of plastics decreases at cold temperatures. For example, polycarbonate (PC) is an extremely tough plastic at normal use temperature and is sometime used as “bullet-proof glass”. However, at very cold temperatures (-40F), PC becomes brittle and will shatter like regular glass if struck

Plastic Fatigue

June 24, 2022

Does Plastic Have Fatigue?

The plastic in rigid thermoplastic parts consists of long chain molecules entangled together like spaghetti noodles in a bowl of spaghetti. The strength of the plastic is directly proportional to the extent to which the polymer chains are entangled with each other. When a plastic part is placed

June 17, 2022

How Does Polycarbonate Fail?

EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS Polycarbonate (PC) is an amorphous (non-crystalline) plastic. PC is nicknamed “bullet-proof glass” because of its highly ductile response to high-speed impact. PC is highly impact resistant because of its “free volume” between the long chain molecules. However, the

PEX Crack

January 24, 2022

PEX Failures Due to Manufacturing Defects

PEX tubing is manufactured using polyethylene (PE). PE is a thermoplastic. Thermoplastics soften when heated allowing them to melt and flow under pressure. Softening under high temperature causes dimensional changes (creep) to occur which is not acceptable for pipes being used for hot water as the

Expansion Tool

January 21, 2022

PEX Installation Defects

If the PEX manufacturer’s installation rules are not followed, failures can result. One of the most common installation defects is sharply bending the pipe to make a directional change. Sharply bending the tubing causes the tubing to kink. The kink in the tubing places localized stress at a spot in

November 5, 2021

PEX Pipes Failure From Expansion Fittings

If the PEX manufacturer’s installation rules are not followed, failures can result. One of the most common installation defects is sharply bending the pipe to make a directional change. Sharply bending the tubing causes the tubing to kink. The kink in the tubing places localized stress at a spot in

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Plastic Molding Defects
Our plastic consultants can help you discover the best process to make your part or product. If you’ve already discovered a defect, we will root out the source of the problem and recommend the best countermeasures and solutions to remedy the issue.
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Plastic Pipe Failure Analysis
Plastic isn’t perfect. CPVC, PEX and PVC pipes and components fail from time to time. Our consultants investigate pipe failure including failure analysis in our state-of-the-art testing laboratory.
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Material Testing
If a single component made from defective material goes into production, the entire product may be compromised. Using cutting edge tools and analysis, our team of expert consultants can prevent product failure, and accurately predict component lifespan based on the proposed application.
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