Award-winning composites laboratory showcases capabilities at JEC

R-TECH Materials, an award-winning UK testing laboratory, is showcasing its composite capabilities at this year's JEC World.

Based in South Wales, R-TECH's polymer and composites laboratories test the mechanical, thermal and chemical properties of non-metallic materials, components and products. These include plastics and fibre-reinforced composites for material approval and characterisation, to identify quality issues, solve processing problems or identify why a product has failed.

R-TECH's fully equipped composites testing laboratories include a state-of-the-art Zwick universal testing machine which operates in a temperature range of -70°C to 250°C, as well as a Hirox digital microscope and Zeiss Scanning Electron Microscope.

With the capability to test complex orientations to loads from 1N up to 1500kN, R-TECH's standard tests include tension, interlaminar shear, in-plane shear, shore hardness, compression and mechanical properties of sandwich panels, as well as fatigue testing (in tension or in bending). This testing is carried out to ISO and ASTM standards under controlled temperature and humidity conditions, all accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Authority (UKAS).

R-TECH Materials Composites Manager, Dr Geraint Havard, said: "This is our third year exhibiting at JEC and we're looking forward to showcasing how we can help manufacturers test and analyse composites – be it a simple one off set of tests or a large scale R&D project. Thanks to our highly qualified engineers, materials scientists and chemists, we have a global reputation for fast, accurate and independent testing."

Having won the JEC Award for Innovation in Testing last year, 2018 promises to be a big year for R-TECH. The company is on track to secure aerospace approval from the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (Nadcap) and it has also teamed up with Zwick Roell to run a second round of its highly successful training course on mechanical testing of composites.

Visit R-TECH Materials at JEC World on Stand B65 Hall 6 between 6th – 8th March 2018.