R&D Laboratory
Material Testing and Quality Assurance Laboratory
FRP is a composite that is made from multiple raw materials or resin and glass fibres, which are sourced from international vendors in various batches throughout the year. To ensure the material quality does not fluctuate or vary with these batches, the material structural properties of each batch have to be tested religiously.
Inhouse Laboratory
The in-house laboratory set-up helps in reducing the logistics and time taken to carry out these tests regularly which in turn has assisted the Quality assurance of our FRP products.
These are the following tests conducted in our in-house laboratories as per the mentioned ASTM standards and CTI STD - 137 for FRP pultruded structures:
| TEST | ASTM - STD | Description | Requirement as per CTI-137 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specific Weight | D792 | Test methods describe the determination of the specific gravity (relative density) and density of solid plastics | 1.72 to 1.94 g/cc | 1.85g/cc |
| 24 Hr Water Absorption | D570 | Determination of the relative rate of absorption of water by plastics when immersed. | Max 0.60% | 0.25% |
| Barcol Hardness | D2583 | Determination of indentation hardness of both reinforced and nonreinforced rigid plastics using a Barcol Impressor. | ≥ 45 BHU | 53 BHU |
| Glass Content | D2584 | This test method is used to obtain the ignition loss of a cured reinforced resin sample. | Min 55% | 68% |
| Tensile Strength LW | D638 | Determination of the tensile properties of unreinforced and reinforced plastics in the form of standard dumbell-shaped test specimens. | ≥ 206.8 MPa | 402.69 MPa |
| Tensile Strength CW | ≥ 48.2 MPa | 58.32 MPa | ||
| Flexural Strength LW | D790 | Determine the flexural properties of unreinforced and reinforced plastics, including high modulus composites and electrical insulating materials utilizing a three-point loading system to apply a load to a simply supported beam (specimen). | ≥ 206.8 MPa | 400.15 MPa |
| Flexural Strength CW | ≥ 68.9 MPa | 78.12 MPa | ||
| Compressive Strength LW | D695 | Determination of the mechanical properties of unreinforced and reinforced rigid plastics, including high-modulus composites, when loaded in compression at relatively low uniform rates of straining or loading. | ≥ 206.8 MPa | 236.28 MPa |
| Compressive Strength CW | ≥ 103.4 MPa | 105 MPa | ||
| Bearing Strength LW | D953 | This pin-bearing strength test for plastics is intended to apply in the specification of various thermoplastic or thermosetting products in sheet form where rivets, bolts, or similar fastenings are to be used in joining members or sections. | ≥ 206.8 MPa | 378.5 MPa |
| Bearing Strength CW | ≥ 206.8 MPa | 268.2 MPa | ||
| Short Beam Shear Strength | D2344 | This test method determines the short-beam strength of high-modulus fibre-reinforced composite materials. The specimen is a short beam machined from a curved or a flat laminate up to 6.00 mm [0.25 in.] thick. The beam is loaded in three-point bending. | ≥ 31 MPa | 38.7 MPa |
Quality Test conducted at Authorized Laboratories
| Test | Standard | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Resistance (Rate of burning) | ASTM D635 | This fire-test-response test method covers a small-scale laboratory screening procedure for comparing the relative linear rate of burning or extent and time of burning, or both, of plastics in the form of bars, molded or cut from sheets, plates, or panels, and tested in the horizontal position./td> | Flame does not cross max 25 mm mark |
| Heat release rate- Cone Calorimeter Method | ISO 5660-1 | ISO 5660-1:2015 specifies a method for assessing the heat release rate of specimens exposed in the horizontal orientation to controlled levels of irradiance with an external igniter. | 54.28 kW/m2 |
| Surface Resistivity | ASTM D257 | The resistance or conductance of a material specimen or of a capacitor is determined from a measurement of current or of voltage drop under specified conditions. By using the appropriate electrode systems, surface and volume resistance or conductance may be measured separately. | 6.1 x 10^13Ω |
| Volume Resistivity | 2.9 x 10^13Ω |