When you need to confirm the presence of something, measure ingredients in a product, or ensure a material is safe or effective, analytical testing companies become your first port of call. They are who you rely on to undertake a wide range of testing services like chemical analysis, high-resolution imagery, thermal analysis, and more.
However, there can be a lot riding on the test results, so accuracy and excellent service are paramount. Before you choose a company you believe can take care of your unique needs, take a moment to consider the following points. They may just help you narrow down your options.
The Testing Services They Provide
Every analytical testing company is different, and some are better set up to provide testing services for some industries than others. Learning about the services they provide is one of the first things to do before selecting a company.
If you click here, you can get an idea of what many of the leading analysis companies can do for individuals and businesses alike. You can also learn more about some of the most common offerings below.
X-Ray Diffraction
X-ray diffraction is a technique that allows analysis experts to identify a crystalline material’s phase and unit cell. X-ray powder diffraction is one of the most common choices, which can identify the structure of a crystal, its orientation, phases, and structural properties like grain size and crystallinity percentage.
This service can be required in a wide range of industries like pharmaceuticals, life sciences, data storage, law and litigation, and more.
Chemical Analysis – X-Ray Fluorescence
X-ray fluorescence allows experts to determine a material’s elemental constituents while also measuring film thickness and composition. This service is often required to determine the chemical analysis of rocks, sediments, minerals, and fluids, while also looking at trace level contamination in solids.
Such a service is relied upon in many industries like personal care, life sciences, law and litigation, and even aerospace.
Thermal Analysis
Any individual or business needing to know a material’s melting point, weight loss, and other material properties may contact an analytical testing company to inquire about thermal analysis services. Some of the best companies provide a range of thermal analysis services like thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry.
Particle Size Analysis
A wide range of companies in industries like cosmetics, fertilizers, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals, rely on particle size analysis for the creation of their products. If they don’t have in-house testing services, they might outsource testing to a company with the right expertise and equipment.
Many reputable analysis companies use techniques like light scattering, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution imaging to adequately measure and analyze a sample.
High-Resolution Imaging
High-resolution imaging is required in various industries, from personal care and packaging to pharmaceuticals, solar and lighting, and everything in between. Generally, high-resolution imaging is necessary for forensic analysis, component failure analysis, and process characterization, just to name a few.
Failure Analysis
When a product experiences an extreme failure, it’s only natural for the manufacturer to want to get to the bottom of it to prevent it from happening again. To get the answers you seek, you must find a company that offers failure analysis.
Experts can apply a range of techniques like metallography and thermal gravimetric analysis to find out why something failed in the way it did. It’s a valuable service for businesses working with electronics, medical devices, raw chemicals, personal care, and more.
The Equipment They Use
Efficiency and accuracy are everything when you’re outsourcing a testing job to an analysis company. You want complete confidence that the results you receive will be accurate, and the equipment in use can play a part in this. Some of the best analytical testing companies use:
- XRD equipment
- Particle size analyzers
- Thermal and chemical equipment
- High-resolution imaging equipment
- Support equipment – jaw crushers, ball mills, high-temperature ovens, and more
Selecting a company with industry-leading equipment can give you and your place of employment the peace of mind you need to know you’re receiving an accurate result.
Turnaround Time
Many things can be riding on a test being carried out in a timely manner. What you’re testing might be a perishable item like food, or you may need the results for a court case, with the outcome possibly depending on it.
Before choosing an analytical testing company, find out how quickly they can test your materials and have the results back to you. Fortunately, you can gain an idea of the turnaround time before you send the material to be tested. You can then make a decision based on that timeframe and the other factors like services and equipment.
Test Reliability and Quality
Most analytical testing companies aim to be as accurate and reliable as possible. Their reputation with testing in several industries relies on these attributes. However, nothing is ever guaranteed, which means there’s no harm in putting measures in place to ensure the company you choose prioritizes test reliability and quality.
If you plan to have a long-standing relationship with a company, consider asking them for a self-audit that outlines turnaround time, the success rate in testing activities, and frequency of repeated work. You may even be able to conduct a supplier audit which requires the plant staff to evaluate a lab’s methods, records management, and results verification.
While audits won’t be required for all businesses and industries, they can be worthwhile for those where a high degree of accuracy is absolutely crucial.
Test Costs
The costs of tests are only one of many factors, and they should never be the deciding factor if none of your other checks give you confidence that a testing facility is up to standard. However, it’s worth being aware of how much tests cost so that you can budget for them in your business.
By being aware of their costs before agreeing to an analytical service, you can ensure that you’ve made allowances for them in your budget and won’t need to face delays if you accidentally end up over budget or caught short.
There can be a lot involved in choosing an analytical testing company, especially when accurate results are incredibly important for research and product manufacturing. Whether you’re in the medical field, mining, aerospace, life sciences, or something else, consider these points above before aligning yourself with a testing company you believe you can trust.
