Material testing, quality control, and standardization

Material Testing

Material testing is the process of measuring the physical characteristics of materials to determine their durability, strength, elasticity, and other key properties.
It can include tests for tensile strength, which measures how much a material can be stretched before it breaks, and flexural strength, which determines how much a material can bend without deforming.
Another important test is the shear test, which determines a material’s ability to resist forces that may try to slide the layers of the material against each other.
Hardness tests are also conducted to determine a material’s resistance to indentation or scratching.
Testing results can help to predict how materials will behave in their end use and can guide design decisions.

Quality Control

Quality control (QC) refers to the systems put in place by manufacturers to ensure that products meet defined standards of quality.
QC measures can involve visual inspections, functional tests, and lab tests to check for defects and non conformity.
Quality control checks are typically conducted at different stages, from the receipt of raw materials, through the manufacturing process, and finally on the finished product.
Consistent QC helps to minimise waste, increase customer satisfaction, and improve a company’s reputation.

Standardisation

Standardisation involves setting up and using rules, conditions, or guidelines to ensure that materials or processes remain consistent and comparable.
It can include establishing standards for sizes, grades, or classification of materials, or developing standard procedures for testing and evaluation.
International organisations, such as ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials), create and publish widely recognised standards.
Using recognised standards helps improve reliability, facilitate interoperability, and enhance consumer trust.