Identification of foreign bodies and root cause analysis for customer complaints
In Danish
Quickly clarify the composition of a foreign body or determine the root cause of a customer complaint - with accredited analysis that provides a solid foundation for dialogue with suppliers and customers.
When a foreign body appears in your production line, or when a product fails and triggers a complaint, fast and reliable identification is essential. The identification of foreign bodies is performed under accreditation by matching the chemical fingerprint of the unknown material - typically rubber, plastic, or polymer-containing particles - against known reference samples.
Danish Technological Institute’s Plastics Laboratory identifies the material and pinpoints the root cause, enabling you to make decisions based on documented evidence and effectively resolve production shutdowns.
How can Danish Technological Institute assist you?
Danish Technological Institute provides accredited analysis to answer the critical questions that arise when foreign bodies are detected or when complaints occur regarding rubber and plastic products:
- Accredited identification of rubber and plastics - typically with results within a few days
- Analysis of foreign bodies and contaminants in products or production environments
- Root cause analysis for complaints - from identification to documented conclusions
- Material verification - does the delivered material comply with the specification?
- Assessment of degradation and process-related defects - e.g., incomplete vulcanization or thermal degradation
- Chemical resistance and environmental impact - assessment of UV exposure, chemicals, and other in-service conditions
- Establishment of customer-specific reference libraries - enabling faster and more targeted future analyses
Get answers to critical questions
Is the material correct - or was the wrong material delivered?
The first question in a complaint investigation is often whether the material received was actually what was ordered. Danish Technological Institute identifies rubber in accordance with ISO 4650, which is based on infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In the same way, we can obtain the chemical fingerprint of plastic materials.
By combining uncorrelated methods - such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) with FTIR spectroscopy - we achieve high reliability in material identification. This reliability is documented through participation in proficiency testing schemes.
Is the foreign body external - or does it originate from your own production?
When identifying a foreign body, we match its chemical fingerprint against our database of pure materials. However, commercial products rarely consist of a single pure material. For this reason, several of our clients have invested in a reference library containing their own potential contamination sources - such as hairnets, filter media, or gaskets.
A customer-specific reference library significantly reduces turnaround time and makes it possible to definitively rule out or pinpoint specific sources of contamination. The faster the root cause is found, the faster production can resume.
Is the product molded correctly - or has the material degraded?
Some polymer materials place high demands on the manufacturing process. For example, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) requires such high processing temperatures during molding that the risk of degradation is imminent. Partially degraded PTFE crystallizes faster and to a higher degree than virgin PTFE - and testing according to ISO 11357-3 provides the documentation required to initiate a qualified dialogue with the supplier.
For elastomer materials such as PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), performance depends on the vulcanization process. If the crosslinking reaction is incomplete, the finished product will not meet data sheet specifications. Depending on the product geometry, we offer mechanical testing and rubber analyses to clarify whether there is room for improvement in the molding process.
Has the product been exposed to an unusual operating environment?
Chemicals and UV radiation leave traces that can provide decisive evidence in a complaint investigation. When examining a failed product, we draw on in-depth knowledge of the strengths and vulnerabilities of various polymer materials. For instance, PP (polypropylene) is rarely susceptible to environmental stress cracking (ESC) but has limited resistance to radiation sterilization. FKM rubber (sometimes referred to as Viton®) withstands high temperatures and aggressive chemicals, but alkaline fluids are its Achilles' heel.
Where relevant, we can follow the principles of ISO 1817 to quantify the effect of a specific liquid at a specific temperature - thereby documenting whether the operating environment contributed to the failure.
Accreditation and standards
Danish Technological Institute’s Plastics Laboratory is accredited by DANAK in accordance with ISO 17025 for the identification of polymer-containing samples such as rubber and plastics. This accreditation ensures that the analytical results are internationally recognized and can serve as valid documentation in warranty disputes and supplier negotiations.
Analyses can be conducted in accordance with standards including:
- ISO 4650: Rubber - Identification - Infrared spectrometric method
- ISO 11357-3: Plastics - Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) - Part 3: Determination of temperature and enthalpy of melting and crystallization
- ISO 6775: Identification of plastics using Raman spectroscopy
Contact us about identification of foreign bodies
Have you discovered a foreign body in your production line, or are you handling a complaint that requires documented analysis? Contact Danish Technological Institute’s Plastics Laboratory to discuss how we can best assist you moving forward.