Address the cost of failure.
Investigate material-related faults to identify opportunities to reduce rejects, rework and replacement costs. Review the component, material specification, processing history and service conditions.
MATERIAL ANALYSIS & SUBSTITUTION
Material analysis.
Material analysis.
Engineered for profitability.
New project focus: your cost per accepted part.
Protect performance. Explore
circular-material substitution.
Switch to a circular material.
Evaluate replacing your existing material with a circular material. Compare performance, processing requirements and total part cost, then define the testing and molding trials needed to qualify the substitution.
Optimize cost per accepted part.
Compare resin price, processing efficiency, scrap, tooling changes and qualification costs, while retaining required component performance. Look beyond a cheaper price per kilogram.
MATERIAL INVESTIGATION WORKFLOW
Start with the failed part, not a guessed replacement.
- 01
Establish the baseline
Collect the drawing, incumbent grade and data sheet, supplier/lot information, molding conditions, service environment and the reported failure.
- 02
Compare good and failed samples
Separate material, processing, design and service-condition hypotheses. Define which measurements or tests can distinguish between them.
- 03
Select candidate materials
Compare grade-level properties, supply, processing needs, circular-content evidence and unit cost. Confirm the required specialist analysis and laboratory.
- 04
Trial, test and compare
Review dimensions, appearance, function, rejects, cycle time and downstream assembly using agreed conditions. Approve a change only against the application requirements.
COST PER ACCEPTED PART
Compare the full production effect.
- Material price and consumption, including runners and agreed reuse restrictions.
- Drying, processing window, cycle time and energy assumptions.
- Rejects, rework, inspection and downstream assembly impact.
- Tooling changes, qualification effort and supply continuity.
Compare the total cost per accepted part, then validate the selected material against production and performance requirements.
| Decision area | Important distinction |
|---|---|
| Circular-material substitution | Replace the incumbent material with a circular material, such as a suitable recycled-content grade, subject to the application and evidence. Confirm composition, consistency, sourcing and claim documentation. |
| Biopolymer selection | Circular-material selection connects the resin grade, application and end-of-life route to the intended environmental outcome. |
| Fault analysis | Root-cause analysis guides the corrective action across material, process and design. |
| Specialist methods | Specialist analysis is scoped with the appropriate laboratory provider, including method selection, sample preparation and reporting. |
SCOPE YOUR PROJECT
Bring the baseline and the business objective.
- Good and failed parts, photos of the fault and the conditions in which it occurs.
- Incumbent resin grade, data sheet, lot history and relevant process records.
- The required cost, performance or circular-material outcome.
- Acceptance criteria and restrictions on design, tooling, colour, supply and regulatory scope.
Quotation target: 1 week from a complete technical brief. Production, tooling and qualification schedules are scoped separately.