Why did my plastic part crack? Who can analyse polymer failures?
Plastic failures commonly come from wrong or degraded material, moulding stress, chemical attack (environmental stress cracking) or design. Labs combine FTIR, DSC/TGA, molecular weight and fractography to separate these.
What the method covers
Moulded, extruded and 3D-printed parts, films and seals; comparisons between failed and good parts are the strongest evidence.
Applicability caveats
- FTIR identifies polymer family; grade and additive differences need further methods.
- Chemical exposure history is critical for stress cracking conclusions.
- Accelerated tests reproduce mechanisms, not exact service life.