Reasons for Thermal Damage
Temperature fluctuations exacerbate any incompatibilities between component materials’ respective thermal characteristics, which causes increasing tension between them. Eventually, cracks form to release all that stress, the result of undergoing thermal cycling. This sort of breakdown is unacceptable, especially in circumstances that rely on the structural integrity of that product to avoid disaster.
To prevent such a scenario, manufacturers send samples of their products to thermal testing labs like Applied Technical Services to undergo Temperature Cycling Testing. Such testing help uncover compatibility issues between component materials and the product’s resistance to thermal cycling and potential structural failure.
About the Method
The test is performed by placing the test sample into one of our many thermal chambers and exposing it to cycles of high and low temperatures over time. ATS technicians set maximum and minimum temperatures anywhere between -60°C and 170°C in multiple humidity levels, determined by the standard to which we are testing the material.
Depending on the needs of the sample, our units can achieve ramp rates as high as 7.5°C/minute; maintaining fine control over these variables allow ATS to ensure the most accurate findings. Our small fleet of thermal cycling units come in varying sizes, as large as 14’ x 10’ x 11’, ensuring that our lab can accommodate samples of all sorts. The results can be helpful in failure analysis after an incident or pre-production quality management.