GLASS FAILURE ANALYSIS

Glass is a material apart, discovered thousands of years ago. Our knowledge about it, as well as the capacity to analyze it and carry out a failure analysis are more recent. Like every material, it is important to know the characteristics of glass materials and enamels as part of assembly control, of both the container and content as well as in cases of defects or failures.

The Analyses & Surface laboratory supports manufacturers (via innovative and efficient technological means and specific human skills) in complete investigation procedures in the field of glass making (analysis, control, failure analysis, etc.).

Our areas of expertise can be classified as follows :

Glass surface :
Research / Identification of a surface treatment (SEM-EDX, IR)
Physico-chemical characterization of a surface treatment (SEM-EDX, IR)
Characterization of a pollution (SEM-EDX, IR)
Study of the topography (relief, roughness) of the surface (Non-contact measurement stations)
Characterization of the surface tension (Tensiometer, surface energy)

Identification of foreign objects of the glass type
Customer feedback (optical microscopy, SEM-EDX)

Characterization of inclusions in the glass
Crystalline inclusions (SEM-EDX)
Gaseous inclusions (Optical microscopy)
Vitreous inclusions (Optical microscopy)

Fractographic failure analysis of a product
To explain the cause of the breakage: localization of the origin and the constraints having caused the failure (Optical microscopy, SEM-EDX)

Checking the dimensions of finished products in relation to the design drawings

Non-destructive study of interfaces in complex systems
Finding a leak path in a glass vial / plastic sprayer system (X-ray microtomography)