Engineering
Test the joint, not the certificate
Eight test types against the characteristics that actually decide whether a fastener works — reported while the lot is still identifiable.
Capability
What can be tested, and what each test is for
The list is deliberately broad rather than deep, because a fastener problem rarely arrives as a single measurement question.
| Test type | What it answers | Instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Material composition | Is the grade what the certificate says it is? | Spectrometer |
| 2D / 3D dimensional | Does the part match the drawing, including small features? | VMS, profile projector |
| Friction coefficient | What preload will this finish actually produce at a given torque? | Friction coefficient tester |
| Salt spray | How does the finish behave under corrosive exposure? | Salt spray chamber |
| SMT soldering performance | Will the part solder and survive reflow as intended? | Solderability evaluation |
| Hardness and tensile strength | Is the heat treatment and the mechanical performance correct? | Vickers, Brinell, universal testing machine |
| Weather resistance | How does the part behave under sustained humidity and temperature? | Constant temperature and humidity chamber |
| Metallographic structure | Is the case depth and microstructure as specified? | Metallographic microscope |
Test methods, sample size and reporting scope are agreed per product. The instrument list reflects what is installed; the standard applied is stated on the report so that two results can be compared like for like.
Speed
Corrosion results in one to two days
Salt spray and weather resistance results are available in one to two days, which is fast enough to change a decision while a design is still open rather than after it has shipped.
Cost
Free for long-term customers
Testing is free of charge for long-term customers and waived for new customers within a development contract. The point is to make the test happen rather than to make it a purchase order.
Scope
Third-party where accreditation is required
In-house results suit engineering decisions. Where an accredited third-party report is required, the test is arranged externally and identified as such on the document.
Why friction is on the list
The test most often skipped
Friction coefficient is the variable that converts torque into preload. It is also the one that changes when a finish changes, which means the same torque setting produces a different clamp load on the next batch if nobody measured it.
Measuring it is what makes a torque specification meaningful. Without it, the torque figure is a number that happened to work once — and the joint that fails in service is usually the one where friction drifted and nobody noticed.
Questions
Testing FAQ
How long do results take?
Is testing charged?
Can you test a competitor part?
Do you issue third-party reports?
Need something tested?
Tell us the question the test is meant to answer. The right test follows from that, not the other way round.