Extrusion International 4-2025-USA

26 Extrusion International 4/2025 INDUSTRY NEWS Shaping the Future of Plastics Testing Together The long-standing collaboration with the leading testing technolo- gy manufacturer is being taken to a new level and further expanded with state-of-the-art technology. With the innovative CRB test and the LTM testing machine, SKZ is setting new standards in plastics testing – precise, sustainable, and forward-looking. As part of the ZwickRoell Road- show 2025, the impressive show truck stopped in Würzburg – a spe- cial moment for the SKZ. It brought with it a special award: the SKZ was officially named ZwickRoell's first partner laboratory. For many years, SKZ has relied on ZwickRoell's reliable testing and measurement technology. The partnership now agreed takes this successful collaboration to a new level. As a certified partner laboratory, SKZ uses a wide range of state-of-the-art systems from the renowned manufacturer – for precise, reliable, and traceable test results in the interests of future- oriented quality assurance. “This award is not only confirma- tion of our long-standing partner- ship, but also an incentive to ac - tively shape the future of plastics testing together,” says Dr. Marcus Heindl, Head of the Testing Labo - ratory, adding: “A big thank you to ZwickRoell for the trust they have placed in us – we look forward to many more joint projects.” An outstanding example of the close technical cooperation is the development of a joint case study on the Cracked Round Bar (CRB) test according to ISO 18489. While previous methods such as the Full Notch Creep Test (FNCT) or the Pennsylvania Edge Notch Tensile Test (PENT) were consid- ered industry standards, they have several disadvantages in practice. These classic methods are often time-consuming, environmentally questionable – especially when critical chemicals are used – and not always sufficiently informative for modern PE 100-RC materials. The CRB test, on the other hand, offers a number of clear advan- tages: It is internationally standardized according to ISO 18489, delivers significantly faster results, does not require the use of wetting agents, and enables much more precise statements to be made about the actual material performance under real-life conditions. SKZ is one of the first laborato- ries in Germany to be officially ac- credited by the German Accredita- tion Body (DAkkS) to perform the CRB test – another milestone on the road to the highest quality and reliability in plastics testing. The CRB test is already being suc- cessfully performed at SKZ using ZwickRoell's LTM electrodynamic testing machine. The decision to use this system was based on sev- eral compelling reasons: The LTM testing machine is fully electrodynamic, eliminating the need for complex hydraulic com- ponents. It enables high-frequen- cy testing with minimal mainte- nance. Thanks to its closed design, no additional climate chamber is required, which significantly sim - plifies operation. Another advantage is its intuitive usability: Control is via ZwickRoell's powerful testXpert® software, which works on a plug-and-play basis, enabling quick commission - ing and efficient process flows. Conclusion: With the CRB test and innovative LTM testing tech- nology, SKZ is setting new stan - dards in plastics testing – efficient, sustainable, and technologically state-of-the-art. The partnership with ZwickRoell is a strong sign of innovation in action and under- scores SKZ's commitment to ac- tively shaping quality standards in the industry as a leading center of excellence. The Plastics Center SKZ Dr.-Ing. Marcus Heindl, m.heindl@skz.de www.skz.de Thermography makes it easy to quickly identify impurities in materials across large areas (Photo: SKZ)