Materials Analysis and Research Services, Centre of Industrial Collaboration (MARS CIC) – a consultancy unit in the MERI research centre which delivers analysis and consultancy services to any industry which has materials based needs.
Their services cover a range of specialist areas such as; computing modelling and simulation, materials analysis, engineering product support, materials development and design, quality assurance, machine vision for industry, and energy engineering.
MARS CIC is a leading support centre to industry in materials research and analysis. MARS CIC has over a decade of experience of sample preparation and analysis, covering a wide range of materials. Materials analysis covers; metals analysis, electronic materials, polymers and composites, ceramic materials and powders, paint analysis and selection and corrosion testing facilities.
Metals Analysis: MARS offer a full analysis and characterisation of metallic materials and components. Their unique combination of materials characterisation and analysis equipment, together with our team of expert and experienced staff in materials research, allows them to deliver the results you require to solve your problems.
Polymers and Composites: They specialise in polymers and nanocomposites, oilfield chemistry and cement, pharmaceuticals, packaging, paints and coatings, and minerals and fillers. They develop materials that help to improve barrier, physical and mechanical properties, improve heat, corrosion and solvent resistance, weight reduction, enhanced recyclability, and help to increase quality products with reduced production costs.
Ceramic Materials and Powders: MERI offers a full service for the analysis and characterisation of ceramic materials. Some examples of the services they offer are; fracture toughness, impact and impact fatigue, testing, analysis and evaluation of ceramic materials, identification of inclusions and impurities, failure analysis and fractography and phase identification.
Paint analysis and Selection: A range of techniques are available for the characterisation of paint coatings in terms of their physical durability, mechanical properties, and anti-corrosive performance. The approach to characterising a particular coating depends upon its application requirements. Some of the techniques offered include; adhesion testing, paint extensibility, moisture permeability and environmental testing.
Corrosion Testing Facilities: Tests are available for monitoring and quantifying the corrosion degradation of materials and coatings. This includes metals and metallic coatings and also paints.
How can materials analysis benefit you?
There are several benefits of materials analysis; the services described above offer many benefits for businesses who want to use these services, such as reduced down time, improved quality products, increased sales through increased product quality, eliminated supply chain problems, support for in-home technical teams, identifying failure analysis, materials characterisation, contamination identification, reduced production costs, energy efficiency, failure analysis and materials selection and screening, just to name a few.
Nick Farmilo is the Business Development Manager at the Materials and Engineering Research Institute within Sheffield Hallam University.
Nick’s work is based on consultancy in these areas
(Materials Analysis, Corrosion Testing)