Laboratory Group, NDT and QEMS
The Laboratory, NDT and QEMS Group team is part of Fidamc's scientific-technical service and plays a crucial role in the research, development and validation of advanced materials and processes. This team is responsible for detailed testing and analysis to ensure that materials and components meet the highest standards of quality and performance.
The Laboratory, NDT and QEMS Group team is engaged in a variety of essential activities, including:
- Physico-chemical characterisation of materials: analysis of the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of composites and other advanced materials.
- Mechanical characterisation: strength, durability and behaviour tests under different load and environmental conditions.
- Quality control: inspection and verification of materials and components during and after the manufacturing process to ensure conformity with technical specifications.
- Research and development:
- Support for R&D projects by carrying out experiments and tests that contribute to the development of new materials and processes.
- The Group's own research, which includes the lines of metallisation of composite materials, with the aim of providing electrical conductivity (as an alternative to traditional methods of protection against lightning impact) and electromagnetic shielding; and active (thermoelectric systems based on advanced materials) and passive (freeze-proof coatings) frost protection systems.
It is also important to note that Fidamc's NDT and QEMS Laboratory team is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and equipment to carry out its tasks. Notable capabilities and technologies include:
- Microscopy analysis: for detailed analysis of the quality of materials.
- Infrared spectroscopy and chemical analysis: for the identification and quantification of the chemical components of the materials.
- Collaboration with other centres: collaboration with other research centres and companies to expand capacities and adopt new technologies.
- Material testing machines: for stress, compression, strain, pressure and endurance tests.
- Climatic rooms: to evaluate the behaviour of materials under different environmental conditions.
The Laboratory, NDT and QEMS group has several pieces of equipment to perform different types of tests:
Mechanical testing equipment:
- Criterion MTS 300 kN testing machine with temperature range from -55ºC to 350ºC and 100kN capacity.
- MTS Landmarck 370 100kN (-100ºC - 350ºC) universal dynamic testing machine with 300kN capacity.
- Universal testing machine Zwick Z010 with 10kN capacity
Equipment for physico-chemical testing:
- Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC).
- Mechano-dynamic analysis (DMA).
- Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
- Thermo-mechanical analysis (TMA).
- Rheology.
- FTIR Nicolet iN10 MX.
- Electrical conductivity.
- Oxygen limit index.
- Stereo microscope and optical microscope.
- Extractor hoods and fume hoods.
- Ovens and temperature and humidity chambers.
Sample preparation equipment:
- Sample machining.
- Dimensional analysis.
- Surface grinding machine.
- CNC coupon trimming machine.
- Metallographic preparation.
- Low-medium energy impact device.
As for the equipment for the non-destructive testing (NDT) area, the Laboratory, NDT and QEMS group has 100m2 where there is an isolated work room for documentation and engineering work, an automatic inspection work area and an area for manual inspection. The equipment in this area consists of 2 manual equipment, a semi-automatic phased array equipment and an immersion tank with the following capacities:
- Pulse-echo from 1 MHz to 5 MHz. Useful sweep up to 8 m x 3 m.
- Transmission from 1 MHz to 5 MHz. Useful sweep: 7 m x 1.5 m.
- Aerial transmission 0.225 MHz. Useful sweep: 7 m x 1,5 m.
All equipment, probes and personnel are qualified according to EN4179.
The activities carried out by the Laboratory, NDT and QEMS group of Fidamc are:
- Mechanical and physicochemical characterisation tests.
- Sample preparation.
- Non-destructive testing.
- Inspection, structural testing
- Thermal and climatic analysis
As a result of these activities, the following work is being carried out:
- Definition, characterisation and testing for certification of materials (fibres, resins, others).
- Development/validation of new structural concepts and structural analysis methods.
- Cutting of test specimens using numerically controlled machines, grinding machine for demanding dimensional tolerance requirements, squares for measuring parallelism and perpendicularity, surface comparators, milling machine, polishing machine for test specimens.
- Destructive and non-destructive mechanical testing (tensile, compression, G1c, in-plane shear, interlaminar shear, drum peeling, impact hardness, etc. mainly used for all types of composite and polymeric materials from any manufacturing method).
- Physicochemical tests for the determination of glass transition temperature, degree of curing, degree of crystallinity, coefficient of thermal expansion, degradation temperature, determination of resin, fibre and voids content, microstructural characterisation, etc.
El equipo del Grupo de Laboratorio, NDT y QEMS
The Laboratory, NDT and QEMS Group team is composed of scientists and engineers specialising in various disciplines, including materials science, chemistry, physics and mechanical engineering. Their experience and expertise are critical to the success of Fidamc's projects, ensuring that the materials and processes developed are of the highest quality and reliability. These are our professionals:
- Silvia Calvo del Valle. Head of Laboratory and Quality and Environmental Management System (QEMS).
- Mª Ángeles Molero. Laboratory Operator.
- Mª Ángeles has 11 years' experience in aeronautical assembly, in two leading companies in the sector, and has completed a course in the manufacture of aerospace elements with composite materials.
- María Rodríguez Gude. PhD Researcher.
- María Rosario Martínez Miranda. Researcher and technician of the Quality and Environmental Management System (QEMS).
- Maryorie Mey Lin Collantes Angulo. Laboratory technician.
- Rafael Contento Tercedor. Research Engineer and NDT level III inspector.
- Vanessa García Martínez. Research Doctor.
- Elena Pérez Martínez. Laboratory researcher.
- Beatriz Moreno Barbosa. Laboratory technician.
- Ana Rosa Rodríguez Fraguas. Researcher and technician of the Quality and Environmental Management System (QEMS) of the ISO 14001 certification.
- Luís Belmonte Valencia. Laboratory technician.
The Laboratory, NDT and QEMS group is located at Fidamc headquarters (Avda. Rita Levi Montalcini, 29. 28906, Getafe, Madrid) and can be contacted by phone (+34 910458358) or mail (laboratorio@fidamc.es)
The laboratory is accredited under UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 nº: 1099/LE2107.
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