Brightworks

product design innovation

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Material Selection
How material & process innovation produced a market leading training aid.

product design development
Material Validation
How Brightworks validated the materials for this medical grade breast pump.

product design quote

"The details are not the details. They make the design."

Charles Eames

material selection, testing & validation

Material selection is usually a balance between physical/chemical performance and cost, and finding the right material for your product could mean the difference between success and failure. For some components, specifying the correct material is critically important: where the shape of a part and the material work closely together to provide a particular function or property.

At Brightworks we are not material specialists as such but we have a good working knowledge covering a wide variety of different materials. In particular we are very familiar with the extensive range of polymers, plastics and rubbers that are commercially available.

We work closely with materials suppliers & manufacturers for guidance and, if necessary, can call in the expertise of a specialist: when a particular physical or chemical property is required.

Basic mechanical testing may be carried out in our own workshop or, for more involved tests, we use a number of external test labs as required.

At Brightworks we have experience of identifying suitable material candidates, obtaining pre-production samples and carrying out tests to validate mechanical function, chemical performance, temperature resistance, etc. as required. We have also been involved in the testing and approval of materials/components for medical device certification (FDA 510 K).

material validation tests

Tests we have been involved with include: -

  • Skin contact
  • Food contact
  • Continuous boiling
  • Dishwasher cycling
  • Tumble dryer cycling
  • Fatigue
  • Compression set
  • Breaking strength
  • Drop testing
  • Pressure testing
  • Impact resistance

With such a wide range of materials available today, it can be extremely difficult to filter through to find the best balance of properties and cost. Please allow Brightworks to help you achieve this goal.

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