Degradation

Materials in products and product equipment can change in time. This could be changes to metal alloys, certain plastics, or fiber materials. The process sets out at microscopic level, even down the atomic level, but will eventually spread and ruin product properties and value. Many of these challenges can be revealed early on with 3D X-ray techniques. They offer a toolbox – an “extended workbench” – to gain insights into degradation mechanisms. Such knowledge may guide pre-emptive measures, or at least help identify lifetimes to predict realistic warrantees applicable to a certain product or processing equipment.