New Materials Testing Hub

Work is under way for our new Materials Testing Hub in Brierley Hill!

The new site, based in Brierley Hill, will combine the latest in high temperature, humidity and pressure testing capabilities, along with current fatigue and thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) testing from Phoenix Materials Testing Ltd & Rotech Laboratories Ltd.

It will also house the Merlin Powder Characterisation Ltd test facility, in which the physical properties and compressibility of powders are determined by the use of a hydraulic compaction simulator. 

We will be documenting the progression here - watch this space!

March 2019

We are currently installing a mezzanine floor that is soon to become the office space for our test lab team. We’re also developing a larger meeting room where we’ll be able to host our own seminars, conferences, and events! Stay tuned to follow our latest developments.

April 2019

Our new Materials Testing Hub development continues. We have created a new plant room to house four hydraulic power packs, air blast coolers and water chiller unit. 

The hydraulic power packs will run our materials and product test laboratory ring main. It will feed 8 servo hydraulic testing machines and a separate pack to run our 1600kN Schenck test machine. The environmental test laboratory will use another power pack. We will equip this lab with 4 TMF machines and environmental chambers. 

The new Merlin Powder Characterisation laboratory will be powered by a fourth power pack. This will house the existing compaction simulator (relocated), plus space for a second high-containment compaction simulator in 2020. 

Housing the power packs in a separate plant room will give us more space for test lab equipment, so we can expand our capabilities.

June 2019

Work continues on our new materials testing hub. The plant room building work is now complete, as is much of the hydraulic pipework installation. The main stud walls are done and work on the internal partition walls for the offices and test areas continue. Suspended ceilings are now being put into the low pressure lab, while painting, plumbing and the trunking for the electrical cable installation progresses. Things are really beginning to take shape and we can get a feel for how amazing this will look once fully complete!